The General Conference begins!

Last night the IX General Conference got underway in Rome with an opening dinner and introductions. The theme of the conference: “Dehonians in Social Commitment.” Taking part in-person are the entity superiors of the congregation from around the world, including Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, newly installed superior of the US Province, and Fr. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ, who recently began his second term as superior of the Canadian Region.

Although in-person participation is limited, anyone is welcome to view the conference sessions, as well as a daily interview show put together by the General Communications Office. The show is hosted by Fr. Sergio Rotasperti, SCJ, general communications director, and Frater Henry Nguyen, SCJ, (US Province) who is a member of the general communications team. The show is broadcast live at 4:00 pm Rome time (9:00 am central in North America), Monday through Thursday. Discussions and presentations during the show are primarily in Italian and English; however, other languages of the congregation are incorporated as possible.

Livestreams from the conference are available on the DehoniansWorldwide Facebook page.

All of the videos from the conference are available on the Dehonians’ YouTube channel. Click here or on the image below to view the kick-off video.

Besides YouTube, information from the conference will be posted on the general website, the general Facebook page, Instagram and Telegram.

Pictured at the top of the page is Fr. Vien taking part in a small-group discussion session earlier today.

Please remember:

Fr. Hendrik Ardianto’s brother, Felix, died unexpectedly February 8. He was just 10 years old. Felix had been hospitalized with liver issues, but the death was unexpected. Fr. Ardi had called his mother, who was at the hospital, asking her to wake Felix so that he could talk to him. That’s when it was discovered that he had passed. Please keep the family in your prayers. Fr. Ardi serves with the pastoral team in Mississippi.

Follow the science!

“Follow the science,” is a line often used when speaking of things such as masking, social distancing and vaccines in the fight against COVID-19. “What I worry about is that a person of faith can hear ‘Follow the science as a challenge to the invitation of Jesus to ‘follow me,’” said Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ, at last week’s Dehon Lecture at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.

Br. Guy is the Director of the Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. A native of Detroit, he earned undergraduate and masters’ degrees from MIT, and a Ph.D. in Planetary Science from the University of Arizona; he was a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard and MIT, served in the US Peace Corps (Kenya), and taught university physics at Lafayette College before entering the Jesuits in 1989.

He knows science. And he also knows that science can often be wrong, because that is what science is about: testing and learning.

HOWEVER, “the very uncertainty and error that medical science has been criticized for in the pandemic is actually a strength,” said Br. Guy. “The reason that we DO TRUST it is that by correcting what we learn from what is wrong we come constantly closer to the truth. Authority is always stronger when it can admit error and correct itself.”

“Science never tells ultimate truths, it only tells you the odds,” continued Br. Guy. “A vaccine isn’t going to completely prevent disease, but it will improve your odds…

“The only certain thing in life is God’s love and God’s mercy and our need for both.”

Click here to access videos of both of the morning presentation by Br. Guy and the afternoon response session.

Looking ahead

A few events were recently added to the province calendar:

April 5-6, Chamberlain, SD, Provincial Council planning retreat
May 10-11, Hales Corners, WI, Provincial Council meeting (budgets)
June 28-29, Hales Corners, WI, Provincial Council meeting
August 10, Provincial Council meeting teleconference TBA
August 16-18, Province Assembly, Hales Corners
September 27-28, Provincial Council meeting, Hales Corners
November 9-10, Provincial Council meeting, Hales Corners
December 20-21, Provincial Council meeting, Hales Corners

Click here to access the North American online calendar. Click here to submit a calendar item.

Lent and Easter reflections

The Dehonian Associates Committee will be sending – via email – reflections from SCJs, lay Dehonians and co-workers throughout the Lent and Easter seasons, beginning with Ash Wednesday, and then on the Sundays of each season.

Everyone on the mailing list for the Fridge Notes will be included on the mailing list for the Lent and Easter reflections. We welcome you to invite others to the list. Click here to do so.

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