Lent begins
Wednesday, March 1, is Ash Wednesday. “With ashes today, the priest traces on my forehead the sign of penitence and the sign of death,” wrote Fr. Leo John Dehon in The Year with the Sacred Heart. “What are dust and ashes? They are signs of destruction; the stamp that time, fire, and death print on earthly things. What remains of the most famous monuments of antiquity, the most illustrious capitals of ancient Rome, Athens, Thebes, and Babylon? Dust and ashes…
“What am I? Dust and ashes. The dust is blown away by the wind. So too is my poor nature. I am susceptible to every wind of temptation. I am as weak in my soul as I am fragile in my body. My will is as movable as the dust…
“I am but nothingness; however I will go to God and I will go with humility. I will go with the awareness of my weakness, but confident anyway, because God is good, because the Son of God took on a heart to love me, and he broke this heart to let flow on my soul the fragrance of his mercy.”
Click here to read Fr. Dehon’s full reflection on Ash Wednesday in the most recent issue of Dehonian Spirituality.
Dehonian Spirituality is an email publication with reflections and prayers based in the charsim of Fr. Leo John Dehon. Produced by the Dehonian Associates Office of the US Province, it is mailed most Fridays. Click here to be added to the subscription list.
Easter mailings
Twice weekly (Tuesday and Thursday) during the Easter Season the Dehonian Associates Office will be sending by email “The Way of Light, Reflections on the Resurrection by Leo John Dehon, SCJ.”
“Via Lucis [Way of Light] is based on the gospel stories of the resurrection and has been cherished since the first century but only formally became a Roman Catholic devotion at the start of the Jubilee Year 2000,” said David Schimmel, director of Dehonian Associates for the US Province.
Everyone who receives Dehonian Spirituality will be added to the mailing list for the “Way of Light.” Click here to add others to the mailing list.
March birthdays
Those celebrating birthdays in March include Fr. Joe Dean (70) and Fr. Zbigniew Morawiec (52) on March 3, Fr. Jim Brackin (71) on March 4, Fr. Joseph Mukuna (41) on March 5, Fr. Terry Langley (67) on March 12, Frater Joseph Vu (31) on March 13, Fr. Pat Lloyd (75) on March 17, Fr. Richard MacDonald (78) on March 18, Fr. Charles Brown (63) on March 19, Fr. Frank Wittouck (79) and Fr. Wojciech Adamczyk (42) on March 23, Br. Gabe Kersting (95) on March 27 and Fr. Frank Burshnick (80) and Fr. Jim Schroeder (73) on March 30.
Updates
Br. Bernard Taube
414 S. County Highway Y, A120
Jefferson, WI 53549
Direct Phone: 920-541-3147
Facility phone: 920-541-3520
Looking ahead to the General Conference
Fr. Quang Nguyen, vice provincial of the US Province, is featured in a video talking about next year’s General Conference. Fr. Quang was named chairperson of the planning commission for the conference to be held July 14-18, 2018 in the Philippines. According to organizers, the focus will be on “faithfulness to the Gospel and our charism through formation in response to social challenges.”
Click here or on the image above to view the video.
Reception and book signing
On Tuesday, February 28, the Leo Dehon Library at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology will host a reception and book signing for Fr. Michael Udoekpo, associate professor of Scripture Studies. Copies of Fr. Udoekpo’s newly released book, Rethinking the Prophetic Critique of Worship in Amos 5 for Contemporary Nigeria and the USA (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2017), will be available for purchase during the reception. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be provided from 3-4:00 p.m; a short program will begin at 3:40 p.m.
Provincial’s time
Fr. Ed Kilianski will be with the Dehon Formation Community next week for the visitation. The ceremony for entrance to postulancy will take place on March 6 at 4:45 pm. Any SCJ is welcome to join the community for the celebration; please contact Fr. David Szatkowski if you plan to be there.
Fr. Ed will take part in the Local Superiors meeting and workshop on March 13-14 (beginning with dinner and an evening program on March 13 and continuing for a full day on March 14), and the Provincial Council meeting on March 15. March 17-21 he will be in California, where he will meet with Fr. Vien Nguyen, who is completing his doctoral studies.
Homily for Fr Michael Burke
Click here to download Fr. Ed Kilianski’s homily from Fr. Michael Burke’s Mass of Christian Burial. The homily includes the reflections of several previous provincial superiors, including Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, Fr. Tom Cassidy, Fr. Richard MacDonald, Fr. John Czyzynski and Fr. Johnny Klingler.
If you would like a memorial card for Fr. Burke, click here.
Multilingual Via Crucis
During Fridays in Lent (beginning March 17) the SHSST community will pray the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) in a bilingual format (English/Spanish) in Sacred Heart Chapel at 6:30 p.m. Anyone is welcome to take part.
Closing shot
Earlier this month Sacred Heart Southern Missions’ Holy Family School in Holly Springs, Miss., celebrated Black History Month with a special program. Beginning and ending in song, the program included music, poetry and a skit put on by students, along with inspirational words from guest speaker Dr. Patrick Washington. Students are pictured below.
