Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today the United States not only celebrates the second inauguration of President Barack Obama, it also commemorates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his call for unity and non-violence. It is a call that is a part of the spirit behind this week’s Prayer for Christian Unity (see next story)

The following is a prayer of Dr. King’s that seeks a “kingdom of understanding.” It is from a recently published collection titled Thou, Dear God: Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits.

“O God, we thank you for the fact that you have inspired men and women in all nations and in all cultures. We call you different names: some call you Allah; some call you Elohim; some call you Jehovah; some call you Brahma; some call you the Unmoved Mover. But we know that these are all names for one and the same God. Grant that we will follow you and become so committed to your way and your kingdom that we will be able to establish in our lives and in this world a brother and sisterhood, that we will be able to establish here a kingdom of understanding, where men and women will live together as brothers and sisters and respect the dignity and worth of every human being. In the name and spirit of Jesus. Amen.”

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Friday, January 18, marked the start of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” It runs through Friday, January 25. This year’s theme is “What does God require of us?” (cf. Micah 6:6-8).

Since 1966, the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (formerly the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity) have jointly prepared material for the week of prayer.

“One of the most serious sins that disfigures the face of the Church is against its visible unity, especially the historical divisions the have separated Christians that haven’t yet been overcome,” said Pope Benedict during yesterday’s Angelus at the Vatican.

Click here to view resources regarding the week prepared by the World Council of Churches.

The community at Sacred Heart School of Theology will commemorate the week with a special evening of prayer on Wednesday, January 23. Guest homilist will be Dr. Steven Kuhl (ELCA), associate professor of religious studies at Cardinal Stritch University and an occasional adjunct professor at SHST.

What does it mean to be a Dehonian bishop?

“It is to be a person of dialogue, dialogue that comes from the heart, dialogue that makes the Church inviting,” said Bishop Aloysius Sudarso. “To be Dehonian, it is important to help people see that God lives in ourselves and in others.”

Bishop Sudarso speaks from the context of Indonesia, a country with nearly 203 million Muslims, the largest number of Muslims of any country in the world. In contrast, only 7 million Indonesians identify themselves as Catholic.

“We live in a Muslim-dominated country,” said the archbishop. “We live alongside each other, as well as people of Buddism and other faiths. Dialogue between us is important so that we can live together and understand each other.”

The call to dialogue echoes back to Fr. Dehon’s efforts to bring business and community leaders together to improve the conditions of factory workers in France.

“Dialogue is key to getting to know ‘the other’ and understanding each person’s situation,” said the SCJ archbishop. “That is Dehonian.”

Many SCJs in the United States know the archbishop from his years of study here, primarily in Chicago. Click here to read more about the archbishop.

As noted previously, SCJ bishops from around the world gathered January 10-15 in Rome. Click here to read stories from the gathering. Click here to view photos.

Finally, click here to read the bishops’ message to the Dehonian Family.

Please remember

Fr. Emilio Ciarrocchi, a member of the South Italian Province, died January 18. He was born in 1936, professed in 1954 and ordained in 1964. From 1991 – 2003 he served as general treasurer and had significant responsibility for the major renovation of the Generalate building and development of Villa Aurelia (hotel next door to the Generalate). Following his term as general treasurer Fr. Ciarrochi became a missionary in Cameroon, serving as its provincial treasurer. Health concerns forced him to return to Italy in 2009. In his last years he was a member of the formation community in Naples.

Among those who survive Fr. Emilio is his brother, Fr. Umberto Ciarrocchi, who is also a member of the South Italian Province.

Keep in prayer

Fr. Jan de Jong’s brother, Wim, is to have surgery today, January 21, for cancer.

Also, please keep the father of Fr. Guy Blair in your prayers. Mr. Blair, 91, is unconscious in the hospital with a Do Not Resuscitate order.

Notes from St. Joe’s

Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, executive director of St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, SD, maintains a blog to share informal news and reflections from the school. A post from last week:

“Each summer, we offer a three-week exchange program with our sister school – also founded by the Priests of the Sacred Heart – in Handrup, Germany. Yesterday, eight of our Native American high school students interested in applying for consideration had their chance to make a power point presentation to a the staff of St. Joseph’s High School program.

“They were honest about their fears: lost luggage, not understanding much German, how would they get along with the host families. They also spoke of what they hoped to gain from the experience: a different sense of history, the self-confidence that comes from trying new adventures, appreciation of another culture, and preparation for college.

“One girl said that, while both of her parents are Sioux, one of her great grandfathers was a German Homesteader, and she would be fascinated with exploring that connection.

“I enjoyed each of the presentations. I was there for moral support, and am glad I’m not the one who has to make the final determination on who goes…

“After school, many [students] headed to the football field to take advantage of sledding. The sun came out and warmed the ground above melting. Once the sun went down, the slopes refroze and created conditions for long and fast runs down the hill.

“As I called it a day, the squeals of delight rang in my memory.”

Click here to go to the blog.

Provincial’s time

Fr. Tom Cassidy is in Arizona this week for CMSM meetings. Next Wednesday and Thursday (January 30-31) he has meetings with the Provincial Council.

Closing pic

The close of National Vocation Awareness Week found our vocation team of Br. Ray Kozuch and Br. Long Nguyen at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Racine, Wis. Br. Ray is pictured below with a couple of young parishioners who stopped by the SCJ vocation booth.