Updates
Fr. Ed Zemlik has joined the Dehon Formation Community in Chicago for the winter semester. He is enrolled in Catholic Theological Union’s Hesburgh Sabbatical Program.
His new contact information:
1421 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615-4501
Phone: 773-363-1326, ext. 226
Fr. Charles Yost recently moved from Pinellas Park, Fl., to join the Sacred Heart Retirement Community in Franklin, Wis. His contact information:
Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake
7330 S. Lovers Lane Rd.
Franklin, WI 53132
Phone: 414-409-4856
Cell: 727-667-2500 (this is the same as before)
Email: cyost@gmail.com
Fr. Jim Schifano’s phone number is incorrect in the directory. It should be: 414-688-4621
Rescuing Regina author to speak at SHST
Sr. Josephe Marie Flynn, SSND, will make a presentation on her book, Rescuing Regina: The Battle to Save a Friend from Deportation and Death, on February 2 at Sacred Heart School of Theology.
Regina Bakala, the woman who is the focus of the book (and an employee of the Priests of the Sacred Heart), and her husband David (an SHST employee) will participate in the event.
The talk begins at 6:30 p.m. with a social and will conclude at 8:00 p.m. following a book signing. Click here for details.
Arrived safe and sound
As we noted last week, Br. Long Nguyen is in the Philippines for a month to help teach in the SCJs’ ESL program there. He sent a brief email to let the province know that he arrived safe and sound.
“After one week, my body is still adjusting to the time zone; but I’m getting better each day,” wrote Br. Long. “I start my class tomorrow, which includes eight Vietnamese students. They welcomed me as they celebrated Vietnamese new year. Also, Jonathan [Schneiders] and Sergio [Matumoto] renewed their vows yesterday.”
As many of you may remember, Jonathan and Sergio are two SCJs from Brazil who did their ESL studies at Sacred Heart School of Theology before going to the Philippines in October. Click here to read their story.
And if you missed it last week, click here to read a feature on Br. Long.
Not the only one
Br. Long Nguyen isn’t the only SCJ from the U.S. Province spending time in the Philippines this year. On February 3 Fr. Wayne Jenkins heads to Asia to work in both the Philippines and Indonesia. Fr. Wayne will help to organize the archives and library in the Philippines, and give training in records management. He will do similar work in Indonesia, where he did his seminary studies years ago.
In March, it’s Fr. Tom Cassidy’s turn. He will be in the Philippines March 8-17 to celebrate the transformation of the district to a region. The first group of missionaries who went to the Philippines did their preparation in the U.S. Province and the province continues to be a strong supporter of the mission.
A month later, Fr. Johnny Klinger goes to the Philippines. He follows in the footsteps of several other senior SCJs who spend time as a “visiting uncle.” He will be there to assist students with their English, but also to share stories of the congregation, as well as his own vocational history. Fr. Frank Wittouck and Fr. Bernie Rosinski did similar visits in recent years.
Keep in prayer
Please keep in prayer the sister-in-law of Fr. Richard MacDonald. As noted previously, Pat MacDonald had surgery on January 9 to remove a cancerous mass. Fr. Mac reports that doctors were not able to remove all of the cancer but did take out a large portion. Pat will continue with chemotherapy. “Please continue to remember her,” writes Fr. Mac. “She just had her 61st birthday and she and Jim have two sons and several grandchildren.”
Changes at the Generalate
During a special liturgy last week the SCJs’ Generalate in Rome celebrated the work of two long-time staff members and welcomed another.
Fr. Evaristo Alegría has been the congregation’s general postulator for the past ten years. A “postulator” is a person who guides the cause for beatification or canonization of a person. The congregation has had one member named “blessed” (Fr. Juan Maria de la Cruz); Fr. Leo John Dehon, SCJ founder, has been named “venerable.”
Fr. Evaristo is returning to his native province of Spain. He does so after completing his second assignment in Rome. From 1986 to 1992 he was the superior of the SCJs’ International College.
Also recognized during the liturgy was Fr. Claudio Siebenaler. For the past 13 years he has been the congregation’s procurator to the Holy See. The procurator deals with the Vatican’s Secretary of State and various departments of the Roman Curia on behalf of a religious order.
As with Fr. Evaristo, Fr. Claudio has had more than one role in Rome. From 1982 to 1999 he was the general secretary. It’s a job that he was recruited for during a brief visit to Rome to see friends. A missionary in Chile, Fr. Claudio was returning to his native Luxembourg for a vacation and made what he thought would be a short detour to Rome. Little did he know that he would be making a more permanent detour to the Generalate.
“The general secretary at the time asked me to work with him for a year and then take his place,” said Fr. Claudio. Doing so was the furthest thing from Fr. Claudio’s thoughts but then Fr. General asked for him to come to Rome as well. Fr. Claudio went back to Chile after his vacation, but only to pack up his belongings and say good-bye.
This time Fr. Claudio says good-bye to a job, but not to Rome. He will remain at the Generalate working with the Centro Studi to help complete the electronic version of the writings of Fr. Dehon.
Check the province website later this week for a feature on Fr. Claudio. We’ll also post a link to the story on Facebook.
Finally, while two long-time staff members leave their positions, another one is welcomed. Earlier this year Fr. José Carlos Briñón Domínguez, a member of the Venezuelan Region, was named as the new postulator and the new procurator.
Fr. José is already busy taking a course offered by the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints to acquaint himself with his new duties. Not exactly a continuing ed course found at many universities!
Provincial’s Time
On Sunday Fr. Tom Cassidy left for Arizona to visit with family. January 27-31 he will take part in a CMSM leadership gathering in Tuscon. February 7-8 he has meetings with the Provincial Council.
Upcoming meetings and events:
February 7-8: Provincial Council Meeting
March 5-6: Local Coordinators/Superiors Meeting (Hales Corners)
March 27-28: Provincial Council Meeting
April 15: Easter Concert at Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology
May 15: Mass for the Anointing of the Sick, SHM/SHST
May 30-31: Provincial Council Meeting (budgets)
June 15: Feast of the Sacred Heart
June 28: Provincial Council Meeting (conference call re: formation)
July 9-12: Province Assembly, Hales Corners
July 16-21: General Conference, Neustadt, Germany
July 23-25: SCJ Major Superiors Meeting, Neustadt, Germany
