Archbishop visits SHST
Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee made a visit to Sacred Heart School of Theology last Wednesday during which he celebrated Mass with students, faculty and staff.
Sacred Heart is the nation’s largest seminary specializing in adult vocations to the priesthood, but it is also where the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee do their academic training. Just over 40 dioceses and religious communities send their seminarians to SHST. Each semester approximately 100 seminarians, with an average age of 43, are in this program. The seminary also has roughly 40 non-seminarian students are in other programs, such as the master’s program in theology.
Welcome!
Fr. Terry Langley joins the Provincialate staff this week as provincial secretary. Br. Frank Presto, who previously held the job, will be helping Fr. Terry get settled.
Yesterday, parishioners at Queen of Peace Church in Olive Branch, Miss., held a farewell reception for Fr. Terry. He has served at the parish since 2005. Fr. Terry will be a member of the community at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake.
World Day for Consecrated Life
World Day for Consecrated Life is Thursday, February 2. In 1997, Pope John Paul II called for consecrated life to be promoted throughout the universal church. He declared the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord to be observed as World Day for Consecrated Life. In most dioceses the day is celebrated in parishes on the following Sunday (in 2012, this would be February 5).
“This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world,” states the website of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples.”
Fr. Peter McKenna of the Canadian Region shared a prayer service to commemorate the day. Click here to download the PDF.
Catholic Schools Week
January 29 – February 5 is Catholic Schools Week in the United States. To celebrate the week, St. Joseph’s Indian School in South Dakota released its Strategic Plan video. It features wonderful footage of the school as well as a description of the school’s mission. Click here to view it.
“Availability is a part of our charism. It is who we are as SCJs.”
-Fr. Claudio Siebenaler, SCJ
As noted last week, Fr. Claudio Siebenaler is leaving a job at the SCJs’ generalate in Rome, but not the city itself. As he enters his 30th year in Rome, Fr. Claudio takes up a new task: helping to electronically archive the founder’s writings.
Originally from Luxembourg, Fr. Claudio was ordained in 1972 and soon after, began Spanish studies in preparation for ministry in Chile. He expected to spend most of his religious life there. But in 1982, he was called to the Generalate and has been there ever since.
“It was hard to leave a place I enjoyed; the people and ministries in Chile,” said Fr. Claudio. “But availability is a part of our charism. It is who we are as SCJs. If you are needed, well ok, that is good. Being where I am needed is where I should be.
“In some ways I am still a missionary just as I was in Chile. But now I am a missionary to the Generalate.”
Click here to read a feature about Fr. Claudio, including information about his work at the Generalate and his years as a diplomat for his native Luxembourg.
SCJ speaks to seminarians
Seminarians from Sacred Heart School of Theology attended a workshop last week on internet pornography and addiction presented by Fr. Jim Schroeder. The SCJ is a St. Louis-based clinical psychologist.
Easy access to pornography via the internet has increased the prevalence of compulsive behavior that has a negative effect on human sexual expression, and can lead to even deeper psychological problems, said Fr. Jim to the seminarians. He described stages of growing compulsion, and offered perspectives on when and how to access resources for recovery. He also discussed paths to the healthy integration of sexuality in the celibate life style.
Updates
Frater Fernando Orozco
New email address: onlyfercho@yahoo.com
Please remember
Fr. Tom Knoebel’s father, Charles, died. Fr. Tom is vice-rector of Sacred Heart School of Theology.
REMINDER: Rescuing Regina author to speak at SHST Feb. 2
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.
Birthdays
Those celebrating birthdays in February include Dn. David Nagel (61) on Feb. 6, Fr. Paul Kelly (62) on Feb. 9, Fr. Duy Nguyen (34) on Feb. 17, Fr. Quang Nguyen (47) on Feb. 18, Fr. Greg Murray (55) on Feb. 19, Fr. Mark Mastin (55) on Feb. 21, Fr. Tom Fix (79) on Feb. 24, Fr. Frank Clancy (80) on Feb. 25 and Fr. Peter Sanders (72) on Feb. 28. Happy birthday!
Provincial’s Time
Fr. Tom Cassidy is in Tucson for a CMSM leadership gathering through this week. 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
