A week of transition
Tomorrow is Fr. Ed Kilianski’s last full day as provincial superior of the US Province; on February 2, Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, will be installed as the 16th provincial superior. In-between packing up his office, Fr. Ed wrote the following as he reflected on the past six-and-a-half years:
“Tomorrow I come to the end of my ministry as provincial superior to the US Province and all of our ministries. For the most part, it has been a wonderful experience to serve in this capacity. I have learned much over these past 6+ years about service, compassion and what it really means to be an SCJ, a Dehonian. I have done my best even with my own health issues and handicap. I thank each of you for your prayers, support and love. I humbly ask for your continued prayers as I now battle pancreatic cancer. I love you all and wish each of you the best that the Heart of Jesus has to offer. I wish our new provincial and his council every success as they now lead our province into the future. Be assured of my prayers for each of you.”
Fr. Ed and other out-going members of the provincial administration will be celebrated at a luncheon at the Provincial Offices on Wednesday. Both councils will meet together tomorrow; the new administration has its first meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. Fr. Ed is pictured above during his installation in 2015; standing with him are several former provincial superiors: Fr. Johnny Klingler, SCJ, Fr. Michael Burke, SCJ, Fr. John Czyzynski, SCJ, and Fr. Richard MacDonald, SCJ.
Installation
As noted above, the newly elected provincial administration will be installed on Wednesday, February 2. The Installation Mass will be at 5:00 p.m. at Good Shepherd Chapel at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake. Due to the pandemic, guests are limited primarily to members of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. All SCJs are welcome to attend; a social and dinner will follow.
Another new administration
The Canadian Region also has a new administration. As noted last week, Fr. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ, began his second three-year term as regional superior. However, our apologies for not listing Fr. Maurice Légaré, SCJ, as first councilor. Other members of the new council include Fr. Willyans Prado Rapozo, SCJ, and Fr. Greg Murray, SCJ. The new administration is pictured at its first meeting last week, from L-R: Fr. Maurice, Fr. Greg, Fr. Gustave and Fr. Willyans.
Welcome!
Archbishop Zolile Mpambani, SCJ, of Bloemfontein (South Africa) is making a short visit to Hales Corners February 3-8, following a conference in Arizona. Before being named bishop of Kokstad in 2013, Archbishop Zolile served as provincial superior of the South African Province (the first South African to serve in the role), in formation, and on the General Council. He was named archbishop of Bloemfontein in 2020.
Reflecting on his vocation in an interview well before he was named as bishop, the archbishop spoke about the SCJs and religious priesthood, saying that “I didn’t know that there were different kinds of priests.” As a boy growing up in Umliali, in the Diocese of Aliwal North, South Africa, his primary experience of the Church was through the German SCJs who served his family parish. It was no surprise that when he felt a vocational call that he decided that he also wanted to be a Dehonian. “When my pastor [a German SCJ missionary] asked me what kind of priest I wanted to be I told him that ‘I want to be like you!‘”
Click here to read more about Archbishop Zolile on the province website.
Speaking of SCJ bishops…
Congratulations to Bishop José Ornelas Carvalho, SCJ, who was appointed by Pope Francis as the bishop of the diocese of Leira-Fátima (Portugal). He succeeds Cardinal António dos Santos Marto, whose resignation was accepted by the Holy Father.
Bishop Ornelas served as Superior General of the Priests of the Sacred Heart from 2003-2015. Soon after, he was named bishop of the diocese of Setúbal (Portugal). He is currently president of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (2020-2023).
“Together we will try to listen to the call of God to the whole Church, called to a synodal journey of listening, participative communion and mission,” wrote Bishop Ornelas to the people of his new diocese. “Let us learn to be a Church that cares for all, especially the smallest and most fragile, as she did with the little shepherds, to whom she revealed herself, consoled, strengthened, and gave hope, to overcome countless difficulties, such as the pandemic, sickness, war, and death itself.”
Bishop Ornelas will be installed on March 13. He is pictured above during a visit to Our Lady of Guadalupe Houston when he was Superior General.
Happy birthday!
Those celebrating birthdays in February include Dn. David Nagel on Feb. 6, Br. Diego Diaz on Feb. 10, Fr. Duy Nguyen on Feb. 17, Fr. Quang Nguyen and Frater Henry Nguyen on Feb. 18. Fr. Greg Murray on Feb. 19, Fr. Mark Mastin on Feb. 21, and Fr. Peter Sanders on Feb. 28. Happy birthday!
Keep in prayer
Fr. Claude Siebenaler, SCJ, former Secretary General, will be operated on for ear cancer which he describes as “aggressive.” The surgery will take place in Brussels on Feb. 10.
Please remember
+ Fr. Joannes Aarts, a member of the Dutch Region, died on January 26. He was born in 1937, professed in 1959 and ordained in 1964.
+ Ross Daly, the brother-in-law of Fr. John van den Hengel, SCJ (Ottawa) also died January 26. He was 96, and was in hospice care with COVID-19. Mr. Daly was married to Fr. John’s eldest sister, Mary.
Akta Lakota staffer honored by SD Department of Tourism
Wanda Bunker, the historical center coordinator and receptionist for the Akta Lakota Museum on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Indian School, was honored with the Ruth Ziolkowski Outstanding Hospitality and Customer Service Award. “I was blown away,” Bunker told the Mitchell Republic.
“Last summer it was amazing the amount of people we had. We had an awesome summer,” Bunker said to reporter Erik Kaufman. “(But because of COVID-19) we don’t have a lot of visitors from all over the world like we’re used to. That’s a COVID-19 thing. But we’ve gotten more school groups coming to visit now, so that’s pretty neat, too.”
Wanda, 59, has worked at St. Joseph’s since she was 15, serving for many years as a house parent.
Click here to read the full article about the award on the Mitchell Republic website. You may need to register for a free account to do so.
Reminder
Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ, director of the Vatican Observatory, will be the speaker at the February 9th Dehon Lecture at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. His topic: “Covid, Faith, and the Fallibility of Science.”
Br. Guy is the Director of the Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. Due to the pandemic, in-person attendance is very limited. However, anyone is welcome to view the lecture via livestream. No registration is necessary. Click on the desired link below.
WATCH THE 10:30 AM LIVE STREAM
Click here for more information on the SHSST website.
Happy New Year!
The community at Sacred Heart Monastery got an early start on Lunar New Year’s celebrations by hosting a New Year’s party on Saturday evening. Lunar New Year is tomorrow, February 1. Happy Year of the Tiger! Grrrrrrr!!!
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