New wing takes shape
As you can see from the photo above, the second stage of Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake is quickly taking shape. This section will include the “Main Street” area (a large chapel, dining and recreation room, coffee shop, banking and other facilities) as well as apartments for the general public aged 55 and better.
If all goes as planned the roof will be in place this month and the new wing of the complex will be ready for occupancy this summer. SCJs moved into the first wing last July.
Provincial Secretary named
Fr. Terry Langley has been named as provincial secretary beginning February 1. Currently, Fr. Terry, 61, is pastor of Queen of Peace parish in Olive Branch, Miss. He has served there since 2005. Following Fr. Terry’s departure for the Provincialate, Queen of Peace will become a part of the cluster of parishes now served by a pastoral team moderated by Fr. Bob Tucker. The cluster includes Holy Spirit in Hernando, Good Shepherd in Robinsonville, St. Gregory in Senatobia and Christ the King in Southaven.
With a father in the Marines, Fr. Terry called many places home when growing up. It was during his family’s stay in Norfolk, Va., that he learned about the SCJs. “One day our teacher gave us some vocational literature about the Priests of the Sacred Heart,” he said. Something about the literature attracted him and “that was that!”
He attended Divine Heart Seminary in Donaldson, Ind., professed his first vows in 1969 and was ordained to the priesthood ten years later. He has served in parish ministry in Houston and Detroit and done post-graduate studies at Boston’s Weston School of Theology.
Congratulations!
Archbishop Timothy Dolan, former archbishop of Milwaukee, was named cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. Archbishop Dolan is one of 22 prelates who will be elevated to cardinal in a formal ceremony Feb. 18.
The cardinal-elect left Milwaukee in 2009 to become the archbishop of New York.
During his tenure in Milwaukee Archbishop Dolan had a close relationship with Sacred Heart School of Theology. He served on the SHST board of directors and was responsible for the decision to have Milwaukee diocesan seminarians do their academic training at SHST. He often visited the seminary and was a presenter at the annual Dehon Lecture Series.
Keep in prayer
Fr. Frank Burshnick’s half-sister, Marie Wynn, has been hospitalized and is in serious condition. She has asked not to be resuscitated should her health fail. Fr. Frank is a member of the Pinellas Park community.
Fr. Tom Fix underwent a minor back procedure last week. The Indonesian Province reports that after a three-hour delay Fr. Tom had the surgery on Friday, and was expected to leave the hospital several hours later to recuperate at home.
Pat MacDonald, the sister-in-law of Fr. Richard MacDonald, is scheduled to have surgery today (January 9) to treat ovarian cancer. Fr. Mac is with the family in Ontario.
Former Lay Missioner dies
Maria Galang, who was a member of the now defunct Sacred Heart Lay Missioner program, died in December. As a lay missioner, Maria worked at St. Joseph’s Retreat Center in Baileys Harbor, Wis.
“My ministry was indirect yet very rewarding,” said Maria in a 1998 interview. “I never thought of what I was doing as ministry until retreatants began coming up to me and telling me how I had made their retreat better. I arranged the flowers in the chapel and people came and thanked me, telling me that the flowers were beautiful, that they helped them be prayerful. One woman told me that it was simply my smile that helped her to see Jesus.
“I never thought of such things as ‘ministering’ but they are. They are indirect. It is these little things that we do each day that help people. It is through these little things that we all can ‘minister.’”
Also, we just learned that Terry Simon, a volunteer who helped with the grounds at St. Joseph’s, died in a maintenance accident last week.
Update
Fr. Peter Surdel, provincial superior of the South African Province, called to say that Bishop Joe Potocnak settled into his parish assignment at St. James in Port Alfred just before Christmas. “He is very happy and doing well there,” said Fr. Peter. “His health has improved and he takes a walk each day.” Bishop Joe’s new contact information:
P.O. Box 35
Port Alfred 6170
South Africa
Phone: +046 6241509
Fellow American Fr. John Strittmatter plans to soon join the bishop in Port Alfred for a month-long vacation.
Out of the hospital
In July we reported that two SCJs from the Congolese Province were injured in a plane crash that killed 74. Fr. Jean-Paul Masudi Tityenga was hospitalized with burns on his face and hands; Br. Vervein Mtoro Litekya had more extensive injuries that forced him to remain in the hospital for months. He suffered a significant concussion, had a broken arm and had to have a foot amputated.
On December 30, Br. Vervein was finally released from the hospital. He will live with the SCJ community in Kinshasa Lemba while continuing his recovery.
The many names of Fr. Jerry
“Father Jerry Clifford was a man of many names, and I mean beyond his official titles,” said Fr. Jim Schroeder in his homily for Fr. Jerry Clifford’s Funeral Mass. “I first knew of Jerry in high school, and as small boys can be irreverent, we looked at up Jerry’s size and named him ‘the Cliff monster.’
“However, when we were in college Jerry came to teach. He was a Godsend and we named him “the wailing wall,” because like Jews at the Western Wall, we went to him to cry and to lament our woes. He was my spiritual director, and I probably would not be in final vows without his help…
“Jerry was a brilliant teacher, one of the top five in my 28 years of schooling. He really knew his stuff, and gave it in an interesting, engaging and even funny way.”
Click here to read Fr. Jim’s full homily, as well as the readings from the liturgy.
Available for download
The last issue of the SCJ News for 2011 is now available for download from the province website. Click here to open it. Print versions are in the mail.
Keep in mind that you can also download the 2012 Days of Celebration and Commemoration (“Birthday Calendar”). Click here for the PDF.
Provincial’s Time
Fr. Cassidy is in Pinellas Park, Fl., for a visitation this week. He will be back in Milwaukee the week of January 16.
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
