Creating a common SCJ identity
“Who are we, what do we do and why?”
These are questions, said Fr. Heiner Wilmer, superior general of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, which the congregation’s general administration has been trying to answer since it took office.
Or was that the general administration of the Dehonians? The Sacred Heart Fathers? Perhaps it was the Reparadores?
“Around the world we are known by at least 21 different names,” said Fr. Heiner.
Could this be the time to choose a common name? A common logo? A common “brand” for the congregation founded by Fr. Leo John Dehon?
If it is, the people to whom Fr. Heiner was speaking would be the ones on the front lines sharing and implementing the congregation’s public identity: communication professionals – SCJs and lay – representing entities from around the world. Approximately 25 communicators from 16 entities gathered in Rome January 3-6 for the “Media Experts Meeting,” a communications workshop. Mary Gorski represented the US Province.
The upcoming year will be one in which the congregation hopes to create a common identity in words and symbols: a common name, a common logo, a common mission statement. Also, a new congregational website is being developed.
One of the keynote speakers at the conference was Marco Politi, author of Pope Francis Among the Wolves. He spoke about Pope Francis’ communication strategy. Through words and gestures Pope Francis’ consistent communication strategy aims at redirecting the focus of the Church more toward God’s love and mercy, making it a Church of the Beatitudes and the Good Samaritan.
Links to further information from the meeting can be found at www.dehon.it
Click here to access photos from the gathering.
The next “Media Experts” meeting will take place May 22-24, 2018.
New faces in Chicago
Four candidates joined the Dehon Formation Community in Chicago for the winter semester. They include Jose Angel Romero (jaro.84@hotmail.com), who begins studies at Catholic Theological Union after a several months in the ESL program at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. He was accepted as a candidate last summer.
Other candidates include Kodjovi “Hubert” Liassidri (hubertliass@yahoo.fr), Celsus Roberts (celsusr@gmail.com), and Thadeus Brooks (tbrooks1218@gmail.com).
Their names and contact information will be added to the online personnel directory in the Members’ section of the province website.
Merci and Bienvenue!
On December 20th the SCJ community in Montréal held an end-of-the-year celebration to commemorate several special people and events. First on the list was Fr. Claude Bédard, who was honored for his many years of service to the Procure des Missions (in part, the Procure is the Canadian Region’s fundraising office for the missions). Nicole Béland, who has been with the office for almost 20 years, took over Fr. Claude’s role as director.
The region also welcomed Fr. Louis-Marie Butari as its newest member and the appointment of him by the Archdiocese of Montréal as administrator of the pastoral team for Visitation, Saints Martyrs Canadiens and Saint Antoine-Marie Claret parishes with Fr. Engelbert Fotsing and Fr. Gustave Lulendo as assistants.
Calendar updates
Because of schedule conflicts, the May 16-17 Province Council meeting has been rescheduled to April 25-26. This is the annual budget review meeting. Other dates to note:
Meeting of Entity Treasurers: Rome, May 1-5, 2017
Meeting of the Dehonian Family: Rome, May 12-17, 2017
International Theological Conference: Yogyakarta, Indonesia, July 20-25, 2017
Meeting of the Novice Masters: Rome, October 23-27, 2017
Colloquium of Major Superiors: Rome, November 12-25, 2017
Course for Treasurers: Rome, January 1 – May 17, 2018
Meeting of Dehonian Bishops: Rome, January 18-23, 2018
Meeting of the Scholasticate Rectors: Rome, April 16-20, 2018
General Conference: Philippines, July 14-28, 2018
Formators Course: Rome, October 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019
JPR annual report
The Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission recently published its annual report on the JPR website.
“Our efforts this past year have been focused in three areas: immigration, engagement with and support of our sponsored partners, especially here in Milwaukee, and corporate responsibility via shareholder action,” wrote Mark Peters, province JPR director…
“Although we could not give them priority attention… we felt strongly that the issues of climate change and racial justice both deserved some special focus as well, which we tried to do in our own discussion and through the JPR newsletter and website. Both will continue to be part of our focus.”
Click here to access the report.
Snow delay in Mississippi
Rarely are “snowstorm” and “Mississippi” used in the same sentence. However, it was a rare southern snowstorm last Friday that caused staff at Sacred Heart Southern Missions to postpone a groundbreaking ceremony for the Father Gregory Volunteer House in Holly Springs. A new date will be set soon.
Please remember
+Fr. Ezio Gazzotti, a member of the North Italian Province, died January 7. He was born in 1939, professed in 1956 and ordained in 1965.
+Fr. Lino Franchini, also a member of the North Italian Province, died January 6. He was born in 1919, professed in 1937 and ordained in 1947.
+Fr. José Maria Sánchez, a member of the Spanish Province, died December 27. He was born in 1925, professed In 1941 and ordained in 1949.
+Fr. Herculano Vaz da Silva, a member of the Brazil – São Paulo Province, died December 23. He was born in 1942 professed in 1966 and ordained in 1971.
+Frater Justin Krenke’s Aunt Bambi died January 5 after a long battle with cancer.
+David Salinas, a former SCJ, also died January 5 in San Antonio. He had been in hospice care for some time.
+Linh Thi Pham, Fr. Duy Nguyen’s aunt, died January 2 in Oldenburg, Germany, two months after the death of her husband. She was close to 90 years of age.
Keep in prayer
Just before New Year’s Fr. Greg Speck wrote to let us know that Fr. Tom Burns’ lung cancer has returned. He remains at home in Pinellas Park. Also, Br. Gabriel Kersting was with the community for Christmas Mass and breakfast but since his fall several weeks ago he has become less responsive. Please keep Fr. Tom and Br. Gabe in your prayers.
World Day of Migrants and Refugees
January 15th is the 103rd World Day of Migrants and Refugees; the theme chosen by Pope Francis for 2017 is “Minor immigrants, vulnerable and voiceless.”
“Migration today is not a phenomenon limited to some areas of the planet,” wrote Pope Francis. “It affects all continents and is growing into a tragic situation of global proportions. Not only does this concern those looking for dignified work or better living conditions, but also men and women, the elderly and children, who are forced to leave their homes in the hope of finding safety, peace and security… migrant children easily end up at the lowest levels of human degradation, where illegality and violence destroy the future of too many innocents, while the network of child abuse is difficult to break up.”
The North American Migration Commission developed a prayer service for World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Click here to download it (PDF).
Click here to read Pope Francis’ message regarding the day.
Provincial’s time
Fr. Ed Kilianski started the year in Mississippi with the first visitation of 2017. January 10-13 is the visitation with the St. Joseph’s Community (4th Floor SHML) and January 15-20 is the visitation with the Sacred Heart Community at SHML. Visitation at Sacred Heart Monastery will be January 24-26.
Closing shot
Mississippi wasn’t the only place that experienced some uncommonly cold winter weather last week. During the SCJ communications meeting in Rome temperatures were cold enough to freeze the fountain in St. Peter’s Square for the first time years.
