Feast of the Sacred Heart, Brazilian style
As noted previously, Fr. Tim Gray, SCJ, is spending the last part of his sabbatical in South America, living and ministering with our SCJ communities there. Below is an excerpt from his recent post to the province blog:
“’Vivat Cor Jesu!’ ‘Per Cor Mariae!’ The old Latin greetings (Latin as in Rome, not Latin America) rang out as SCJs from all around the area came through the doors of Dehon Seminary in Lavras to celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart. Joined in spirit by SCJs throughout the world, 20 priests, five seminarians and a brother celebrated the Mass of the Sacred Heart and renewed their vows. We were joined by about 30 lay Dehonians, and also by 15 high school seminarians who supplied the music for the Mass.
“It is difficult to describe the joyful solemnity of the liturgies I have participated in here. I have lived in Mexico and have ministered with people from other Latin American cultures, so I am comfortable with the traditional religious expressions of piety common to those cultures. At the same time, at the liturgies I have participated in in Brazil, I am impressed with the way the liturgy forms community and (at least with SCJs) challenges people to move beyond piety to action.”
Click here to read the rest of his post.
And in the US Province…
“We live in a world where instead of loving people and using things, individuals use people and love things,” said Fr. Dominic Peluse, SCJ, in his homily for Feast of the Sacred Heart at Sacred Heart Monastery. “Apathy, coldness of heart, thanklessness: these are actions that we rally against as people who are here, devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
Approximately 350 attended this year’s Sacred Heart celebration hosted by Sacred Heart Monastery and the Province Development Office.
Click here to read Fr. Dominic’s full homily.
What we do and why we do it
Why do we do what we do? This is the subject Dr. Paul Midden, clinical director at the St. Louis Consultation Center, addresses in an e-book entitled New Creations: The Treatment of Priests: a Manual for Religious Superiors; What We Do and Why We Do It.
Fr. Jim Schroeder, SCJ, a clinical psychologist at the Center, is a part of the team that contributed to the book.
New Creations begins with a quote from Pope Benedict XVI from the encyclical letter “Saved in Hope” (Spe Salvi)
“It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love.”
All people are susceptible to the maladies of everyday life, including depression, anxiety, addiction and interpersonal issues. “Unlike everyone, however, these conditions in the lives of priests have a very public dimension,” writes Dr. Midden in the book’s introduction. “As such they require special care and attention.”
“Although the book was written with major superiors in mind, it offers insight on issues that affect all priests and religious, and those with whom they work,” said Fr. Jim. “Following Fr. Dehon’s mission, the Center helps to ‘remedy the sin and lack of love in the church and in the world,’ ‘especially when consecrated souls are involved.'”
The e-book is a free download. Click here to access it.
Located on the campus of Mercy Center, a retreat and conference center operated by the Sisters of Mercy in St. Louis, the Saint Louis Consultation Center is an independent agency that specializes in the assessment and treatment of priests and religious men and women. Fr. Jim has been a member of its staff for twenty years, since its beginning.
Award-winning essay on Fr. Dehon
“I haven’t been through or have done as much as Fr. Dehon but this is how I have followed Dehon’s teachings and qualities…”
This is what Amanda Ferr, a graduating eighth-grader St. Martin of Tours School in Franklin, Wis, wrote in her award-winning reflection on Fr. Leo John Dehon, founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. Each year the school holds an essay contest in which eighth graders are challenged to write about Fr. Dehon. Contest winners earn a modest scholarship. Fr. Yvon Sheehy, SCJ, is pastor of St. Martin of Tours.
“Fr. Leo Dehon is a great influence, wrote Amanda. “He has always been there to support and help others. Fr. Dehon had great love for the church and its community. He wanted to make sure that the presence and meaning of the church was always kept strong. Fr. Dehon wanted the people to see that God would always be there for them and lead them through the hard times. He taught people that God has them on a path for a reason and you should follow the path that God has set for you. Through all of his works he was very understanding with the people and dedicated to see that his message was heard.”
Click here to read her full essay.
Pilgrimage/Retreat to Central America
Last week Fr. Johnny Klingler, SCJ, sent a note encouraging members of the community to consider taking part in Maryknoll’s 14th Pilgrimage/Retreat to Central America which will be January 14 -25, 2013. He called to clarify that he will not be attending the 2013 retreat but did take part in 2005 and it is because of his experience that he hopes that other SCJs will consider the program.
“Those days in Central America made a deep impression upon me,” he wrote in a reflection after the trip. “Every time we went to the places where people were killed I felt a great sadness. What happened was just so awful, so brutal. At the same time I marveled at the faith and strength of those who became martyrs. I reflected on their conviction that Jesus is truly with the poor. I reflected on their deep love for the poor and their courage to seek justice for them. They were able to do what they did because of their overwhelming love for them and they knew that Jesus was present in each of them.
“This experience has strengthened my belief that I must reverence all people and do nothing to harm them but always love them. The words of Jesus: ‘Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters you do to me’ are always there to give me strength and courage. This experience has reinforced my conviction to keep myself aware of the poor of the world, the forgotten ones, to serve them as well as I can and to seek justice for them.”
If you would like to receive Fr. Johnny’s full reflection, contact him at jjkscj@gmail.com
Click here to learn more about the retreat/pilgrimage.
SCJ archivist featured in peer publication
Fr. Wayne Jenkins, SCJ, archivist for the U.S. Province, was featured in the June 2012 Catholic Archivist, the newsletter of the Catholic Archivist Group, an organization of Canadian archive professionals.
The article was about Fr. Wayne’s recent work in the Philippines. As noted in previous Fridge Notes, a February visit to the region led to a second trip. Both visits centered on helping the young entity develop and learn to maintain its archives and file systems. He also took the opportunity to go to Indonesia to visit with Fr. Tom Fix, SCJ during his last weeks.
Click here to read the article and see photos from Fr. Wayne’s time in Asia. The article begins on page 10.
Province assembly reminder
The province assembly kicks off with the Jubilee Celebrations at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 9. Tuesday and Wednesday, July 10-11, will be full days with the assembly (with an on-site Comedy Sportz performance on Tuesday evening), and Thursday, July 12 will be a half day.
If you haven’t made room arrangements, contact Marlene at the front desk at Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology. Call: 414-425-8300 and hit “0.”
Provincial’s time
Fr. Tom Cassidy will be with the Pinellas Park community June 12-19. After, he will be back in Milwaukee until leaving for the General Conference and Major Superiors meeting in Germany. Fr. Cassidy will be in Europe July 14-25.
Upcoming meetings and events:
June 28: Provincial Council Meeting (conference call re: formation)
July 3-4: Provincialate Offices closed for Independence Day.
July 9-12: Province Assembly, Hales Corners
July 16-21: General Conference, Neustadt, Germany
July 23-25: SCJ Major Superiors Meeting, Neustadt, Germany
August 28-29: Provincial Council Meeting
October 11-12: Provincial Council Meeting
October 12: Dedication of Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake
December 18-19: Provincial Council Meeting
2013:
January 29-30: Provincial Council Meeting
March 19-20: Provincial Council Meeting
April 8-9: Mission Education Conference, St. Joseph’s Indian School
April 30 – May 1: Provincial Council Meeting (budgets)
Week of June 3: Province Election Assembly.
