News & Events | March 02, 2026
Pope visits Dehonian parish
On March 1, as a part of the third stage of his pastoral visit to the parishes of his diocese, Pope Leo XIV visited the Parish of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Rome. The Priests of the Sacred Heart have ministered there since 1948. The parish is located in Quarticciolo, a challenged neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of Rome. “It is certainly difficult neighborhood, but one full of hope,” said the Pope.
In an interview with Vatican News, Fr. Daniele Canali, SCJ, pastor, described the area:
“In recent years I have been a direct witness to the progressive decline of this neighborhood, long abandoned by institutions. In 2014, when I arrived as a parochial vicar, we already saw the first signs of what—with the Covid-19 pandemic—has become blatant: shops closing, families leaving the neighborhood without being replaced by younger ones. Even the ‘Azzurra 7’ swimming pool, which once drew people from outside the area, has been abandoned for years. Prostitution is rampant along Palmiro Togliatti Boulevard, while a local drug trafficking network is very active. Some parishioners have been assaulted, and I myself have been a victim of assault twice. We must keep the parish doors closed for fear of theft, and there have been times when our processions through the streets were targeted by spitting.”
In his homily, Pope Leo said that he is “very happy to learn that this parish community is alive and dynamic and that, despite the serious problems of the local area, it bears courageous witness to the Gospel… I encourage you: continue on this path of openness to the territory and of healing its wounds. I hope that others will join you to be here, in Quarticciolo, the leaven of good and justice.”
Pope Leo is the third pope to visit the parish. In 1963 Pope John XXIII visited and in 1980 Pope John Paul II came to the parish.
Click here to read the original text and view more photos on the general website.
Click here to view a video of the Mass (in Italian) and the official Vatican photos.
We pray for peace
This morning Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, writes:
“As we witness the unfolding war in Iran and the escalating chaos in the Middle East, our hearts are heavy. Behind every headline are countless innocent civilians–parents and children caught in the crossfire they did not choose.
“Our Dehonian charism calls us to have a heart that beats in union with the suffering of the world. Therefore, I invite you to join me in a moment of silence today, offering our prayer as an act of reparation for:
- The Leaders: That the Sacred Heart may touch their hearts, guiding them toward wisdom, restraint, and the courage to seek peace.
- The Families: That those who have lost loved ones or have been displaced may find the humanitarian aid and sanctuary they desperately need.
- The Vulnerable: That they may find refuge in the “Open Side” of Christ.
“We also pray for the service members caught involuntarily in this conflict on all sides.”
Moved in and blessed
On Feb. 13, Sisters Leonora Sitohang and Susana Susmiyarti of the Sisters of St. Francis Charitas welcomed SCJs and parishioners in northern Mississippi for the blessing of their new community house. Fr. Jack Kurps, SCJ, was the main celebrant at the house Mass; Frs. Christian Hoper, SCJ and Hendrik Ardianto, SCJ, concelebrated. Following the blessing, visitors enjoyed an Indonesian meal prepared by the sisters.
Although new to the United States, the Sisters of St. Francis Charitas have partnered with the Priests of the Sacred Heart for over 100 years, initially working with Dutch SCJs in Palembang, Indonesia, where they are based.
The sisters’ community house in Mississippi is named for St. Maximillian Kolbe since it was on his feast day – August 14 – that the sisters were blessed and commissioned for their new mission in the US Province. They now split their time between Sacred Heart Southern Missions (Mon., Tues. and Thurs.) and the parishes (Wed. and Fri.). On Sundays they rotate among the six parishes that the Dehonians serve.
The FCh sisters are the third Asian women’s religious community now partnering with Dehonians in the United States. Members of the Theresian Missionaries of Mary and the Missionary Congregation of Mary – both from the Philippines – have served alongside SCJs in South Dakota for several years.
SCJ named head of German Bishops Conference
On Feb. 24, Bishop Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, was elected as the president of the German Bishops’ Conference. He will serve a six-year term.
Bishop Wilmer, 64, was superior general of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians) when he was named by Pope Francis as bishop of Hildesheim, Germany in 2018.
He made his first profession with the SCJs in 1982 and was ordained a priest in 1987. Prior to his election as superior general in 2015, he was provincial superior of the German Province. As a young priest he spent a year in the United States, teaching German and history at the Jesuit’s Fordham Preparatory School in New York. Bishop Wilmer also spent three months in Caracas, Venezuela, doing catechesis in the city’s barrios, and four months in Toronto, serving as a chaplain at “L’Arche Daybreak,” a residential home for people with disabilities.
His studies have included French Philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and Fundamental Theology at the University of Freiburg, where he earned his doctorate. Bishop Wilmer is also an author of several books.
The photo of Bishop Wilmer is courtesy of the German Bishops’ Conference.
New name, same entity
The combined Dehonian entity of Argentina–Paraguay–Uruguay has been renamed as the Province of the Southern Cone of America (Provincia Cono Sur de América) with the initials CSA. The change took effect on March 1.
REMINDER: Colloquium to commemorate the founder
On March 13, in commemoration of Fr. Leo John Dehon’s birth on March 14, 1843, the Dehon Study Center will host a colloquium titled “He Loved Us, I Have Loved You: The Heart of Christ, the Poor, and the Church Today.” It will be held from 10:00-11:30 a.m. at the Provincial Offices (7373 S. Lovers Lane Rd., Franklin, WI 53132). Lunch will follow. This event is open to SCJs, collaborators and the general public. To attend in person, click here ASAP.
The program will also be livestreamed at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8342363189?omn=89644639655
Meeting ID: 834 236 3189
“This colloquium will explore two significant texts: Dilexit Nos and Dilexi Te,” said Fr. Joseph Mukuna, SCJ, DSC director. “Dr. Megan Furman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology will discuss ‘Who Is the Poor Other?’ Dr. James Stroud, STD, Assistant Professor of Moral Theology at SHSST will discuss ‘Holiness and the Poor.’ A panel discussion will follow, addressing how to move from contemplation (of the Heart of Jesus) to transformation, encouraging active participation and shared commitment to reshaping our relationships with the poor.”
Questions? Click here to contact Fr. Joseph.
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