At the foot of the cross…
“It is at the foot of the Cross that we must search for knowledge and wisdom. In the Heart of Jesus, we shall find the most inexhaustible and sublime lessons. Each beat of this Heart is an act of infinite justice, mercy, power, and wisdom. Let us unite ourselves with this divine Heart whenever we are tempted or troubled.”
Leo John Dehon, SCJ, Notes on the History of My Life, 1867
Holy Week and Easter
The Provincial Offices will be closed from 2:00 p.m. on Holy Thursday (March 28) through Easter Monday (April 1). Offices will reopen on Tuesday, April 2.
There will be no Fridge Notes on Easter Monday. The next issue will be on April 8. As always, news items and suggestions can be submitted at any time. Click here to do so. News can also be found on our Facebook page and Instagram account.
Triduum and Easter at St. Martin of Tours
Fr. Andrzej Sudol, SCJ, pastor of St. Martin of Tours parish in Franklin, WI, invites SCJs to join the parish community for Triduum and Easter. He writes:
“It is a tradition now to have SCJs at St. Martin of Tours for major holidays and feasts. SCJs are always appreciated here, and it adds a lot to our celebrations. People ask about them. We would be honored to have SCJs joining and/or concelebrating with us.”
The Holy Week and Easter schedule at SMOT:
Holy Thursday: 7:00 p.m. Mass, with altar repose until 10:00 p.m.
Good Friday: 3:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross, 5:00 p.m. Soup and Bread Supper, 7:00 p.m. celebration of the Lord’s Passion.
Easter Vigil at 8:00 p.m.
Easter Sunday (regular Sunday schedule).
The regular Sunday schedule is as follows:
English
8:30 a.m
10:30 a.m.
Vietnamese
12:30 p.m.
The Paschal Triduum services will be celebrated with the English and Vietnamese Communities; liturgies will be bilingual.
Another step along the way
Congratulations to Deacon Paul Phong Hoang, SCJ, who made his profession of faith and oath of fidelity and oath of knowledge and freedom during Mass last week with the St. Michael Community in Nesbit, MS. The oaths are among the final steps in the process toward priesthood ordination. Dn. Paul will be ordained to the priesthood at Our Lady of Guadalupe Houston on June 1. Please keep him in your prayers during these final months of preparation.
The administration of goods
“It is the Gospel, for us as religious, which must be the ultimate norm and the highest rule in the administration of temporal goods, as in our whole life,” states the SCJ Rule of Life No. 140.
In the midst of the annual budget process, we asked the treasurers of the Canadian Region and US Province to reflect on this passage for the March edition of As a Rule.
Fr. Paul Tennyson, SCJ (pictured upper right), of Canada began with the following quote from John the Baptist: “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” The answer was in response to the question brought by the crowds: “What shall we do?”
“As first-world religious here in North America, we are in a very enviable financial position and that brings with it a grave responsibility,” wrote Fr. Paul. “After all, it’s not particularly challenging, nor is it edifying to share only out of our considerable abundance. And so dear brothers in Christ, ‘What shall we do?’”
“…I think it would be both beneficial and instructional for us to reflect individually and communally on how we might more effectively live out the Evangelical Counsels, in this case especially the vow of poverty. In the words of another, ‘We should live simply so others can simply live.’”
Building God’s kingdom, not our own
Dn. David Nagel, SCJ, writes that “The kingdom is being established through persecution and a greater desire for justice. When you want to have something of value you have to work for it. The values of the kingdom bring freedom and support to those suffering and in need. It is a call for all to put into practice the Beatitudes. This is the measuring line against which our lives have meaning and are to be judged. The life of the Christian is a call to build the kingdom of God rather than our personal kingdoms. Let the reign of God’s love grow in our hearts and in society!”
Click here to read the March issue of As a Rule in full. Click here to subscribe.
Reminders
BUDGETS – Speaking of the administration of goods, all province budget preparers are reminded that budgets are due on April 5. They should be sent to Kevin Stanke at the Provincialate Offices. Questions? Please contact Kevin.
ORGAN RECITAL – Dr. Benjamin Stone, Director of Liturgy & Music and Lecturer of Pastoral Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, will perform a recital of music for the Easter season, including works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Heinrich Scheidemann, Johann Ludwig Krebs, and Christa Rakish. Dr. Stone will present a talk on the evening’s musical selections before the recital. The performance will feature the Berghaus organ, installed 30 years ago and restored in 2021. Dr. Stone holds both a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Sacred Music from the University of Notre Dame. Freewill donations will be accepted.
The event is free, but you are asked to preregister. Click here for more information.
April birthdays
Those celebrating birthdays in April include Fr. Jim Walters and Fr. Antonius Suedi Oki Kuncoro on April 17, Fr. Hendridk Ardianto on April 24, Br. Duane Lemke on April 26, Fr. Son Nguyen and Fr. Tom Lind on April 27, and Frater Thuan Nguyen on April 29. Happy birthday!
Pictured above: Fr. Frank Wittouck, SCJ, celebrating his 86th birthday (March 23) with the Sacred Heart Monastery Community this past weekend.
Closing photos
A few photos from Palm Sunday at Our Lady of Guadalupe, Houston (Fr. George Mordalski, SCJ, is pictured upper right), and at Queen of Peace in Mississippi with Fr. Floribert Bulo Dhelo, SCJ and Fr. M. Ari Saputra, SCJ. The ECS students, who are preparing for ministry in the US Province, are assisting with Holy Week and Easter services in Mississippi.
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