Where’s the door?
The main entrance to Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology has been moved to the doors near the Leo Dehon Library, near the Sacred Heart Shrine.
The move is a part of the summer-long remodeling and renovation of the main lobby. Asbestos abatement begins today and is expected to take approximately two weeks. Demolition and construction work is scheduled to start soon after.
Much of the work centers on needed infrastructure improvements including the asbestos removal noted above, a new sprinkler and alarm system, improved air handling systems (HVAC), installation of energy-efficient windows, renovation of restrooms to improve handicapped accessibility, and some minor reconfiguration of interior walls for more efficient use of space.
The renovation and updating is also an opportunity to give the lobby a brighter, cosmetic upgrade as well.
“SHST is a vibrant institution with excellent programs serving seminarians, priests, sisters and other students from around the world,” said Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, SCJ, provincial superior. “Our mission requires that we provide an up-to-date educational environment commensurate with the vitality of our programs.”
Click here to read more about the renovation of the province website.
Where an invitation can lead
Yesterday, May 12, was World Day of Prayer for Vocations. For Br. Andy Gancarczyk, an SCJ from Poland, it was a simple invitation to a youth retreat that eventually led him to his vocation with the Priests of the Sacred Heart and service as a missionary in Uruguay. Now, he is preparing for ministry at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Houston.
“I was a typical boy,” said Br. Andy. “I took saxophone lessons, was a Boy Scout and altar boy. I liked to play soccer. And being the eldest son, I had to help my family on the farm.”
When he was 14 Br. Andy met an SCJ who was home on vacation. The SCJ invited him and his brother to take part in a youth retreat. Although they had never heard of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, Br. Andy and his brother decided to go.
“After that, I started every summer and winter vacation with a retreat held at an SCJ house,” said Br. Andy.
It was that initial invitation that introduced him to the SCJs. Later, it was the witness of a community of SCJ brothers that sparked his vocation.
“One of the places that we had our retreats was at the brothers’ formation house,” he said. Their example of religious life inspired him.
“It is a vocation of service, a call to religious life in service.”
Once again Br. Andy is answering an invitation from an SCJ: Fr. Zbigniew Morawiec. Br. Andy first met Fr. Ziggy when he was a deacon leading one of the youth retreats in which he took part. An associate pastor at OLG, Fr. Ziggy invited Br. Andy to consider ministry in Houston where more Spanish-speakers are needed.
He said “yes” again, and since January, has been a student in Sacred Heart School of Theology’s ESL program. If the necessary paperwork goes through as planned, Br. Andy will join the OLG pastoral team this summer.
Click here to read more about Br. Andy on the province website.
Video interview
One of Br. Andy Gancarczyk’s “hobbies” is communications, including video, photography and website development. Last month he put his hobby to work when Fr. Mark Mastin, SCJ, was visiting in Hales Corners.
Click on the linked graphic above to view a video of the interview. The short introduction is in Polish, but the rest of the interview is in English.
Please remember
+Fr. Angelo Favero, a member of the Portuguese Province, died May 8. He was born in 1915, professed in 1934 and ordained in 1941.
+Fr. Gerard Jordan, a member of the British-Irish Province, died May 6. He was born in 1918, professed in 1941 and ordained in 1946.
+Wim de Jong, the brother of Fr. Jan de Jong, died May 6, after suffering from cancer. Fr. Jan is in Holland with his family; the funeral will be today, May 12.
+Sr. Betteann McDermott, 81, died May 5 of a heart attack. A member of the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary, Sr. Betteann had been coordinator of HIV/AIDS ministry for Sacred Heart Southern Missions since 2005. She also worked with Fr. Frank Clancy, SCJ, for a number of years in Harlingen, TX. Before ministry with the SCJs, Sr. Betteann had been a missionary in Fiji for 23 years. She celebrated her 60th anniversary of religious profession in February.
Getting to know our students in Asia
As noted last week, Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, is doing interviews with students in the Philippines’ while he is there teaching English. The interviews are a way for him to get to know the students better, and for the students to practice their English skills.
So far, three interviews have been posted. Click here to read about July P. Zambrano and Anthony Ngo Minh Cuong, as well as Vincent Le Tiep, whose interview was partially included in last week’s Fridge Notes.
Bethsaida Archeological Expedition posts on Facebook
Eight SHST students are heading off to Israel this summer to take part in an archeological expedition at Bethsaida with the aim of gaining new insights about the cultural context of Jesus’ ministry. The group, with seven seminarians and one MA student, departs on June 17 for three weeks.
Click here to go to the Bethsaida Facebook page where you can read introductions written by the students. Return to the page during the dig to see photos and read student reflections during the three weeks.
Click here to read more about the program.
SHST graduation
Twenty-two seminarians graduated from SHST on Friday, May 2. During the ceremony, retiring director of Liturgy and Music, Charles Christian Rich, was honored with “professor emeritus” status. Christian has served SHST since 1978.
Pictured above is this year’s graduating class along with Fr. Stephen Huffstetter (provincial superior), Dr. Mary Meehan (president of the SHST board of directors), Msgr. Ross Shecterle (SHST president-rector) and Fr. John Hemsing (rector of St. Francis de Sales Seminary; Milwaukee’s seminarians do their academic training at SHST).
Dehonian Spirituality
“Three times a day, approximately 200 high school seminarians sat in the presence of this large painting of the Heart of Jesus that hung in the Divine Heart Seminary dining room,” wrote David Schimmel, director of Dehonian Associates in last week’s update of the Dehonian Spirituality page, reflecting on the image at right by Peter Paul DiCresce (Br. Bonaventure).
“Most likely, it took only a few meals before the constantly hungry crowd completely blocked out the image from its consciousness. Yet, no other image of the Heart of Jesus managed to be so personal for this group of teenagers… Most of the young men who attended Divine Heart Seminary eventually discerned other vocations [vocations outside of the SCJs], but this image impressed upon them that every call is a personal encounter with Jesus and deserves a loving response.”
Click here to read the full post of last week, including a reflection from Br. Ray Kozuch, SCJ, province director of vocations.
Editor’s note: David Schimmel and Fr. Jack Kurps, SCJ, will join SCJs and Lay Dehonians from around the world this week at a “Dehonian Family” conference at the Generalate in Rome. Updates and photos from the conference will be posted on the province Facebook page, as well as on the general and province websites.
Provincial’s time
It’s a week of meetings for Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, starting with a full-day planning meeting with the Provincial Chapter Preparatory Committee today (May 12). May 14-16, he joins the Provincial Council for the annual budgets review. The following week he takes part in the May 20 Mass of Healing at Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology and the next day meets with the SHST board of directors (May 21). May 25-29 Fr. Steve does his visitation with the Sacred Heart Community at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake.
On April 29 Fr. Steve celebrated his 25th anniversary of ordination. In Mississippi for meetings with the Sacred Heart Southern Missions Board of Directors, Fr. Steve was joined in an anniversary Mass there with Bishop Joseph Kopacz of Jackson, who is also a member of the SHSM board.
When asked what his greatest “wow moment” has been as a priest Fr. Steve said it always has been the sharing of the Eucharist. “You see so many things in the faces of those who come to receive the Eucharist… so many things in their eyes: longing, hurt, joy. It is just incredible!”
Reminder: Fr. Steve’s State of the Province Report in preparation for the upcoming provincial chapter is available in the Members’ section of the province website.
