Celebration mixed with mourning for lost innocence
“I was invited to be the principal celebrant at an anniversary Mass on May 10, the 14th anniversary of the establishment of a refuge for abused girls called the Kasanag Daughters Foundation,” wrote Fr. Bernie Rosinski in his most recent posting to the province blog. As noted previously, Fr. Bernie is teaching English in the Philippine Region.
“I noticed a very young girl sitting in the first row,” he continued. “I am guessing she was six inches shorter than her 20 or so ‘sisters’ and could not have been more than 10-11 years old, definitely younger than the rest. All of the girls were wore a tee shirt of uniform color as did she. However, they seemed so eager and joyful whereas she seemed so weary and burdened; almost old. She had no smile on her face. Because she seemed so unlike the others this struck me forcibly. I drew some conclusions about her that I hesitated as an outsider to verify with the staff, but I surmised that she had arrived only recently and had been only recently been delivered from some horror whose effects still dwelt with her…
“During [a] slideshow this youngest girl seemed happiest as she would hold up her hand and point her finger to various slides where she recognized her new friends from the refuge. I watched her new friends, too. They seemed exceptionally kind and solicitous for her. My visit, however, was unlike anything I had expected. I am still mourning what seems like a child’s lost youth and innocence.”
Click here to read Fr. Bernie’s full text
“No, no, no!”
That was Fr. Tomasz Flak’s response when he first heard God’s call.
“Computer programming, this is what I thought that I would do,” he said. “Not priesthood, not religious life.”
Fr. Tomasz said that he first started to hear a vocational call when he was a teen growing up in a small village in Poland. It surprised him. “I was…” and he pauses for the correct word in English, “not a quiet boy! Maybe not as well behaved as my brother and sister.”
He smiles, when he learns what the English word “naughty” means.
“Yes, perhaps I was naughty,” he laughs. “My brother, my friends –– I thought that they were much better than me.”
He tried to stop listening to God’s call but finally gave in. “I had to listen,” he said. “And I had to answer.”
When he told his parents that he wanted to be a priest, an SCJ priest, they responded the same way he did when he first heard his call.
“No, not you!” his parents said to him. He laughed again.
“They did not see it either, but when I told them, I knew that I had to follow my call to the priesthood,” said Fr. Tomasz. “I allowed my contact with God to be more personal. Listening in prayer helped me find my path and know that this is God’s plan for me.”
Click here to read more about Fr. Tomasz, a new member of our General Curia staff who is concluding his last weeks in the ESL program at Sacred Heart School of Theology.
Reappointed
During its board meeting in Milwaukee earlier this month the Religious Brothers Conference re-appointed Br. Ray Kozuch as its vice president. Officers’ terms are for one year; Br. Ray was originally appointed to the position last year.
This is Br. Ray’s second three-year term on the board. He will conclude his service to RBC next year.
Graduation in South Dakota
On Sunday, May 19, five students from the St. Joseph’s Indian School high school program will graduate from Chamberlain High School. Recently, they introduced themselves on the school website.
“Hey, I’m Erika. I have attended St. Joseph’s Indian School on and off since I was a first grader,” writes one of the upcoming grads who is preparing for further studies in fashion and design. “I have been involved in various and diverse activities my last four years of high school: golf, Native American Club, Our Lady of the Sioux Church Choir, Improv, plays, high school choir, Chamberlain Talent Show, St. Joseph’s Big Sister Program, FCCLA, IHR and many other extra-curricular activities…
“I was pretty much raised by my extended family at St. Joseph’s and the most important thing I have learned is that no matter what you do or where you go, you are never alone and there will always be a helping hand. So, I know when I leave St. Joseph’s to further my education I will always have a helping hand from St. Joseph’s staff, friends, family and all the donors who will continue to donate to St. Joseph’s out of the generosity of their hearts.
“Two people I would really like to thank are some of my houseparents Chris and Diana because they are like a mother and father to me. Every day in the Pinger Home, I loved waking up and getting to see these two. They made my junior high years a world of fun and really had a big impact in my life. Not a day would go by that these two wouldn’t put a smile on my face. They honestly have a knack for their jobs because when you’re sad, upset and feel like your world is crumbling down all around you they both manage to find a way to make you laugh and smile. Thank you guys. I love you both!”
Click here to read all five autobiographies.
Getting read to head to Afghanistan
Fr. Mark Mastin, a chaplain in the U.S. Army, is home in Hales Corners for a few days this week. It is a short stop prior to meetings at the Pentagon and a few days with family before heading to Afghanistan with his unit the first week of June.
Office schedule
The Provincialate Offices begin summer hours on Friday, May 31. This means that the office will close at noon on Fridays (staff work longer days Monday through Friday). The summer schedule runs through August 30.
Please note that the office will also be closed the following days:
May 27 for Memorial Day
June 7 for Feast of the Sacred Heart
July 4-5 for Independence Day
September 2 for Labor Day
November 28-29 for American Thanksgiving
Next year’s calendar
Members in the US Province need to mark July 7-11, 2014, as the dates of the next Provincial Chapter. The chapter is held every six years in preparation for the General Chapter (the next General Chapter is in 2015).
A planning committee has met several times to tackle some of the preliminary preparatory work, most recently May 8 at the Provincialate. The committee includes Fr. Joe Dean (chairperson), Br. Ray Kozuch, Fr. Jack Kurps, Fr. Terry Langley, Br. Duane Lemke, Fr. Jim Schroeder, Fr. David Szatkowski and Fr. Bob Tucker. Sr. Cathy Bertrand, SSND, is working with the group as facilitator.
Chapter details will be fleshed out after the September North American Conference and the November meeting of Major Superiors. Both gatherings may have influence on chapter topics.
Provincial’s time
Fr. Tom Cassidy will be in the office for most of the weeks leading up to the June election assembly.
