Congratulations!
Once he finally found a ride to the church, Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, was ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, May 21.
“I didn’t know where the keys to my parents’ vehicle were,” said Fr. Greg during his first Mass. “It was 9:10 and the ordination was at 10 a.m. I finally decided to seek the help of a neighbor.”
Imagine the surprise on the neighbor’s face when he saw Fr. Greg on his doorstep. The family friend was preparing to go to the ordination himself in a few minutes. “Can you give me a lift?” said Fr. Greg.
And thus the theme of Fr. Greg’s homily at his first Mass: learning to depend on and give thanks for the generosity of those around us. “So many people help us in little ways each day,” he said.
Fr. Greg was ordained at his home parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Helotes, Texas (near San Antonio), by Bishop Oscar Cantú, auxiliary bishop of San Antonio. The Schill family has been a part of the parish since Fr. Greg was a toddler.
Now 35, Fr. Greg first professed vows with the Priests of the Sacred Heart in 2006. Before entering candidacy with the community in 2003, he served in the U.S Marine Corps for four years. Following an honorable discharge, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. In 2010, Fr. Greg received his Master’s of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago.
Last year he also made his perpetual profession and was ordained to the diaconate. He is currently a member of the pastoral team at St. Martin of Tours parish in Franklin, Wis.
Click here to read more about Fr. Greg.
Click here to view photos from the ordination Mass (more will be added during the week, so be sure to check back), and click here to view photos from Fr. Greg’s first Mass.
As for those car keys? Rumor has it that Fr. Greg’s parents left the house to take care of last-minute details before setting the keys out for their son to use. Oops!
Construction chaos
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has begun a two-year project on Highway 100/South Lovers Lane Road that will replace the bridges crossing Rawson Avenue. The project will affect the driveways to Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology and Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake (Villa Maria).
Crossover traffic will be re-routed at times, which means that occasionally drivers will not be able to make left turns from the SCJ properties, or cross the intersection. During these times you will need to make a right turn and then double-back.
Be mindful of the construction signs and use a little extra caution when driving, and especially, when walking across the busy road.
Please remember
Jim Schmidt, a former SCJ who professed vows in 1963, died on May 15. A member of Holy Trinity parish in St. Louis, he was a Eucharistic minister and served on the parish council. He is survived by his wife, Diana, and a daughter. Click here to read the obituary in the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Paul Hoffman, the husband of Joyce Hoffman, died May 19. Joyce was secretary to Fr. Tom Garvey, SCJ, and to Fr. Tony Russo, SCJ, at Kilroe Seminary. Paul was diagnosed with cancer only two weeks prior to his death. He was 81.
Condolences can be sent to:
170 Olivene Circle
Townsend, DE 19734
302-898-8828
Donaldson reunion
Divine Heart Seminary’s class of 1961 is celebrating its 50th anniversary August 5-7 at Sacred Heart School of Theology. For more information contact Michael Glackin at 708-560-0368 or email him at michaelglackin613@att.net.
Good bye and thanks
On May 25 the board of directors of Sacred Heart School of Theology will say good-bye to Msgr. Patrick Wells, who is retiring from the board after 12 years of service, including several years on the board’s finance committee.
An SHST alumnus, Msgr. Wells, a retired pastor from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, wrote that “I will miss my visits to Sacred Heart and my associates on the board. It has been a privilege to serve with such outstanding men and women.”
North American meeting
The Dehon Formation Community in Chicago hosts the administrations of the Canadian Region and U.S. Province today and tomorrow (May 23-24). Since 1996, the two administrations have met every six to 12 months to share ideas on topics of common concern, discuss issues of the worldwide congregation, and update each other on the ministries and people of the two entities.
The last North American meeting took place in October, 2010, in Montréal. Among the topics discussed were possibilities for a combined effort at making SCJ parishes in North America more “Dehonian,” and collaboration on a common topics of social concern, such as immigration.
Have an idea to share?
Vocation Central welcomes ideas from SCJs for the annual poster campaign, as well as other vocation efforts. You can contact either Br. Ray Kozuch, SCJ, vocation director, at brrayscj@wi.rr.com or his assistant Keith Burdick at keithburdick@wi.rr.com.
Church Basement Ladies
SCJs are reminded that if they would like to join Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, at the Marcus Center in Milwaukee for the comedy “Church Basement Ladies,” they need to contact Mary Gorski by May 31 to secure a reservation. Fr. Tom will host a group for the July 13 evening show; this is on Wednesday of the Province Assembly.
Happy birthday!
Those celebrating a birthday in June include Fr. Vincent Suparman (48) on June 5, Fr. Ed Griesemer (81) and Br. Ben Humpfer (67) on June 9, Fr. Roger Phaneuf (73) on June 12, Fr. Yvon Sheehy (61) on June 18, Fr. Nick Brown (69) on June 22, Fr. Paul Tennyson (68) on June 23, Br. Matt Miles (72) and Fr. Francis Vu Tran (35) on June 26, and Fr. J. Claude Bédard (71) on June 28.
Provincial’s time
After spending the weekend in San Antonio for Fr. Greg Schill’s ordination Fr. Tom Cassidy goes to Chicago May 23-24. As noted, he and the rest of the council will have a joint meeting with the administration of the Canadian Region. May 25 he meets with the board of Sacred Heart School of Theology
Upcoming meetings and events:
May 23-24: North American councils meeting (Chicago)
June 11: Ordination of Dn. Duy Nguyen to the priesthood (Sacred Heart Monastery)
July 1: Feast of the Sacred Heart, Mass at SHST, 11 a.m.
Week of July 11: Province Assembly, Hales Corners, Wis.
August 30-31: Provincial Council Meeting
October 2: Pet Blessing (SHST)
October 4-5: Provincial Council Meeting
November 14-16: SCJ Retreat, Pinellas Park
December 14-15: Provincial Council Meeting
December 18: Advent Concert, 2 p.m.
