World Day of Prayer for Vocations
Good Master,
I understand the call of your heart,
and I am eager to respond to it.
I offer myself entirely to you, for love of you.
I wish to live in complete dependence on you,
to do everything for you and with you.
Receive my offering,
bless it,
and nourish it by your grace
that it may be generous and persevering.
Amen.
Fr. Leo John Dehon, This Life of Love, Meditation 23
Sunday, May 11, is “World Day of Prayer for Vocations.” The staff at Vocation Central encourage people to remember vocations in a special way this week, not only in personal prayer, but also in liturgy and in other prayer opportunities, especially parishes.
Click here for resources for World Day of Prayer for Vocations from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Click here to read Pope Francis’ message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations
Click here for vocation prayers on the province website.
If you’d like to share photos or text about what you or your ministry are doing to celebrate World Day of Prayer for Vocations please click here to submit items for the province Facebook page.
Learning English: favorite part of candidacy and the most challenging!
Fr. Tom Cassidy is in the Philippines this spring, assisting with the month-long English language program. While there he has been writing posts for our province blog, but is also doing interviews with some of his students. The first is with Vietnamese student Vincent Le Tiep Van.
Vincent is completing his orientation year and has been “studying English, first in Vietnam and now here,” he told Fr. Tom. “I hope to enter Xavier University (Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines) and begin studying philosophy next semester.”
When asked by Fr. Tom about his favorite part of being with the community, Vincent said that it has been “my time studying English.. I also like community life as it reminds me of my own family life. We are like a family here.”
And what has been most challenging in Vincent’s first year with the community? English studies win again!
“English is not an easy language, especially pronouncing it correctly!” he said.
Click here to read the full interview.
Infant of Prague to a good home!
The Province Development Office has a 24-inch statue of the Infant of Prague with various garments. Click here to contact Pam Milczarski if you would like to have the statue for use in a church or chapel.
Sacred Heart and SCJs guided SHST grad
When Dn. David Orsak, graduated from Sacred Heart School of Theology last Friday, it with the support and influence of the Sacred Heart.
“I didn’t always know it, but it has consistently been in the background, influencing my life,” said Dn. David.
He remembers as a child “playing priest,” pretending to celebrate the Mass with toys and dolls standing in for parishioners.
In the background of his makeshift chapel? A picture of the Sacred Heart; the image that has been distributed for many years by the Priests of the Sacred Heart.
“The church has always been there in the background of my life; but the Sacred Heart, and the Priests of the Sacred Heart have been as well,” said Dn. David.
For years, his grandmother was a benefactor of the community, in particular, to Sacred Heart School of Theology. He didn’t realize the connection until years later when he was a student at the seminary.
“I have been very appreciative of the Priests of the Sacred Heart and their presence at the seminary,” said Dn. David. “The SCJs are wonderful role models and their spirituality is felt. There is a pastoral holiness to it, a true concern for the ‘other.’”
Although Dn. David said that he has been influenced by many SCJs, he is especially appreciative of the friendship that he has with Fr. Paul Casper, a retired SCJ living at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake. He, along with Fr. Tom Westhoven will be among those attending Dn. David’s ordination for the Diocese of Memphis on June 7.
Click here to read more on about Dn. David on the province website.
Mission on the prairie
Fr. Vincent Suparman shares the photo below from yesterday’s First Communion celebration in Lower Brule, SD.
“Here on the prairie, if we have 40 people at Sunday Mass, then we say ‘thank God for the big crowd,’” wrote Fr. Vincent. “But this morning we had much more than 40 people at Mass here in Lower Brule because we had eight children receiving their first communion!
“This special event gives us hope and joy as we continue our mission work on the reservation.”
Prayer request
Fr. Jim Walters’ mother, Ann Walters, is having eye surgery on May 20. The surgery is complicated because of a number of factors, including Mrs. Walter’s age (84). Fr. Jim is going home to Pennsylvania on May 8 to spend time with his family.
Please remember
Frederick Burshnick, 77, the brother of Fr. Frank Burshnick, died on April 6 in Lewistown, Montana. Frederick’s wife, Florence, 79, died on April 21, also in Montana. Please keep the family in prayer.
A focus on labor from a faith perspective
“From a faith perspective, lawmakers, employers, and workers are to fulfill their individual roles not only to the best of their abilities but also with respect and genuine compassion for each other. In a world of fierce competition that values profit above all else, this challenging expectation will surely involve personal sacrifice. Choosing daily to make the effort to promote the common good exemplifies a life of oblation and makes practical a spirituality of the Heart of Jesus, who is the ‘source of justice and love.'”
Following the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, last week’s reflections on the Dehonian Spirituality page centered on the theme of work, employers and laborers.
Click here to read the full reflection.
Eight profess vows in India
On May 1 the Indian District celebrated the first profession of eight men. Taking part in the ceremony was Fr. José Ornelas Carvalho, superior general. He was there for the district’s assembly April 28-29, which followed an annual retreat.
“We thank and praise the Almighty God for all His love and blessings poured on these new religious in the Indian District. We pray that they may continue to seek the help of the Lord and be faithful to their vocation. Praise the Lord,” said Fr. McQueen Mascarenhas, novice master.
Provincial’s time
Fr. Stephen Huffstetter is in Milwaukee this week. May 5-7 he will take part in the Spring Assembly of Priests for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. May 8, he meets with the board of directors of the Province Development Office. Next week, May 14-16, he joins the Provincial Council for the annual budgets review.
A reminder for SCJs: 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.
