Coffee and conversations
On April 29, Fr. Frank Wittouck, SCJ, was the most recent speaker in the “Coffee and Conversations” series at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake. During his hour with residents he shared stories of his over 67 years of religious life as a Dehonian.
Originally from Chicago, Fr. Frank had polio as a child but recovered and entered the minor seminary as a teen. He was ordained in 1965 and has served in a wide variety of ministries, including education, parishes, and 20 years traveling the world as a military chaplain. But it was a ministry that he embraced later in life that he says really got him thinking about his vocation as a priest: serving as a prison chaplain.
“One of our priests [Fr. Chuck Kelly, SCJ] was dying of cancer but was still active in prison ministry,” said Fr. Frank. “I told him ‘You shouldn’t be doing this, you’re sick!’ And then he did something that totally surprised me; he quoted Matthew’s Gospel: ‘When I was in prison, you visited me.’ This went through me like a thunderbolt. I eventually went to the prison myself and it really moved me. The ministry genuinely helped my priesthood.”
Fr. Frank – or, “Fr. Witty” as many call him – is now retired but continues to be active with a Milwaukee area social service center, and with seminarians at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.
He is pictured above during the presentation.
The kingdom of God is hope
“I propose that the kingdom of God is a sign of hope and an invitation to heal our fractured world,” said Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, in the opening lines of his presentation at DePaul University’s World Catholicism Week seminar, held May 1-2. “In this kingdom, justice is a principal value emphasized by the Hebrew prophets, lived by Jesus, and taught by the Church.”
Fr. Vien was one of three presenters on Friday morning. The title of his talk: “The Kingdom of God: From Scripture to Social Justice.”
“In preaching the kingdom of God, Jesus encouraged his listeners to actively engage in the mission of transformation,” said Fr. Vien. “The Church has responded to Jesus’s invitation to engage with the world as a sign of God’s reign and hope. In both its holiness and fragility, the Church has played a role in reflective, constructive, and prophetic engagement with the world. Its mission is to form consciences in souls and societies in order to promote faithful citizenship. The Church guides us to the power of reason in determining a just social order and addressing contemporary social issues. Its social teaching is rooted in the messages of the prophets and of Jesus. It emphasizes God’s concern for justice and the poor…
“God has given us Scripture, and the Church has provided us with its social teaching as tools to build the kingdom of God. Our mission, individually and collectively, is drawn from our faith in Jesus Christ to mend fractures in the world. We are called to become tangible signs of hope by dismantling anything that separates us from one another and upholding dignity for ourselves and our neighbors. Our care for one another, especially vulnerable and marginalized members of society, must begin with the deep conviction that we are created as beings meant for communion with God and with others.”
Click here to read Fr. Vien’s full text.
Fr. Vien notes that the text is from a book chapter that is still in progress. It was shortened due to the time constraints of the presentation at DePaul.
Busy week at SHSST
This is graduation week at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. Commencement is on Friday, May 9; Fr. Levi Dos Anjos Ferreira, SCJ, vicar general and an alumnus of SHSST’s ESL program (now, English and Culture Studies) is the commencement speaker. Also among the visitors will be a delegation from the Faculdade Dehoniana in Taubaté, Brazil. The school of theology in the Brazil-Saó Paulo Province and SHSST have been exploring opportunities for partnership during the past year. During their visit to the US Province, the Brazilian group will travel to South Dakota to learn about SCJ ministries there.
At 10:00 a.m. on Friday, six students will receive their ECS certificates during a ceremony led by Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ. The event will take place in the main lobby; anyone is welcome to attend. Among the ECS students to be recognized are five SCJs: Fr. Floribert Bulo Dhelo, Fr. Ari Saputra, Fr. Jean-Didier Mumbata Ndongala, Fr. Piotr Chmielecki and Mário Henrique da Costa Nunes.
On Wednesday, Milwaukee’s Archbishop Emeritus Jerome E. Listecki will preside at SHSST’s all-school Mass at 11:00 a.m. in the Sacred Heart Chapel. It is an opportunity for the seminary community, and the Priests of the Sacred Heart, to express gratitude for Archbishop Listecki’s many years of faithful ministry and collaboration with the seminary. “On May 14 he will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, and we are honored to recognize that milestone with him during his visit to campus,” said Dcn. Anton Nickolai, SHSST Vice President of Institutional Advancement. SCJs are very welcome at the Mass.
Please remember
Margaret LoCoco Capper, sister of SHSST Board of Directors Chair Frank LoCoco, died on a April 9. Click here to read her obituary.
Keep in prayer
Fr. Jan de Jong, SCJ, has been admitted to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee for treatment of a UTI.
Fr. John Czyzynski, SCJ, had a biopsy on a mass found in his pelvic area. He is back home at SHML; results are not yet available and may not be for several days.
Bishop Donald DeGrood, bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, asked the Papal Nuncio to designate a temporary administrator for the diocese while he undergoes medical care for several health concerns. Bishop Donald Kettler, bishop-emeritus of Saint Cloud, has been provisionally entrusted with pastoral governance of the diocese.
Please keep all of those noted above in your prayers.
Esprit de Coeur reunion reminder
The Priests of the Sacred Heart Development Office and the Office of Dehonian Associates are planning events for the Feast of the Sacred Heart, including an Esprit de Coeur reunion in Hales Corners. Seminary alumni, former SCJs and current SCJs are all invited.
The reunion will begin on Thursday, June 26, starting with prayer at 5:00 p.m., followed by a reception and dinner. The next day, June 27, begins with a presentation at 9:00 a.m. on “The Legacy of Fr. Dehon,” followed by the feast-day Mass at 10:30 a.m., brunch, and tours of the Sacred Heart campus for those who are interested.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP so that the kitchen staff can plan for the meals:
If you are an SCJ, RSVP to Jessica Ramos at: [email protected], 414-427-4234
If you are an Esprit de Coeur member (and not an SCJ), RSVP to [email protected], 414-427-4267.
Please indicate if you are taking part in any or all of the following:
Thursday, June 26 dinner
Friday, June 27 coffee & donuts
Friday, June 27 brunch
Priests are welcome to concelebrate the feast-day Mass. If you plan to do so, please bring an alb and stole.
Reminder: Night of Prayer at OLG
This Saturday, May 10, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Houston is hosting “Heart of Worship Night of Prayer” led by Fr. Henry Nguyen, SCJ and Fr. Christian Hoper, SCJ. The evening begins with a bilingual Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm, followed by a light dinner at 6:30 pm, and prayer beginning at 7:00 pm. The night of prayer will include Eucharistic Adoration, worship music, confession, and reflection.
Click here to register. Questions? Contact the Province Vocation Office at 414-529-4255.
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
Sunday, May 11, is the 61st annual World Day of Prayer of Vocations. Our Province Vocation Office shares the following:
“Also known as ‘Good Shepherd Sunday,’ the purpose of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publicly fulfill the Lord’s instruction to, ‘Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest’ (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). Please continue to pray for all those discerning their vocation, especially those who are called to serve with the Priests of the Sacred Heart, that they may be courageous in answering the call of the Lord.”
If you know of someone discerning a vocation to religious life or the priesthood, or want to learn about how you can assist the Vocation Office in its ministry, write or call: [email protected], 414-529-4255.
For vocations we pray…
Lord, You have provided us with priests, brothers, and sisters throughout the history of Your Church to serve the poor, to preach the Gospel and to journey with us in our celebrations, our successes and our losses.
Make us sensitive to the call to religious life in our own hearts and give us the courage to join You in Your ministry of love.
When we sense the call in others, may we pray for them, encourage them and honor them.
May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done.
Amen.
Prayer by Br. Ray Kozuch, SCJ
Click here to subscribe to the weekly news (Fridge Notes) via email
