Continuing to remember our veterans
Last Friday, November 11, was Veterans Day. With news of the elections, and the death of Fr. Bernie Rosinski, SCJ, and other events, the annual remembrance fell to the background for some. But it wasn’t forgotten. Pictured above are two of our SCJ veterans: Fr. Greg Schill, who served in the US Marine Corps before pursuing his vocation, and Bishop Joseph Potocnak, who was in the US Air Force prior to entering formation. In honor of Veterans Day, he wore his Air Force cap for the final prayers and interment of Fr. Bernie last Friday.
We pray…
God of peace,
We pray for those who have served our nation and laid down their lives to protect and defend our freedom, asking that we remember their sacrifice and make right use of our liberty.
We pray for those who still bear the scars of their service, asking for healing for them in mind, body, and spirit.
We pray for those who serve us now, especially for those in harm’s way, asking that you shield them from danger and bring them home in safety.
We pray for all those who govern, asking that you turn their hearts and minds to the work of establishing a peace born of justice and equity.
We pray for all those who are caught up in conflict around the globe this day, civilians and peace-keepers and the poor who have no escape, asking that we have the courage to defend the defenseless, make room for those who flee for safety, and look to that day when we will train for war no more.
May the peace you gave us, the peace that passes all human understanding, be the peace that guides and sustains us. For it is in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.
Prayer source: posted in 2018 on https://www.davidlose.net
New assignments
During last week’s Provincial Council meeting, the following assignments were announced:
FR. QUANG NGUYEN, SCJ – Fr. Quang will serve as a chaplain at the University of Houston, under the direction of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, effective January 1, 2023. He is currently Province Director of Vocations. Two members of the formation community are U of H alumni: Fraters Hung Pham, SCJ and Paul Phong Hoang, SCJ. Fr. Quang will be a member of the Houston SCJ community; he is pictured above (left) with fellow Houston community member Fr. Richard Johnston, SCJ.
DN. HENRY NGUYEN, SCJ – With Fr. Quang taking on a new ministry, Dn. Henry Nguyen, SCJ, has been named to the vocation director’s role as of January 1. He will continue to serve in pastoral ministry at St. Martin of Tours parish in Franklin under the leadership of Fr. Andrzej Sudol, SCJ, while being mentored at the vocation office by Fr. Jack Kurps, SCJ, a previous vocation director. Dn. Henry will also have a vocation committee to serve as a resource and support.
BR. ANDY GANCARCZYK, SCJ – Coming to the end of his year-long sabbatical (which included a hike of the Camino de Santiago!), Br. Andy is assigned to ministry at Sacred Heart Southern Missions, effective January 1, 2023. “With his gift and knowledge in photography and videography, he will serve in the communication department,” wrote Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, in announcing the assignment. He will be a member of the St. Michael Community.
Reminder for concelebrants
The priesthood ordination ceremony for Dn. Henry Nguyen (pictured above, left) will take place at St. Columban Catholic Church in Garden Grove, CA, on December 17.
Br. Frank Presto, SCJ, provincial secretary, reminds those who plan to concelebrate that they must contact him ASAP so that he can apply for faculties for you. You can reach Br. Frank at 414-42763 or provsec@usprovince.org
Advent Hour of Recollection for staff and collaborators
The US Province will host an Advent Hour of Recollection via Zoom on Tuesday, November 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Central). Sr. Nancy Schreck, OSF, will speak on “The Challenge of Making Room for Jesus During the Busyness of the Holidays.” The reflection is designed especially for employees of province ministries and other Dehonian collaborators.
“Did you know that we have more than 500 people ministering alongside the SCJs in the United States?” wrote Fr. Vien in a letter to the managers and directors, inviting them and their employees to take part in the event. “This is amazing grace! On behalf of the SCJs, I thank you for your commitment to carrying on the SCJ mission. Together we serve.”
Sr. Nancy is a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque, Iowa. She has served extensively in formation and leadership, including as president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and as a US delegate to the International Union of Superiors General.
Click here to join us November 29.
A deacon’s ministry
Speaking of those who collaborate with the Priests of the Sacred Heart, Dn. Steve Kramer (pictured below), Director of Homiletics and Associate Professor of Pastoral Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, was a recent guest on the podcast “Jesuitical,” produced by America Media. The theme of the episode was “The Church needs younger deacons –– and older priests.” Dn. Steve’s interview runs from 15:07 – 41:00 in the 52-minute episode. Click here to access it.
“My ministry has always been working in tandem with my pastor,” said Dn. Steve, when describing his work as a deacon in a parish. “It’s not that I’m better than my pastor because I am married, or that my pastor is better than me because he is a priest. We work together, this is a like-like ministry… between the two of us, hopefully we can help the people of God. It is a team effort.”
Besides his work with SHSST, Dn. Steve teaches homiletics to the candidates for the Permanent Diaconate Formation program of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and is a nationally known retreat master and speaker on preaching/communication topics, as well as contributing articles and a quarterly column for The Deacon magazine.
He is also the lead organizer behind SHSST’s Preaching Conference, noted below.
Annual SHSST Preaching Conference
The next Annual SHSST Preaching Conference will take place January 3-5, 2023. All clergy are welcome; click here to learn more.
Note that there is no registration fee for SCJs. Look for the special registration button for SCJs at the link above, or you can contact Monica Misey for registration assistance at mmisey@shsst.edu
Have questions about the conference itself? Contact Dn. Steve Kramer: skramer@shsst.edu, 414-858-4767
Please remember
+ Fr. Donald Senior died on November 8. Many SCJs knew Fr. Don from his many years at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, including in the roles of president, chancellor, and professor. Click here to read more on the CTU website.
Keep in prayer
Fr. Bob Bossie, SCJ, was briefly hospitalized last week for an erratic heartbeat. He reports that he is back home and doing well.
Also, keep Fr. Richard MacDonald, SCJ, in your prayers as he recovers from last week’s knee surgery. He is at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake.
Photos, homily and video
Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, local superior of the South Dakota community and the primary caregiver for Fr. Bernie Rosinski, SCJ, in his last weeks, was the homilist at Friday’s Mass of Christian Burial for Fr. Bernie.
“Never will I forget spending those final hours of his life with him and the time a few others caring for him spent with him,” said Fr. Greg. “He continued his ministry; which he loved, he continued to serve the people wherever he was, whom he loved. Always moving forward! Always with a smile! Always pleasant to talk to! A man with a positive attitude about ministry and about life, even in the midst of his cancer, he did not allow terminal cancer to conquer him, he placed his faith and trust in God, he continued his commitment to prayer with a meticulous schedule until he was no longer physically able to do so. Even then, he received communion each day, including on the final morning of his life. He never lost faith in the midst of his suffering.”
Click here to read the full homily.
Click here to access an online photo album from the funeral.
Click here to view the recording of the funeral livestream. Our thanks to SCJ Fraters Truc Tran and Paul Phong Hoang for their work in making the livestream possible.
What does it mean to be a Dehonian?
As a part of a “20 Questions” interview in 2016, Fr. Bernie Rosinski, answered the question “Do you consider yourself a Dehonian? If so, what does that mean to you?”
His response (“Yes”) included the following description of what he said that he “understood a Dehonian to be:”
– a person who is convinced that God loves him/her (cf. I John 4:16);
– a person who is a citizen of the world as well as of his neighborhood;
– a person who is ready and available to be used by others;
– a person who nourishes his spiritual life through the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, in celebration and in adoration;
– a person who is always learning and can never learn enough;
– a person who engages in offering himself as victim with Christ, particularly through the profession of obedience, chastity, and poverty;
– a person whose personal and real rule book is the gospel;
– a person whose active and responsive membership in the body of Christ, the Church, is important to him/her;
– a person who sees the “Heart” as the best icon or image to envelop all of the above.
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