Happy Thanksgiving!
The Provincialate Offices will be closed November 26-27 for Thanksgiving. Have a blessed holiday!
Floods in India
Chennai, India, is in the midst of one of its worst monsoon seasons; approximately 60 people have died as a result of flooding.
The Priests of the Sacred Heart have two houses in the city, a formation community and the district offices.
“Life here has come to a standstill,” wrote Fr. Vimal, a member of the district. “Schools, colleges and businesses have been shut down for nearly 10 days because of the monsoon’s fury. Transportation slowed, resulting in the delay and cancellation of trains and buses over a period of three days. The price of vegetables is going up every day. This unprecedented rain has damaged all the roads with flooding and fallen trees…
“Our Dehon Jyothi Community is situated in a town called Avadi in the Tiruvallur District. It has been greatly affected by the flood… A few days back we had water up to our knees just in front of our gate. We could not move anywhere. All the canals in front of our house are full to their brim; giving a foul smell at times…
“Catching fish has been our only diversion. Fr. Alex, an expert fisherman, took our brothers out to catch fish. The first day we went with our mosquito nets and we got plenty of fish but the rain kept pouring in, increasing the water level once again. We stopped fishing out of fear of the water snakes. We could see so many snakes going and coming across the water every day. We even killed a poisonous snake in our house. Now, the brothers have started to catch the fish with hooks just standing by the compound wall. Fr. Alex makes a delicious fish fry every day. We have so many fish that we share them with our neighbors.”
Click here to read more on the Generalate’s website.
Host an SCJ!
The Sacred Heart Monastery community asks local communities to consider hosting an SCJ ESL student during the semester break (approximately mid-December to mid-January). It would be an opportunity for the students to learn more about the US Province and for the local community to learn more about the worldwide congregation. The two students seeking placement are Fr. Albert Lingwengwe from Congo (he recently completed a term on the General Council) and Fr. Jean-Baptiste from Cameroon.
For more information, please contact Fr. Ed Zemlik at EdZemlikscj@aol.com or call him at 414-858-4667.
From discussion to action
During the past two months members of the North American Committee on Immigration have led discussions in local communities in Canada and the United States about migration issues. The committee will soon send summaries of those discussions to the membership, including actions suggested by the various communities. These summaries and related materials will also be available in the Members’ section of the province website. Information about accessing the immigration section will be sent with the follow-up materials.
At the start of each local discussion SCJs viewed a video on immigration that was produced by Br. Andy Gancarczyk in collaboration with the committee. The video is an excellent tool to start discussions with parish groups and other organizations in regards to migration.
To access the video, click on the image above or on the following link: https://youtu.be/66DvuiS3Uuo
New administration installed
On October 16 the Canadian Region installed its new administration. Fr. John van den Hengel succeeds Fr. Bill Marrevee (who replaced Fr. John when he was elected to the General Council in 2009). The regional council includes Fr. Paul Tennyson, a chaplain at a veterans’ hospital in Ottawa, Fr. Aegi Warsito, the assistant at St. Thomas More parish in Scarborough and previously chaplain of the Indonesian community in Toronto, and Fr. Richard Woodbury, the pastor of Grenville sur la Rouge and chaplain at Sacred Heart Seminary High School in Pointe-au-Chêne.
Click here to read Fr. John’s homily at the installation Mass.
Grazie and farewell
On Saturday, Nov. 21, the General Curia and International College community said thank you and farewell to Fr. Aquilino Mielgo Domínguez, who concludes his term as general treasurer, and Fr. Vagner Donizeti Maciel, who returns to Brazil after seven years as treasurer of the Rome II community.
The community had a liturgy and informal celebration. During the gathering Fr. Heinrich Wilmer, superior general, thanked the SCJs for their dedicated service and welcomed those who would assume new positions in Rome: Br. Roberto Garcia Murciego (treasurer for Rome II), Fr. Radoslaw Warenda (vice general secretary), and Fr. Luca Zottoli (who already has begun service as general treasurer).
Click here to view photos of the evening.
Please remember
Fr. Francesco Raffaelli, a member of the North Italian Province, died November 17. He was born in 1929, professed in 1951 and ordained in 1959.
Thank you
Fr. Richard MacDonald extends his gratitude to SCJs and the many others who expressed sympathy, prayers and concern for him and his family following the death of his mother, Loretta.
Happy birthday!
Those celebrating birthdays in December include Fr. Chuck Wonch (69) on Dec. 5, Fr. John Strittmatter (80) on Dec. 6, Fr. Gary Lantz (80) on Dec. 8, Br. Mike Fette (64) on Dec. 12, and Br. Clay Diaz (51) on Dec. 19.
Provincial’s Time
Fr. Ed Kilianski leaves tomorrow for Buffalo to spend time with family; he returns to Milwaukee December 4. December 8-10 he is scheduled for a visitation with the Sacred Heart Monastery Community, December 14 he will be at the Dehon Formation Community for meetings, and December 15-16 he has council meetings.
SCJ Memorial Day
In 2004 the general administration designated November 26 as “SCJ Memorial Day,” a time to remember and honor members of the Priests of the Sacred Heart who came before us, especially those who gave their lives as martyrs.
David Schimmel, director of Dehonian Associates for the US Province, prepared an Adoration Service for the day. However, he notes that because SCJ Memorial Day falls on Thanksgiving, those in the US Province may want to transfer the commemoration to another day.
Click here to download the service.
