Celebrating 175 years!
Students and staff from Holy Family and Sacred Heart Schools in Mississippi, along with the entire staff of Sacred Heart Southern Missions, came together at Christ the King Church, Southaven, last week to celebrate a Mass with Bishop Joseph Latino to commemorate the Jackson Diocese’s 175th anniversary. The schools are SHSM ministries.
“This was the first time that students from both schools and SHSM staff gathered together to celebrate a Mass,” said Fr. Jack Kurps, SHSM executive director.
Concelebrants included Bishop Joseph Potocnak, who recently joined the Mississippi SCJ community, Fr. Greg Schill, Fr. Duy Nguyen, Fr. Leonard Elder and Fr. Jack. Following the Mass, Bishop Latino visited Sacred Heart School.
Many faiths come together at SCJ school
Three years ago the Indonesian Province assumed responsibility for the Yos Sudarso Foundation, which administers a junior and senior high school in the Lampung Province on the island of Sumatra. Combined, there are approximately 400 students in the two schools.
One of the few high schools in the area, Yos Sudarso serves a diverse population including Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist families. What they have in common is that most are poor and can only send their children to school because their tuition is heavily subsidized. The U.S. Province recently committed $55,000 toward the foundation.
“It is another way to continue and enhance the collaborative relationship between the United States and Indonesian Provinces,” said Fr. Tom Cassidy. “Indonesia has been very generous to us with personnel, sending two of their men to minister in South Dakota.
“Certainly, helping this school is significant regardless of the work of these Indonesian SCJs in our province. Yet I also think that it is important to note how as members of an international congregation we can all help each other. We are not just independent provinces but members of one religious community linked by the same charism.”
Click here to read more about the school.
Don’t forget to vote (but not only for the president!)
This is Sr. Margaret Sue’s 53rd year of teaching at Sacred Heart School in Southaven, Miss. As with all teachers, her focus is on academics, but “Sr. Margaret Sue has also tried to instill in everyone a respect for all people and for nature,” said Steve Koepke, development director of Sacred Heart Southern Missions.
“When the campus of Sacred Heart School was moved to our present location in 1999, Sr. Margaret Sue put much time and effort into creating usable outdoor space,” he continued. “She worked to create an interior courtyard, raised gardens, and a nature trail that features an outdoor chapel. Last year a student earned his Eagle Scout Badge by constructing furniture for the chapel. Sr. Margaret Sue has a dream of ensuring that all people, regardless of physical abilities, can enjoy the nature trail around our 16-acre-campus. But this dream has not been realized due to the cost of the construction.”
That’s where your votes come in.
The “Power a Bright Future Contest,” sponsored by Clorox, could provide the funds to construct the trail. “But we need everyone’s help to make the trail a reality,” said Steve. There will be seven prize winners. The school with the highest daily average of voters will win the $50,000 first place prize. Voting begins on November 5 and goes until December 12. “We need everyone to vote each day. Please pass this information along to all of your family and friends.”
There are two ways to vote:
1. Visit – www.powerabrightfuture.com and do the following:
Click on the yellow bar titled “View Nominees;” under “Filter by Category” click on the green “Play” button. Under “Location Search” type “southaven ms” (Do not use punctuation marks) and press the “Search” button (magnifying glass).
Press the “View Details” button or the “Vote” button next to Sr. Margaret Sue.
2. Or, follow the steps above and get the “Key Word” and text it to 95248.
Remember, the winning schools will be those who receive the highest daily average of both text messages and on-line voting. Share this information with others and vote often so that the Sr. Margaret Sue Nature Trail can become a reality!
Short visit home
Fr. Mark Mastin made his first visit back to Wisconsin since he became a chaplain in the U.S. Army over a year ago. Hales Corners was his last stop after meetings in Germany and a short visit home with his family before returning to Schoefield Barracks in Hawaii.
He said that he has been busy with fellow soldiers preparing for an anticipated deployment to Afghanistan next year, as well as much of the day-to-day activities that are a part of every chaplain’s job such as sacramental ministry, counseling, and family concerns.
In recent months, Fr. Mark has focused on ways in which soldiers can be celebrated when arriving to and leaving an assignment.
“That is something that I experienced with the SCJs,” said Fr. Mark. “The SCJ community has long had a reputation for being welcoming, but it is important to recognize all transitions. If someone is leaving an assignment we need to acknowledge, in a formal way, that person’s service. I’ve been trying to do that more on the base. It’s something that I learned from the SCJ community; perhaps it’s something we –– the SCJs –– need to focus on again as we process many transitions in our province.”
Although thousands of miles away from the nearest SCJ community, Fr. Mark said that he continues to feel grounded in Dehonian spirituality and the Priests of the Sacred Heart.
In Rome
Fr. Dominic Peluse and Fr. Bernie Rosinski are in Rome through November 13 leading a group of benefactors on a pilgrimage that includes Florence, Assisi, Monte Cassino, Pompeii and, of course, many sites in Rome. The group is staying at the SCJs’ Villa Aurelia, on the grounds of the Generalate and international college community.
SCJ joins other WWII vets on “Stars and Stripes Honor Flight”
Fr. Don Barnd, a WWII military veteran, was one of 250 vets who took part in an “Honor Flight” on Saturday, November 3. The flights, which carry veterans from around the country to see the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., have been taking place since 2005. All costs are covered by donations. Volunteers assist the vets, many of whom are confined to wheelchairs or have other mobility issues.
The visit to the WWII memorial and other D.C. sites lasts a day. The vets leave in the morning and are back home by evening.
Also among those at this weekend’s event was former Senator Bob Dole, himself a WWII vet.
Click here to learn more about the program.
Former superior general reflects on Synod
Bishop Virginio Bressanelli, bishop of Neuquén (Argentina) and former SCJ superior general, took part in the recent Synod of Bishops. A member of the Generalate staff interviewed the bishop during his visit.
During the interview, Bishop Bressanelli said that it was the subject of “ecumenism” that most impressed him at the Synod. “The presence of the primate of the Anglican Church, Williams [Archbishop Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury], was really valuable,” said Bishop Bressanelli. “His report on ‘The Importance of Contemplation in Evangelization,’ was a real gem, one of the highest points in the Synod. Moreover, the presence of Bartholomew I [Archbishop of Constantinople] in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the [Second Vatican] Council, was of intense significance. The next day we had lunch together and Bartholomew I was at the right hand of the Holy Father and Williams was to the left. Then came all the other authorities. For us it was a very important sign.
“The fraternal delegates intervened in the Synod without a specific time limit. These interventions stressed that the Council is a grace not only for the Catholic Church but for the whole of Christendom. I left the Synod very refreshed and strengthened by what was heard and seen at the ecumenical level.”
Click here to read the full interview on the generalate’s website.
Congratulations!
Fr. Raul Gomez, SDS, who served on the faculty and as an administrator of Sacred Heart School of Theology for almost 25 years, was recently elected vicar general of the Society of the Divine Savior. Congrats!
Email reminder
Don’t forget! The email addresses for Fr. Wayne Jenkins, John Kuxhause, Kevin Stanke, Dn. David Nagel, Fr. Terry Langley and Nancy Grzesiak have all changed. Instead of “poshusa.org” the ending is now “usprovince.org:” The new addresses are below
Wayne Jenkins: [email protected]
David Nagel: [email protected]
Terry Langley: [email protected]
John Kuxhause: [email protected]
Kevin Stanke: [email protected]
Nancy Grzesiak: [email protected]
Please remember
Br. Joseph P. Tormey, a member of the British-Irish Province, died October 28. He was born in 1918 and professed in 1956.
Fr. Lucjan Mazur, a member of the Austrian-Croation District, died October 31. He was born in 1936, professed in 1953 and ordained in 1961.
Provincial’s time
Fr. Tom Cassidy will be in Mississippi through the week for a visitation; next week he is in Toronto for the North American councils’ meeting.
