Fr. Peter Botman dies

Fr. Peter Botman, 81, a member of the Canadian Region, died November 3 in Toronto. In late July, Fr. Peter was diagnosed with lung cancer. In September, he had extensive surgery during which his entire left lung was removed. He had been recovering in a rehabilitation unit after the surgery, but two weeks ago deteriorating health forced him to return to the hospital; he was placed in intensive care.

Originally from the Netherlands, Fr. Peter professed his first vows in 1952 and was ordained in 1959. He had been a member of the Toronto community for many years. His ministries included the Neil McNeil Home in Toronto; Sacred Heart Minor Seminary in Delaware, Ontario; the Catholic Children’s Aid Society in Toronto; and as pastor at the parishes of Immaculate Conception in Port Perry; St. Joan of Arc in Toronto; St. Anthony in Dartmouth, N.S.; and at St. Patrick in Caledonia.

His funeral Mass will be Tuesday at St. Joan of Arc parish in Toronto.

Also remember…

Fr. Luis Vasco Monoca, a member of the Mozambique Province, who died November 3. He was born in 1938, professed in 1968 and ordained in 1965.

Welcome!

Fr. Placido Rebelo, a member of the Indian District, arrived at Sacred Heart Monastery last week to begin preparations for doctoral studies in scripture. Fr. Placido was one of the first two Indians to profess vows and be ordained for the district.

Fr. Placido was at the University of Bombay, completing a master’s degree in political science, when the associate pastor at his family’s parish spoke to him about the about the SCJs. Coincidently, the associate pastor was a friend of Fr. Adrian Borst, formerly a member of the SCJ General Council.  Another coincidence –– he said it was through publications printed by the U.S. Province that Fr. Placido become more familiar with the Priests of the Sacred Heart.

“I read the literature and was impressed by Sacred Heart spirituality,” said Fr. Placido.

He professed his first vows with the community in 1999.

This isn’t Fr. Placido’s first visit to the United States. In 2008 he did a summer course at Harvard University as a part of his post-graduate studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. It was then that he visited Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology for the first time.

Arriving at the start of the new school year, he had the opportunity to visit with both new and returning SHST students.  “Many told me how they were affected by and impressed with SCJ spirituality,” he said during that first visit in 2008.  “They embrace the spirituality of the Sacred Heart and leave the school as pastors with a compassionate heart.  What could be a better service to the Church than to give it loving, compassionate pastors?”

Now back at Sacred Heart to prepare for his own studies Fr. Placido said that he is “deeply grateful to Fr. Tom Cassidy and the U.S. Province for granting me this golden opportunity. The U.S. Province plays an indispensable role in the continuous development of the Indian District and I hope that being here can further strengthen that collaborative bond.”

Holy Family student wins university writing competition

Brentson Hall, a Holy Family School eighth grader, recently won first place in the Junior High Short Story Division of the annual University of Mississippi Writing Competition.  The Office of Academic Competitions received almost 500 entries from 7^th through 12^th grade students from all over the Mid-South area.

Holy Family in Holly Springs, Miss., is a ministry of Sacred Heart Southern Missions.

Brentson will attend an awards ceremony at the University of Mississippi this Thursday. His entry was a creative writing piece in which he prosecuted Goldilocks for her criminal offenses against The Three Bears.

Click here to read Brentson’s award-winning entry.

Keep in prayer

Mary Maxwell, the 89-year-old mother of Br. Lenny Zaworski, fell last week and broke her hip. She had surgery last Friday and will be recovering at a rehabilitation facility. Br. Lenny is in Baltimore with her.

Happy feast day!

The feast of St. Martin of Tours is this Friday, November 11. St. Martin of Tours parish in Franklin, Wis., will commemorate the feast with a parish dinner on Saturday, November 12. Fr. Yvon Sheehy is pastor of SMOT.

November 11 is also Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada.

Reminder: Frs. Bisgrove and DiLeo honored

St. Martin of Tours Parish in Franklin, Wis., will hold its annual Remembrance Service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9. Those who have died during the past year will be remembered in a special way.

As we noted last week, the parish is honoring two SCJ priests who died in 2011: Frs. Charlie Bisgrove and Rick DiLeo. SCJs are invited to join the parish at the remembrance.

Updates

Fr. Joe Doscher is now settled in at the Congregational Home.  He is in Suite 2208 and his phone numbers are: 262-781-0952 (land) and 727-204-0510 (cell).  Fr. Joe’s mail should be sent to him at Sacred Heart Community, 7330 S. Lovers Lane Rd., Franklin, WI 53132-1849.

Also, Fr. Mark Fortner has a new cell phone number: 414 639 4423

Provincial’s Time

Fr. Tom Cassidy starts the week in Canada where he will attend Fr. Peter Botman’s funeral, and then the combined North American councils meeting November 9 in Ottawa. November 11 Fr. Tom flies to Chicago for a weekend visitation, followed by a visitation in Mississippi the week of November 14. He is home the week of Thanksgiving, and then the week after he is in Pinellas Park for a visitation.

Upcoming meetings and events:

November 9: Combined Councils Meeting of the U.S. and Canada (Ottawa)
November 14-16: SCJ Retreat, Pinellas Park
December 14-15: Provincial Council Meeting
April 15: Easter Concert at Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology
May 15: Mass for the Anointing of the Sick, SHM/SHST
June 15: Feast of the Sacred Heart