News & Events | November 09, 2026
Virtual drinks and discussion
Last week Wednesday, November 4, approximately 25 Dehonian Associates and “friends” (those who are interested but have not yet made a commitment to the Associates) came together via Zoom for “Drinks and Discussion” with Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ. Online participants were from Mississippi, Wisconsin, Texas, California, Massachusetts and Illinois.
Fr. Vien welcomed the group and shared background about himself and his vocation story. He also spoke about Dehonian spirituality, in particular, God’s love for us all, and our response of love to God and each other. Mary Lestina, a newly committed Associate, closed the evening in prayer. Included was a special prayer for Fr. Tony Russo, SCJ, who was one of the formators of last year’s online Dehonian Associates group. Fr. Tony was recently diagnosed with a reemergence of cancer.
Currently, there are over 137 people actively engaged with Dehonian Associate groups in the province.
Although there has been a small group of Dehonian Associates who meet virtually, this is the first of what is hoped to be a wider online gathering of those interested in Dehonian spirituality and the Associates program. If you would like to learn more, contact Monica Misey at 414-427-4267 or mmisey@dehoniansusa.org.
Reminders
On Saturday, December 5, Fraters Thuan Nguyen, Truc Tran and Michael Wodarczyk will make their perpetual profession of vows. The ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.
The RSVP deadline is tomorrow, November 10. Please respond via email to either ttran@shsst.eduor mwodarczyk@shsst.edu
Questions? Contact Frater Truc at ttran@shsst.edu
This Saturday, Nov. 14, Fr. Andrzej Sudol, SCJ, and the rest of the pastoral team at St. Martin of Tours parish in Franklin, WI, invite SCJs, coworkers and friends of the community to join them at their Fall Festival, starting with the 4:00 p.m. Mass.
After the Mass, Fr. Tony Russo, SCJ, former SMoT pastor, will bless the parish’s recently completed stained glass windows; the installation is part of a multi-phase project. Although the registration deadline for the dinner that follows has passed, all are welcome to be a part of the window dedication, as well as the Mass.
If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Drzewieck at 414-209-7682.
Ideas that can transform
“What happens when we read Fr. Dehon not just to understand his ideas, but to let them shape our lives?” asked Fr. Joseph Mukuna, SCJ, director of the Dehon Study Center. That was the focus of last week’s Dehon Book Club meeting. Fr. John van den Hengel, SCJ, (pictured above) chairperson of the North American Theological Commission, led a discussion of the commission’s paper for the 2026 theological seminar in Taubaté, Brazil, as well as the European theological commission’s response to it.
“Together with the response of the European Dehonian Theological Commission, the texts ask how Fr. Dehon’s meditations on the Sacred Heart seek to transform the reader, and what that means for Dehonians today,” said Fr. John. Reflecting on Fr. Dehon’s Couronnes d’amour, the North American commission presented “the work as a spiritual exercise composed of meditations, not primarily a theological treatise,” he continued.
“The reader becomes a meditant, contemplating the mysteries of Christ in the Incarnation, Passion and Eucharist and gradually moving toward union with Christ and what Fr. Dehon calls ‘pure love,'” said Fr. John. The paper places this spiritual journey within the French School of Spirituality, especially Pierre de Bérulle, and connects Dehon’s understanding of the interior life with Francis de Sales. “Through contemplation, the reader is invited to make Christ’s dispositions and love his or her own. The Pauline expression, ‘I live now not I, but Christ lives in me’ (Gal 2:20), captures this movement. The Sacred Heart is thus more than an object of devotion: it is a way of entering into Christ’s self-giving love. This journey culminates in Eucharistic union with Christ.”
The European commission asked how Fr. Dehon’s mystical spirituality connects with his social commitment—and how Couronnes d’amour might be used today in pastoral ministry, religious formation and spiritual accompaniment.
“At the heart of this conversation is a simple question: What kind of person does Dehon want his reader to become?” said Fr. John.
Click here to read the full text from Fr. Joseph about last week’s gathering. The Dehon Book Club generally meets on the first Friday of the month and is open to anyone. Participation is in-person at the Provincial Conference Center or online. For more information click here to contact Fr. Joseph Mukuna.
A video of last Friday’s discussion will soon be available on the US Province YouTube channel.
Forming today’s homilists
Dcn. Steve Kramer, director of homiletics at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, co-hosts a podcast with Catholic author Kiki Latimer, titled, “Teaching Preaching, Forming Today’s Homilists”. He notes that Dcn. Art Miller from the Hartford Diocese was a recent guest. “He grew up with Emmet Till, a black teenager who was lynched and killed in Mississippi back in the late 1950s,” said Dcn. Steve. “The interview covers Dcn. Art’s love for preaching and his deep spirituality on how he has dealt with racism in his life and ministry. Dcn. Art is a delightful man, and my co-host and I were deeply moved hearing his story.”
Click here to see the episode on WCAT-TV.
“Walk with Me” shoe project
Thanks to generous support through a recent fundraising campaign, St. Joseph’s Indian School initiated the “Walk With Me” project. It allows each student in the school to be fitted for and given two pairs of sneakers, one pair at the start of each semester. “We know how quickly kids grow and how quickly they can wear through a favorite pair of shoes,” said a project organizer. “We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this possible for our students!”
Calendar reminders
November 17-18
Provincial Council meeting
December 5 (10:30 a.m.)
Final Vows – SCJ Fraters Truc Tran, Thuan Nguyen and Michael Wodarczyk will make their Perpetual Professions of Vows in the Main Chapel at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.
December 8 (10:00 a.m. Central)
Advent Hour of Recollection for SCJs – Sr. Wendy Cotter, CSJ, PhD, will speak in-person at the Provincial Conference Center on “Turn Around and Believe the Good News (Mk 1:15): The Advent Call of Jesus and the Markan Miracle Stories.” A Zoom link will be made available to SCJs closer to the event date. For those attending in person, lunch will be available after. Click here to take part in person. Please indicate in your email if you are staying for lunch. Sr. Wendy is a member of the St. Joseph of Canada community and a Professor Emerita of New Testament at Loyola University Chicago, with particular expertise in the Gospel of Mark and the miracle stories of Jesus. Click here to read more about her.
December 14 (11:00 a.m. Central)
Advent Hour of Recollection for Associates and Collaborators – Sr. Wendy Cotter will also be the presenter for the Hour of Recollection for Employees and Collaborators, following a similar theme to the SCJ hour. Questions? Contact Monica Misey, 414-427-4767 or mmisey@dehoniansusa.org
Zoom Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4346326658?omn=86812509241
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