Issues of Fr. Dehon’s time are issues of today
“Although Fr. Dehon never heard the term ‘global warming,’ he lived in the pollution of the Industrial Revolution in Saint Quentin [France],” said Fr. Jim Schroeder, SCJ, to participants at the Dehonian Conference on Climate Change and Nuclear Weapons. “And even though Fr. Dehon never heard of nuclear weapons, he knew the horrors of war and what it does to Creation. In the Franco-Prussian War he worked as a chaplain, and wrote, ‘It passed like a long and terrible nightmare, filled to overflowing with anguish and sufferings.’ And then in World War I, he wrote: ‘My Congregation is decimated’—33 SCJs died, San Quentin was on the front line and occupied for 31 months. Dehon lamented, ‘We have been trapped here as one would be in a city under siege,’ no newspapers, no mail, no travel.”
Fr. Jim continued, saying that “God urges us to not only give up our desire to kill, but also give up nursing our anger. God urges us to not only put our weapons of war aside, like keeping nuclear stockpiles, but to turn them into something that helps and feeds people. For God proclaims peace.
“As we enter the Eucharist now, let us thank God for the beauty of his creation, and may we commit ourselves to protect it from pollution and global warming, and from the ‘long, terrible nightmare’ of war in any form.”
Click here to read Fr. Jim’s full homily.
Our faith experience
The theme of the October issue of As a Rule is “Our Faith Experience.” Vicki Johnson, an adjunct faculty member in English and Cultural Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, reflected on how her faith experience at SHSST eventually led to her conversion to Catholicism.
Coming from a Protestant background, Vicki decided that “if I were to be an effective teacher at Sacred Heart, I needed more knowledge about Catholicism, so purely for information, I started attending an R.C.I.A. class (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) and began attending daily Mass as well as a Catholic Bible study group. I also prayed in St. Joseph’s Chapel every day after lunch, which strengthened my spiritual walk.
“I started to look forward to going to Mass, and one time when I was sitting in the pew, I felt an incredibly strong urge to go forward during communion. I felt that Jesus was calling me forward but knew that I couldn’t go because I wasn’t Catholic. I had to force myself to stay seated. As a result, my spirit was filled with such intense indescribable sorrow. Then I saw some folks going up to receive the Eucharist, the body of Christ, and some looked disinterested as though this were purely a perfunctory act. I wanted to shout, ‘Do you know what you have here? Do you really know what you have?’ My spirit was grieving…
“I can only say that I felt the power of the Holy Spirit call me to the Catholic faith; there is no doubt in my mind. There is no other explanation. Shortly after my conversion, I did the Camino de Santiago, which also made a definite impact on me. I’m still learning; I’m still growing and always trying to be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading. My new Catholic faith is a gift which I cherish with immense gratitude as I continue to work at Sacred Heart and feel the love and support of the faith community around me.”
Click here to read Vicki’s full reflection, as well as that of Fr. Richard MacDonald, SCJ, who wrote about how his faith grew and was strengthened by his encounters with those to whom he ministered.
Reserve your spot soon!
As we have noted previously, the Priests of the Sacred Heart are hosting a pilgrimage to Rome from May 27 through June 5, 2025, in commemoration of the Jubilee Year 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope.
For more information about the trip, contact Pam Milczarski via email at pmilczarski@poshusa.org, 1-866-268-0157. Click here to access information on the Province Development Office website.
Please remember
+ Fr. Rinaldo Paganelli, a member of the North Italian Province, died October 19. He was born in 1955, professed in 1976 and ordained in 1981. Many SCJs in the US and Canada came to know Fr. Rinaldo through his work at the Generalate.
“The years we shared in Rome at the General Curia made me appreciate his ability to work with tight deadlines, with discretion and precision. But not only that. His sense of humor was unmatched.”
The quote is from Bishop Heiner Wilmer, SCJ. Now bishop of Hildeshiem, Germany, Bishop Heiner was superior general of the Priests of the Sacred Heart prior to his appointment as bishop in 2018.
“I would like to express to all his family, friends and Dehonian brothers my most heartfelt condolences for the death of Fr. Rinaldo,” concluded Bishop Wilmer. “We are all united by the hope that the encounter with the arms of God will forever light up his gentle and sly smile. United in prayer with all the people who loved and knew him.”
+ Sr. Dolores Senay, OSU, from Chatham, Ontario, died on October 19 at the age of 90. She was the aunt of Fr. Richard MacDonald, SCJ. “Many family and friends gratefully had a birthday party for her in April,” wrote Fr. Mac. “So many spoke and thanked her for her over 70 years of love and service that she joked it was like going to her own wake. I will celebrate her funeral Mass on October 30 with the Ursuline community in Chatham at 10:00am.”
Piano blessing and recital
On November 9 at 4:00 pm, Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, SHSST president-rector, will bless the newly acquired Bösendorfer concert grand piano. The instrument comes to Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology from Augustine Academy, which acquired it in the purchase of the campus of the former Cardinal Stritch University.
Following the dedication, pianist Grace Baugh-Bennett will present a dedicatory recital. Ms. Baugh-Bennett is an accomplished pianist and educator, having performed with renowned ensembles such as the Louisville Ballet, Louisville Orchestra, and the Osaka International Chamber Music Festa in Japan. She is the principal pianist for the Cerium Chamber Players and New Millennium Duo and co-founded the ensemble Ars Vocalis. She taught piano for many years at Indiana University Southeast. Ms. Baugh-Bennett will perform a program featuring works of Beethoven, Debussy, Liszt, Poulenc, Ravel, and Scarlatti. The performance is free and open to the public. A light reception will follow.
The concert is free and open to the public but you must register.
New encyclical on the Sacred Heart
On Thursday, October 24, Pope Francis will publish a new encyclical focusing on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Titled “Dilexit nos” (He Loved Us), it will be Pope Francis’ fourth encyclical. According to the Vatican News Service, with “this document, Pope Francis will call for a change of perspective, urging humanity to rediscover what is most essential: the heart.”
The subtitle: “Encyclical Letter on the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ.”
Click here to read more about the encyclical’s release on the Vatican News website.
The last encyclical on the Sacred Heart was “Haurietis Aquas” by Pope Pius XII in 1956.
Annual bishops conference at SHSST
Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology is once again hosting the annual “Collegial Sharing Among Brother Bishops.” First organized at SHSST by Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal Christophe Pierre in 2019, the gathering is a time for dialogue between the bishops on common pastoral concerns. Often the participants are recently ordained bishops, or bishops appointed to small or more rural dioceses. On Wednesday, the bishops will take part in the SHSST celebration of the Ministry of Acolyte at an all-school liturgy.
Among those at the gathering this year: Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Bishop Robert Coerver (Lubbock), Bishop Earl Fernandes (Columbus), Jerome Reudjio (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands), Bishop Jeffrey Fleming (Great Falls-Billings), Bishop Ronald Hicks (Joliet), Bishop Michael McGovern (Belleville), Bishop Joseph Tyson (Yakima), and Bishop Edward Weisenburger (Tucson).
Collaboration begins between Brazilian and American SCJ theological schools
In February, representatives from Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology were among those who attended the Centennial Celebrations of the Faculdade Dehoniana in Taubaté, Brazil. The school of theology is a significant ministry of the Brazil-São Paulo Province.
The celebration was an opportunity for the two institutions to begin a dialogue about collaborative projects. Although informal discussions had taken place previously, the pandemic put any talk of initiatives on hold.
On September 24, three representatives from each institution met together via Zoom (pictured above). The contingent from SHSST: Dr. Paul Monson, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and professor of Church History, Dr. Megan Furman, assistant professor of Philosophy and Dr. Charles Hunghes-Huff, assistant professor of Scripture Studies. Their next meeting is October 29.
Provincial Council calendar
Provincial Council meeting dates for the rest of the current term:
October 22, 9:00 a.m., via Zoom
December 3-4
January 14-15
March 11-12
May 13-14 (budgets)
June (formation advancements; meeting will take place during an evening of the Election Assembly)
July 31 (combined meeting of outgoing and incoming administrations)
August 1 (suggested first meeting of new administration)
Closing photo
St. Joseph’s Indian School just concluded a week of activities to commemorate Native American Day, including a Lakota Mass on Sunday, October 13 that was celebrated by former school director Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, SCJ. The liturgy incorporated prayer, dance, drumming and song from the Lakota tradition. On Native American Day itself (October 14), high school students from St. Joseph’s participated in the annual Sioux Falls Native American Day Parade. The float from St. Joseph’s is pictured below.
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