48th annual Powwow
The 48th Annual St. Joseph’s Indian School Wačhípi is next Saturday, September 21. As is tradition, a royalty competition set the final days of preparation for the event in motion.
Five young women competed for Miss St. Joe’s, and 14 for Junior Miss St. Joe’s. Eleven young men presented for Eagle Staff Bearer. Contestants submitted written interview questions, introduced themselves in Lakota, demonstrated one dance and answered questions from staff judges.
This year’s Miss St. Joe’s is senior Angelina Roubideaux, a fancy and jingle dancer, who said, “When I am in my regalia, that’s when I feel most grounded. My culture is who I am, not who I want to or have to be.” Two tied for the runner-up slot: seventh graders Persais Swift Hawk and Aleighya La Roche. Jr. Miss St. Joe’s went to fifth grader Secret Loudner, who dances both traditional and fancy. She expressed the importance of the Lakota value of generosity. Fifth grader Americka American Horse was runner-up.
Seventh grader Hehaka Wambli “Tristan” Black Lance placed first for Eagle Staff Bearer. Tristan is a traditional dancer who said that when he dances he feels a powerful and spiritual connection with his ancestors. Eighth-grader Darnel Robinson, Jr., placed as runner-up.
The powwow is free and open to the public with handicap accessibility. Click here for more information and a complete schedule of events stjo.org/powwow. Follow postings and live updates virtually with St. Joseph’s Indian School on Facebook at www.stjo.org/facebook.
Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, school chaplain, is pictured above with this year’s royalty. St. Joseph’s Indian School is one of the oldest ministries of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in the United States.
Dehonian Associates… online!
Monica Misey, director of Dehonian Associates, invites employees, volunteers, parishioners and others with an interest in learning more about Dehonian Spirituality and Fr. Dehon, to take part in a newly developed online Dehonian Associates group.
“Our first online meeting will be October 23, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (central) via Zoom,” she said. “Meetings will be once a month.”
For more information, contact Monica at [email protected], 414-427-4267. Monica also invites those who may be interested in starting an in-person Dehonian Associates group in their area to contact her.
Welcome home… finally!
Several years ago it became apparent that the modular home that had served as the SCJ community house in Lower Brule, SD, had to be replaced. Each month a new challenge seemed to develop, including a fire and extensive mold damage. When the structure could no longer be repaired, everyone involved agreed that it was time to start over.
However, building a new house in rural Lower Brule isn’t a fast process. “It was two years of planning, exploring options, getting the right permits on the reservation, and more delays than I care to count,” said Fr. Greg Schill, SCJ, local superior of the SCJ community in South Dakota. “But finally, Fr. Christianus Hendrik and Fr. Jean Claude Mbassi were able to move in last week!”
Click here or on the image above to see individual photos of the new community house. Our thanks to Frater Truc Tran, SCJ, for taking the pictures.
Please remember
+ Fr. Rico Ongcoy Lapinig, a member of the Philippine Region, died on September 8. He was born in 1976, professed in 2002 and was ordained in 2009.
+ Fr. Ramón Soriano Gil, a member of the Spanish Province, died on September 9. He was born in 1938, professed in 1957 and ordained in 1966.
+ Fr. Hendrik Jans, a member of the Dutch Region, died on September 11. He was born in 1932, professed in 1952 and ordained in 1960.
+ Hanh Pham, the uncle of Fr. Duy Nguyen, SCJ, died September 10 of pneumonia in Anaheim, CA. He was 84. Mr. Pham was preceded in death by his wife, who died last December.
+ Fr. Dan Juelfs, who assumed the role of diocesan administrator in Rapid City after the death of Bishop Peter Muhich, died September 10. Fr. Dan had been undergoing treatments for esophageal cancer. Click here to read more on the Rapid City website.
+ Genevieve Irizarry, the mother of Tom Irizarry, died on September 3 at the age of 100. Tom is a graduate of Divine Heart Seminary, class of 1976. Click here to view the obituary.
Keep in prayer
– Flooding in Central Europe – Please keep those affected by the massive floods in Central Europe in your prayers. Power and communications have been cut off in some regions. Br. Andy Gancarczyk, SCJ, who is from Poland, wrote that he “lost contact with my mom yesterday [Saturday]. They don’t have electricity and water, but they are safe, I hope. The situation in my hometown of Kałków seems to be stabilizing.
“My brother and his wife left home and moved to a cousin’s house in a safer area. They live near a dam, by a retention reservoir, in a place at risk of flooding in Nysa.”
Br. Andy is a member of the St. Joseph Community at SHML.
– Fr. Roger Phaneuf, SCJ – A member of the Dehonian community in Montréal, Fr. Roger was hospitalized over the weekend (Fleury Hospital) for tests after struggling with weakness, pain and some confusion.
Memories of Mother Teresa and Fr. Michael
Years ago when he was pastor of Christ the Redeemer parish in Houston, Fr. Dominic Peluse, SCJ, married John and Catherine, long-time parishioners who had met through the church’s singles group. The couple remained in contact with Fr. Dominic and when another wedding brought them to the Milwaukee area, he encouraged the couple to visit. It was an opportunity for them to see first-hand the letters they had heard about from Mother Teresa to Fr. Michael van der Peet, SCJ (now deceased). After a chance meeting at a bus stop in Rome, the two became good friends, staying in contact until Mother Teresa’s death in 1997. Fr. Michael later served on the team that prepared the cause for her beatification, and in 2003, was present in Rome for the beatification ceremony at St. Peter’s.
Fr. Wayne Jenkins, SCJ, provincial archivist, is pictured here (red shirt) with Fr. Dominic, John and Catherine, reviewing the letters.
Safe travels!
Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, will be traveling to Asia from September 17 to October 3 to take part in the centenary celebrations of the Indonesian Province. Also taking part will be Fr. Mark Fortner, SCJ, who served in Indonesia from 1969-1999.
Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month
“Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15,” writes Fr. Jose Gonzalez, director of SHSST’s Hispanic Ministry Preparation Program. “It is a great time to learn more about the diversity of the Hispanic and Latino/a experience and cultures. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2022, there were 63.7 million Hispanics living in the United States, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic population.”
As of 2022, 43% of Hispanic adults identify as Catholics. (Pew Research Center).
“Let us continue embrace diversity and hospitality as a sign of love for our brothers and sisters, as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month,” concluded Fr. Jose.
Image courtesy of Freepik
An international congregation
During last week’s assembly of the Dehonians’ Brazil – Sao Paulo Province, former members of the province now serving as missionaries elsewhere were invited to take part in a video conference with the assembly. Fr. Rafael Querobin, SCJ, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Houston (and a member of the Provincial Council), joined two other familiar faces on the Zoom conference: Fr. Willyans Prado Rapozo, SCJ, who is now a member of the General Council after several years ministering in Canada, and Fr. Daniel Antônio de Carvalho Ribeiro, SCJ, an alumnus of SHSST’s ECS program who now serves in Asia.
“Each of us presented our missionary experiences for 15 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer session with the members,” said Fr. Rafael. “It was a unique opportunity to connect with the province that prepared and sent us for overseas ministries.”
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