We Are One!
Yesterday, September 25, hundreds of young people participated in “We Are One”, which included a youth Mass, sports, face and hair painting, games, dancing, and –– of course –– FOOD at Holy Spirit Church in Hernando, MS. The day was a continuation of a similar youth event held in spring. Fr. Hendrik Ardianto, SCJ, was one of the prime organizers of the day, as well as the main celebrant at the We Are One Mass. The choir from Sacred Heart School in Southaven led participants in song.
One of the most popular games was a take-off on the television show, “Family Feud.” “Community Feud” had youth groups from each of the parishes team up to answer questions about religion and the Church. Among the questions: “Name a commandment that most everyone breaks” and “If your phone rings during Father’s homily at Mass, when is it ok to pick up?” The top answer was that people would pick up the phone during Mass if God came up in the caller ID.Queen of Peace youth took top honors after several rounds of questions.
In-between activities, participants were invited to visit booths set up outside of the church. They included representatives from Sacred Heart and Holy Family Schools, Christian Brothers University, the University of Memphis, Sacred Heart Southern Missions, Arc Mid-South (an organization that seeks to empower those with disabilities), and Interfaith. There were also vocation booths for the Priests of the Sacred Heart and the School Sisters of St. Francis.
A long walk!
Congratulations to Br. Andy Gancarczyk, SCJ, who made it to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela last Thursday, finishing a full walk of the Camino.
“It was 35 days of walking along the French route, from Saint Jean Pied de Port, crossing all of Spain, 800 km in the legs and 12 kg on the back every day,” wrote Br. Andy. “It was a long time of solitude, hardship and overcoming one’s own weaknesses, in heat, in rain, with or without a bottle of water, overcoming steep ascents and shaking about your knees in long descents. There were familiar faces, smiles, greetings, coffee, a cigarette, a moment of breath and you were back on your way. The real miracles you experience allow you to forget about blisters, swelling, knee pain and back pain, which are completely unimportant.
“This surrender and trust guarantee the experience of happiness – just like that.
“It was a good time for prayer and reflection, and I found a lot of strength and peace. Now it is time to come back home for a while with more dreams and goals in my head.
“I recommend it to everyone!”
October birthdays
Those celebrating birthdays in October include Fr. John van den Hengel on Oct. 1, Fr. Ed Zemlik on Oct. 3, Fr. Bob Naglich and Fr. Tony Russo on Oct. 4, Br. Lenny Zaworski on Oct. 8, Fr. Tom Cassidy on Oct. 13, Br. Dieudonné Tchouteu on Oct. 14, Fr. Maurice Légaré on Oct. 15, Fr. Christianus Hendrik on Oct. 21, Fr. Bob Bossie on Oct. 23, and Fr. Richard Johnston, who turns 90 on Oct. 27! Happy birthday!!
Keep in prayer
Mario Querobin, the father of Fr. Rafael Querobin, SCJ, is in significantly failing health. His heart rate is slowing, his kidneys are failing, he is having confusion. Yesterday, Fr. Rafael went to Brazil, his home country, to be with his family. Please keep them in prayer.
Please remember
+Bishop António de Sousa Braga died on August 22. He was born in 1941, professed in 1962, ordained a priest in 1970, and ordained a bishop in 1996. He was bishop of the diocese of Angra in the Azores from 1996 until his retirement in 2016. At the time of his appointment as bishop, he was vicar general of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. In retirement, he lived in his home province of Portugal with the student community in Alfragide (Lisbon).
+ Fr. Tadeusz Mazur, a member of the Polish Province, died on September 3. He was born in 1955, was professed in 1975 and ordained in 1981.
+ Fr. Yves Ledure, a member of the Franco-European Province, died on September 5. He was born in 1934, professed in 1954 and was ordained in 1963. A philosophy professor and renowned Dehon scholar, Fr. Ledure’s “contributions invoke the unity between spirituality and social commitment, for him especially societal commitment, which Dehonians must rediscover and formulate,” wrote Fr. Stefan Tertünte, SCJ, past director of the Centro Studi Dehoniani (and now provincial superior of Germany).”
Click here to read Fr. Stefan’s full reflection on Fr. Yves.
Dehon Lecture
Cardinal Peter Turkson will be the main speaker at the October 19th Dehon Lecture at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. The title of his presentation: “A New Social Catechism for the 21st Century?”
Past president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Turkson is Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, Prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Archbishop emeritus of Cape Coast (Ghana). He was a presenter at the SCJs’ General Conference in February, speaking on the social doctrine of the Church.
“Cardinal Turkson’s insights on social justice are relevant and insightful,” said Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ. “During the Q & A session with SCJs at the General Conference, he made poignant points about social issues in our times.”
In-person attendance is limited; however, anyone is welcome to view the livestream of the cardinal’s presentation. Click here for more information, as well as livestream links to the events of the full day (Mass, lecture and panel discussion).
Click here to view previous Dehon Lectures.
St. Joseph’s launches Season 2 of podcasts
St. Joseph’s Indian School launched Season 2 of the school’s video podcast series, “Hóčhoka,” which is a showcase of the school, but more so, a venue for discussing issues central to Native American education.
The season begins with a three-part series on residential education today. The first episode describes the insights and wisdom of the 1970s and 1980s that propelled the shift from dormitory life to family-focused living. Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, who was principal and then superintendent of the school from 1977 to 1986, talks about that period of time at the beginning of the first episode.
Click here or on the image above to view the interview with Fr. Tom.
Click here to access the full first and second seasons of the Hóčhoka podcasts.
The Lakota word Hóčhoka (emphasis on the first syllable) means the center of the camp circle. The name speaks to the actual location of the recording studio at the heart of campus, the centrality of the mission of St. Joseph’s Indian School to all that it does, and the role of the podcast to be at the center of the Native American educational conversation and gather others around that conversation.
Click here to subscribe to the weekly news (Fridge Notes) via email
