Fr. Steve with staff at Huong Tam School in Vietnam. The U.S. Province helps to support the school

Back home, and gone again

Fr. Stephen Huffstetter returned from Asia last Thursday, spent some time clearing his desk, and then was on a plane and gone again. This time he is off to Texas, where he will do a consultation for the local administration, as well as visit SCJs in southern part of the state. Fr. Steve will be there until the end of the week. On Saturday, he will be in Chicago for a St. Joseph’s Indian School donor luncheon and to visit the formation community.

In Fr. Steve’s final blog entry from Asia he wrote that “Vietnam was large in my conscience during my growing up years, as we heard reports from the war every night on the news. Later, I learned more about the country when I served in formation; most of our seminarians then were Vietnamese immigrants. I’m sure this will be an eye-opening experience for me, though I know that six days will only be enough for a brief introduction.

“[In Ho Chi Minh] forty students and SCJs live in neighboring houses in an area north of downtown. The main house is thin and tall, with the chapel on the roof, which offers a good view of the city. The students share dorm rooms with three sets of bunk beds. Some of the candidates arrived just over a week ago and their main challenge is to improve their English. I was asked the basics: ‘What is your name?’ ‘Where are you from?’ ‘How are you today?’ many times. The language in the house and at prayer is English to prepare them for philosophy and theology studies in the Philippines.

“My main purpose in visiting is to better understand the needs of the growing district and look at ways in which the U.S. Province might collaborate with it as the SCJ charism finds new expression in a new land.”

Click here to read the last of Fr. Steve’s journal entries and view photos from his trip to Vietnam and the Philippines.

Also on the blog

Fr. Wayne Jenkins has also been posting from Vietnam. He is in the country helping the district set up its archives and filing systems. Over the weekend, he had the opportunity to visit the family home of one of the SCJs. Fr. Wayne writes:

“Deacon Phu works in the formation house in Saigon.  He also works at St. Paul’s Parish on the weekends.  He will be ordained in November.  His father, his brother and his sister came to Ho Chi Minh City for the blessing of his younger brother’s home.  The community was invited to attend.  Before going to his house, we also blessed a neighbor’s home.  In both homes, an altar was prepared on a major wall.  The wooden altar had a beautiful statue of the holy family.  I believe that the statue of the child Jesus had a heart. There also was a small bouquet of flowers. Above this shrine, there was a large wooden crucifix.”

Click here to go to the province blog to read the rest of this and other posts, including today’s entry from Fr. Tom Cassidy at the Indian novitiate.

Please remember

Mary Maxwell, the mother of Br. Leonard Zaworski, died September 28 in Baltimore, MD.

Fr. Mariano Fernandes’ niece, Prisca, died last week at a bus stop after being hit by an out-of-control truck. She was 21. Fr. Mariano was one of the first Indians to profess vows with the Priests of the Sacred Heart.

Fr. Johannes Wouter Carolus Maria Wiggerman, a member of the Dutch-Flemish Confederation, died September 22. He was born in 1936, professed in 1957 and ordained in 1964.

 

Welcome!

Fr. Maurice Légaré writes that last week the Montréal community welcomed an SCJ from Cameroon, Zebaze Kifack Vermont Bengourion. His provincial superior, Fr. Leopold Mfouakouet, asked the Canadian Region’s assistance in helping Bengourion get medical care for a knee that was injured during his studies in South Africa. Surgeries in Africa were unsuccessful in repairing the injury and minimizing his discomfort.

“Welcome, Bengourion, and be assured of our prayers,” writes Fr. Maurice.

Reminder

As noted last week, SCJs in Canada and the United States are invited to take part in one of two follow-up subcommittees from the North American Continental Conference, one on youth and one on immigration.

Those interested in being a part of one of the subcommittees are asked to respond by OCTOBER 1 to either Fr. Willyans Prado Rapozo (youth) or Br. Duane Lemke (immigration).

 

VIP visitors to SD

Fr. Bernie Rosinski writes that “the sisters who are a part of the pastoral team for Lower Brule in South Dakota had VIP visitors: their mother general, Sr. Maria del Rosario and Sr. Joanne Bednar, a councilor. After time spent observing the work of Srs. Donna Brady and Pauline Marie Demek on the reservation, the two visited St. Joseph’s Indian School. They found the museum quite impressive.

“During their visit, the SCJs at St. Joe’s hosted the guests with a steak dinner and lots of table talk.”

New website and newsletter

Mark Peters, province director of Justice, Peace and Reconciliation, sent SCJs the latest edition of the “JPR News and Views” last week. Click here to view it online.

Last week Mark also launched a new JPR website. Click here to take a look.

Comments or questions about either the website or the newsletter? Click here to email Mark.

The “why” isn’t important

“I have worked in the Food Pantry of Sacred Heart Southern Missions for the last year,” writes Paul Shahan, Sacred Heart Southern Missions Community Liaison, in last week’s update to the Dehonian Spirituality page of the province website. “It becomes obvious after a while that ‘why’ the people who come for food is not important.  The more I search for the image and likeness of God, the more I realize that I see that image every day in the expressions of both need and gratitude in faces of the people to whom we provide food.

“My personal search for meaning in the Eucharistic celebration has lead me to contemplate the ‘breaking’ of the Bread, in addition to the grace received.  It is not the bread we give in the food pantry that nourishes, but the giving.  People who hunger for food remember the meal for a few days, but they remember the giving for years.  I believe that Jesus wanted not only to nourish us, but also wanted us to realize that the action of giving yourself to others was the completion of His meal.

“The spirituality of the SCJs to act on their care for all who are in need, rather than just ask others to do that task, truly has set the example for me.  Actively caring for others in whatever way presents itself has broadened my perspective of the many needs of my fellow humans. Seeing the need for shelter, furnishings, education, medical care, employment, as well as food has opened my eyes to why Jesus gave me the gift of life, to become His continued action in all His children’s lives that cross paths with mine.  I break bread, literally and figuratively, to give others what Jesus promised to all—His love and promise that He will always be there for them.”

Click here to read more reflections and prayers based in Dehonian Spirituality.

October birthdays

Those celebrating birthdays in October include: Fr. John van den Hengel (75) on Oct. 1, Fr. Ed Zemlik (57) on Oct. 3, Fr. Tony Russo (76) and Fr. Bob Naglich (59) on Oct. 4, Br. Leonard Zaworski (72) on Oct. 8, Fr. Peter Mastrobuono (75) on Oct. 10, Fr. Tom Cassidy (72) on Oct. 13, Fr. Mike Burke (77), Fr. Bill Pitcavage (72), Fr. Paul Grizzelle Reid (71) and Br. Dieudonné Tchouteu (52) on Oct. 14, Fr. Maurice Légaré (60) on Oct. 15, Fr. Christianus Hendrik (45) on Oct. 21, Fr. Bob Bossie (77) on Oct. 23, and Fr. Richard Johnston (82) on Oct. 27.

Happy birthday!

 

Closing shot

It was Francis “times two” last week in St. Peter’s Square. Last Wednesday Fr. Francis Vu Tran met Pope Francis and shook his hand. “I was able to speak with him briefly and told him that I am a Dehonian. He smiled when he heard it.”