Anything but a vacation in Hawaii
Fr. Mark Mastin is in his first months as an Army chaplain stationed at Schoefield Barracks on the island of Oahu. It is the home of the 25th Infantry Division, which primarily serves the Asian theater, but is dispatched to other locations as well. He writes that “I am involved in so many facets of this ministry including three to four counseling sessions a day, running and planning prayer breakfasts and talks on resiliency, suicide prevention, leadership ethics, weekend marriage and singles retreats, giving briefings, preparing to go down range and being involved in the chapel masses and programs across this Island.
“Even though my primary duties are with my brigade and battalion, I also care for the families who attend our post chapels. Until last week, I was only one of two Catholic military chaplains on the entire island. The third is about to retire.
“I am also called upon by the other services to perform memorial services and ceremonies for Catholic soldiers. A Vietnamese priest-chaplain just got back from Afghanistan. Although he has a difficult time speaking English, we have had great conversations, especially when it comes to Vietnamese food and talking about Marion days in Missouri. He became a chaplain two years ago but is looking to end his term in one year… he was an advisor and driver for Cardinal Xavier Van Thuan before the cardinal died in 2002.
“I am beginning to enjoy my ministry more though I still have some rough days as you can imagine. Prayer and being involved with local parishioners is helping. There are some good young families who invite me to their homes to snorkel or surf.
“Well, I am off to another briefing. God bless.”
Prayer requests
Bishop Joseph Potocnak: Fr. Peter Surdel, provincial superior of South Africa, called to let the province know that Bishop Joe is in nursing care in Aliwal North being treated for pneumonia. The bishop’s health is improving but doctors estimate that his recovery will take at least another four weeks. His assignment in the Diocese of Port Elizabeth has been postponed by several weeks.
Br. Tim Murphy: Br. Tim had a seizure late Wednesday night and was admitted to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. He will do rehabilitation at the Congregational Home before returning to Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake.
Paul Bossie: Fr. Bob Bossie writes that his brother, Paul, had another heart attack last week and has since been diagnosed as having blockage in all three arteries to his heart. He will have heart bypass surgery, but there are a number of complications about which doctors have concern. Paul is at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in the Chicago area.
Updates
Fr. Bernie Rosinski
P.O. Box 89
Chamberlain, SD 53725
Home phone: 605-734-3300
Cell phone: 605-730-3374
Br. Tim Murphy
As noted under Prayer Requests, Br. Tim has been transferred to the Congregational Home for therapy before returning home. His room is 1155. He can be reached via his cell phone: (727) 798-4785.
Fr. Leonard Tadyszak
As previously noted, Fr. Leonard is now at the Congregational Home. On Wednesday he will have a room phone; the number: 262-373-1071.
Thank you
Betty and Joe Green, the sister and brother-in-law of Fr. Rick DiLeo, write the following:
“On behalf of Fr. Rick DiLeo’s family, we would like to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation for all the love and kindness that you bestowed upon us during our time of bereavement.
“I know Fr. Rick would appreciate your kind gestures. He spoke often of his friendships with his many fellow SCJs. I know you all meant a great deal to him. Many expressed such beautiful sentiments that I have no trouble seeing why Fr. Rick truly embraced his profession. Being surrounded by people like you was a large part of why Fr. Rick loved serving both his SCJ family and his family at Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“Thank you all so much for your kind words, and most of all, your friendship with Fr. Rick. Knowing you will miss him too makes our burden a bit easier to bear. Your generosity, kindness, and sympathy are more appreciated than any words can ever express. Thank you for honoring him in such a sincere and heart-felt manner.
“May God bless and keep you!”
Please remember
Cosmas Marsudi, the brother of Fr. Yulius Sunardi, suffered a stroke at the end of August. He is recovering at home. Although he initially lost some movement and speech, both are beginning to return to normal. Fr. Nardi is an Indonesian SCJ residing with the Sacred Heart Monastery community while doing graduate studies in psychology.
Fr. Humberto Penso, a member of the South Brazilian Province, died on August 31. He was born in 1928, professed in 1948 and ordained in 1953.
SCJ from Cameroon ministering in Rio Grande Valley
The chaplain of Valley Baptist Medical Center, as well as the Harlingen Medical Center, is an SCJ priest from the Cameroon Province. Fr. Francois Tsonga came to the Brownsville Diocese a few months ago at the invitation of a diocesan priest from Cameroon who went back home last January and invited his friend, Francois, to come to Texas.
Fr. Francois was in Sacred Heart School of Theology’s ESL program in 2004; unfortunately, he says that he forgot much of his English due to lack of practice. A few weeks ago he returned from six weeks in Puebla, Mexico, studying Spanish to get ready for his ministry. He spent a day with Frs. Frank Clancy and Richard MacDonald “and it was a wonderful day for us,” said Fr. Mac. Fr. Francois hopes to stay in the Brownsville Diocese for the next couple of years and plans to take the CPE program at Valley Baptist starting in January, 2012. He is living at St. Helen’s parish in Rio Hondo, Texas.
Recently posted
Don’t forget to take a look at Fr. Tom Cassidy’s journal from his travels to India. Click here to read it and see photos from his visit.
Also, the most recent SCJ News has been posted on the province website. Click here to download it.
Provincial’s Time
Fr. Tom Cassidy starts the week in Milwaukee; on September 5 he will install Fr. Jim Walters as local superior of Sacred Heart Monastery during a 5 p.m. prayer service at SHM. SCJs are welcome to attend.
September 8-11 Fr. Cassidy will do a visitation with the Dehon Formation Community in Chicago, and September 14-21 he has a visitation with the South Dakota community.
Upcoming meetings and events:
September 7: Installation of SHM local superior, 5 pm., main chapel
September 28: ESL Cultural Fair
October 2: Pet Blessing (SHST)
October 4-5: Provincial Council Meeting
October 17-20: European Conference on Secularity (Frs. Tom Cassidy of the U.S. Province and Fr. Bill Marrevee of Canada will attend the conference in Clairefontaine, Belgium)
November 8-9: Combined Councils Meeting of the U.S. and Canada (Ottawa)
November 14-16: SCJ Retreat, Pinellas Park
December 14-15: Provincial Council Meeting
