News & Events | September 08, 2025
The new year begins!
On August 27, Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, SCJ, was installed as the 12th president-rector of Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology during SHSST’s Opening Mass for the new academic year. Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, was the main celebrant; excerpts from his homily are below.
“Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology is more than just a school,” said Fr. Vien. “It’s a place of formation, specifically in the areas of human, spiritual, pastoral, and intellectual formation…
“What does this mean for us as we start a new school year in this community of learning? It means that we need to anchor our lives on the four marks of the Church as articulated in the Nicene Creed: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic…
“Through the Heart of Christ, we are called to embrace our differences and be united in the service of God’s reconciling love for the world… As we open ourselves to the love of His Heart, we are gradually shaped into His image… Catholicity reminds us that there is no single way to worship or express faith… We are sent, each in our own way, to teach the truth, embody mercy, serve with compassion, and bear witness to the Gospel.”
Click here to read his homily in full.
Click here to view photos from the Mass.
Congratulations!
The Provincial Council voted to approve SCJ Frater Hung Pham’s request for ordination to the diaconate. The ceremony will take place on December 8 at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. Archbishop Jeffery Grob of Milwaukee will be the ordaining bishop. Frater Long Nguyen, SCJ, will also be ordained to the diaconate during the ceremony.
A pilgrim church
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War, which resulted in the displacement of an estimated 2 million Vietnamese people. To commemorate the moment, the Priests of the Sacred Heart co-sponsored an online roundtable with the Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communications on September 4. The topic: “The Vietnamese Migrants’ Experience in Context of the Mission of the Church.”
Presenters spoke about the impact of Vietnamese immigrants in their newly adopted homes, and more broadly, about the pilgrim nature of the Church, a Church in which its members are constantly moving into new contexts physically, spiritually and intellectually.
“The Church is called to promote migrants; it is called to integrate fellow pilgrims into their new environment by recognizing the gifts they bring,” said Fr. Stephen Begans, SVD, an emeritus professor from Catholic Theological Union.
“…As we reflect today on the Vietnamese experience in the context of the mission of the Church we can only be thankful to our Vietnamese brothers and sisters for showing the Church who we really are: fellow missionary disciples, fellow pilgrims on the way to the radical kinship of God’s reign.”
Besides Fr. Begans, presenters included Fr. vănThanh Nguyễn, SVD (Catholic Theological Union), Sr. Thu T. Do, LHC (Georgetown University), Fr. Anh Quoc Tran, SJ (Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University) and Dr. Tuan Hoang (Seaver College and Pepperdine University).
Approximately 100 people attended the roundtable via Zoom, with others viewing it on Facebook Live. Click here to access a recording of the event on Facebook.
Canadian assembly
From August 25-28, SCJs in the Canadian Region held their annual assembly at the Galilee Centre in Arnprior, Ontario. Among the topics discussed: interculturality, the Dehonian Jubilee, Dilexit nos, the programmatic letter of the regional superior, and reports of the various committees and commissions. The region also celebrated the jubilees of Fr. John van den Hengel, SCJ (60 years of priesthood), Fr. Richard Woodbury, SCJ (60 years of profession), and Br. Dieudonné Tchouteu, SCJ and Fr. Johannes Yuliwan Maslim, SCJ (40 years of profession each).
Click here to read more on the Canadian website.
Dehonian Associates ONLINE
Monica Misey, province director of Dehonian Associates, writes that new Dehonian Associate groups are forming, including one at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.
Also new this year is an online option open to people ages 18+ across the US. Click here to access a flyer with more information.
Monica invites SCJs to support Dehonian Associate groups and asks that you contact her if you are interested in starting a new group or to become an SCJ presence in an established group. If you or someone you know is interested in joining an Associates group, again, contact Monica.
“The Dehonian Associates groups meet once a month beginning in September,” said Monica. “The content is built and available online, and soon we hope to have videos to complement some of the material.
“My thanks to SCJs who have already contacted me willing to help. As the saying goes, ‘Many hands make light work!’ It also gives participants the opportunity to hear different perspectives. Vivat Cor Jesu!”
You can contact Monica at 414-427-4267 or via email at mmisey@dehoniansusa.org.
Keep in prayer
Fr. Steve Pujdak, SCJ, had hip replacement surgery on August 25 and was transferred to a rehabilitation center soon after. However, over the weekend he returned to the hospital to be treated for AFIb. He is in ICU but reported to be stable. He is a member of the Sacred Heart Community in Pinellas Park, FL.
Please remember
+ Fr. Marian Niziołek, a member of the Polish Province, died on August 27. He was born in 1937, professed in 1953 and was ordained in 1962.
+ Fr. Józef Krajewski, also a member of the Polish Province, died on August 28. He was born in 1949, professed in 1973 and ordained in 1979.
Congratulations!
Corrie Christiaansen, administrative assistant and marketing director of the Province Vocation Office, was married on Saturday, September 6, to Andrew Wurster. Fr. Henry Nguyen, SCJ, was the main celebrant.
Not your average book club
After a summer hiatus, the Dehonian Book Club met on Friday, September 5. Hosted by the Dehon Study Center on the First Friday of the month, participants gather in-person at the Provincial Conference Center and online via Zoom.
Often when people think of book clubs images of friends sipping wine, chatting about the latest best-seller come to mind. But the Dehon Book Club takes a different approach. Instead of discussions about complicated protagonists and questionable storylines, participants in the Dehon Club learn about many of the written resources available to them in the Dehon Study Center, as well as the background and context behind them.
The focus of the September session was on Fr. Leo John Dehon’s Christian Social Manual, in particular: Section I, Chapter 3, titled “The Origin of Social Malaise: False Notion of Society, Work, and Property.” The hour began with a brief presentation on the French School of Spirituality by Fr. Jim Schroeder, SCJ (click here to download Fr. Jim’s text). This spirituality was the backdrop to Fr. Dehon’s concern for social engagement based in the love of the Sacred Heart. The founder had a deep desire to make known the social teachings of Pope Leo XIII in a language accessible to the masses, including priests so that they too could embrace and share the teachings with others.
Participants agreed that much of the Christian Social Manual is applicable to concerns of today.
Click here to download a PDF of the text.
Anyone is welcome to take part in the Dehon Book Club. For information about future meetings contact Fr. Joseph Mukuna, SCJ: 414-427-7265 or jmukuna@dehoniansusa.org
Closing pic
Pictured below: faculty and staff of Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology for the 2025-26 school year at the end of the annual Rector’s Day gathering.
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