THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF January 8, 2007...
Provincial’s time Fr. MacDonald was at the funeral for Rosemary Kelly (see below) over the weekend. He will be in the office for the next week. Please remember… Rosemary “Kitty” Kelly, the 93-year-old mother of Fr. Paul Kelly, who died January 3. Fr. Paul notes that his mother had been doing well but that she caught an infection about three weeks ago that eventually led to hospitalization and hospice care. She would have celebrated her 94th birthday on January 18. Updates Fr. Jim Brackin His phone number at Sacred Heart Monastery is: 414-425-8300, ext. 6302. St. Joseph’s Centre, Malpas The British-Irish Province closed the center as of December 31. The new address of the community that lived there is: 266 Wellington Road North Stockport, Cheshire SK4 2QR England In the mail Fr. José Ornelas Carvahlo, general superior, sent each SCJ in the province a letter dated on December 3. Please note, SCJs are receiving these letters several weeks after they were written because they were brought back with an SCJ returning to the United States from Rome, and then sent out. Travel info The province attorney reminds SCJs that beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable. As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Alumni info Former SCJ Michael Shershanovich was one of nine priests of the Diocese of Springfield given the title of “Monsignor” in December. Msgr. Shershanovich, 61, is a native of the Bronx, N.Y., and was ordained Nov. 28, 1974. He became a priest in the diocese in 1985. Currently the pastor of St. Joseph and Holy Family parishes in Pittsfield, he also serves as episcopal vicar of Berkshire County and as a member of the Presbyteral Council. Chaplain needed The Carmelite sisters in Ada, Mich. (near Grand Rapids), are in desperate need of a chaplain to offer daily Mass in their monastery chapel. This would be the chaplain’s only duty and he would be free the rest of the day. In return for his service, the sisters will provide room and board either in the chaplain’s house, which is on the property, or in a three-room apartment attached to the monastery building. Either includes house-cleaning, and if desired, laundry service. A salary is also provided. The position is available immediately, but even short-term assistance would be welcome as the sisters seek a permanent chaplain. For more information, contact Sr. Mary Angela, OCD, 616-691-8538 and leave a message. Merry Christmas! Among the Christmas greetings we received were several from SCJ missionaries. Fr. Giovanni Pross of Congo wrote “Send everyone in the U.S. Province my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and happy 2007. I thank you again for your generosity and for the generosity of your benefactors on our behalf. I send my own best wishes as well as those of my confreres.” From Cameroon, Fr. Antonio Panteghini also extends his fraternal greetings for “una Buona Festa di Natale e un Buon Anno Nuovo 2007!” The U.S. Province recently supplied Fr. Panteghini with a variety of formation items for use in the English-speaking area of Cameroon. New date Sacred Heart Communities in Collaboration announced a new date for its next national conference: June 11-13, 2008. Updates will be available at the organization’s website: www.sacredheartcc.org. Days of celebration and commemoration Please note, there are a couple of errors in the recently released Days of Celebration and Commemoration. On January 9, the correct spelling of Fr. Rein’s last name is: van Leeuwen. Also, Fr. Tom Hunt’s date of death is June 22, 2003 NOT June 2. Our apologies for the errors, and a happy birthday greeting to Fr. Rein, who celebrates his 78th birthday tomorrow. He is a member of the community in Montréal. Copies of the calendar can be downloaded from the Fridge Notes website under “Other Publications” or by clicking HERE. Contact Mary Gorski for a hard copy.