THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF March 20, 2007...
Provincial’s time Fr. MacDonald has council meetings this week, Wednesday and Thursday. Please remember… Fr. Tom Westhoven, who continues to be treated at a Sioux Falls Hospital for pneumonia and complications from diabetes. His condition has been improving. With the assistance, he is able to walk. He has been able to communicate but is having difficulty hearing. Overall, his vital signs have been good. Cards for Fr. Tom can be sent to the community house in Lower Brule: P.O. Box 185, Lower Brule, SD 57548. Peter Westhoven, the youngest brother of Fr. Tom Westhoven, who died Sunday, March 18. Fr. Charles Kelly, who has been hospitalized at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen with complications from cancer. His health is precarious, but he was said to be looking a bit better later in the day on Monday. Fr. William van der Vleuten, a member of the Dutch-Flemish Confederation, who died March 10. He was born in 1913, professed in 1932 and ordained in 1937. Fr. Ken Mitchell, who spent the beginning of March hospitalized for pneumonia. He is now at home regaining his strength with the aid of physical and occupational therapies. Br. Gabriel Kersting, who was admitted to Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fl., following a nasty fall that resulted in facial lacerations and a broken nose. He is resting at home and will have sutures removed next week. In the news Fr. Thi Pham, was featured in a news story on GoDeSoto.com. To view it and see a photo go to: http://www.godesoto.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10874 The article notes that besides Fr. Thi’s duties at Christ the King Parish in Southaven, Fr. Thi is also active with the Vietnamese community at Sacred Heart Church in Memphis where he conducts the Vietnamese choir. OLG visitor Sister Clare Pratt RSCJ, former principal of Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Houston, TX, recently made a visit to the parish and school community. A reception was held at the SCJ community house with alumni and families who attended OLG school during Sr. Clare’s tenure as principal. Sr. Clare is currently serving as the superior general of the RSCJ congregation and is in the United States to make her general visitation to the various RSCJ communities. The RSCJs are also present at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago where their religious women have served as professors of liturgy, scripture, and academic advisement for SCJ students in theological formation. Update The South African Provincialate has new contact information: amprov@dehonafrica.net p.surdel@dehonafrica.net c/o Spyker/Young Street P.O.Box 304 - Aliwal North - 9750 South Africa Phone: +27 (0)51 6332189 - Fax: +27 (0)51 6341908 Cell: 082 2917537 Get them in! Dn. David Nagel reminds SCJs that the budget deadline is approaching. Budgets need to be to his office no later than Friday, March 23. The Province Finance Commission will meet March 27-29 to review the budgets. Always on the way “Always on the way, that is my ministry,” laughed Fr. Zdzislaw Huber, SCJ. “My bag is always packed and ready to go.” Where is Fr. Zdzislaw always on the way to? Generally, just about anywhere within a 100,000 square mile section of east-central Finland. “That’s our parish, St. Olaf’s,” said Fr. Zdzislaw, who has been pastor there since 2002. His bag is always packed because he is on the road for hours at a time, driving to one of the eight out-stations attached to the parish. In fact, driving in Finland’s notorious winter weather is such a part of the parish priest’s life that a brochure about St. Olaf’s features a photo of Fr. Zdzislaw with his car stuck in the snow. You can read more about Fr. Zdzislaw and the SCJs’ ministry in Finland in the April SCJ News, which should be in the mail in about a week. Another anniversary March 24th is the 164th anniversary of the baptism of Fr. Leo John Dehon, founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. He was born on March 14, 1843 and baptized 10 days later.