THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF May 28, 2007...
Provincial’s time Fr. MacDonald is in the office most of the week, getting ready for the Election Assembly next week. Please remember… Cecelia Schifano, the mother of Fr. Jim Schifano, who died on Tuesday, May 22. She was 80 and lived in Huntington Beach, Calif. Following her wishes, she was cremated soon after death. A memorial service will be held at a later date with friends and relatives. Br. Lyle Hennen, who is scheduled to have hernia surgery this week. Thank you Br. Mike Fette writes the following: “I am very grateful and appreciative to all who have offered Masses and prayers for my mom and my family. Also, thanks for all the cards and letters expressing sympathy and condolences. Thank you to those who were able to be with my family and me during the funeral services and the Mass of Christian Burial. The support was felt by myself and also my dad and sisters and brothers. Once again, thanks so much.” Welcome! During the May 25-26 Admissions Weekend, two men were accepted as candidates to the province formation program. Juan Carlos Castaneda Rojas and Luis Fernando Orozco Cardona will join the Chicago community in August. Update Fr. Mark Fortner, who suffered a minor heart attack last week, is out of the hospital and doing well. Happy birthday! Those celebrating birthdays in June include: Fr. Ed Griesemer (77) and Br. Ben Humpfer (63) on June 9, Fr. Roger Phaneuf (69) on June 12, Fr. Yvon Sheehy (57) June 18, Fr. Jim Cunniffe (77) June 19, Fr. Nick Brown (65) June 22, Fr. Paul Tennyson (64) June 23, Br. Larry Gauthier (80) June 24, Br. Matt Miles (68) and Fr. Francis-Vu Tran (31) June 26, and Fr. Claude Bédard (67) June 28. Mission intention The Holy Father’s mission intention for the month of May: Seminary Teachers, that in mission territories there may be good and enlightened teachers for the major seminaries and institutions of consecrated life. Election Assembly In just a few days SCJs will be gathering in Hales Corners for the Election Assembly. The assembly begins with extended Eucharistic Adoration on Monday morning; the first working session is scheduled for 1:30, Monday afternoon. SCJs are reminded that if they haven’t gotten their travel and housing information back to the Provincialate, they need to do so ASAP! Even if you do not need housing, staff still need to know if you will be at meals. Please contact Barb Taylor or Fr. Bernie Rosinski if you have questions regarding this. Besides the obvious business of the assembly (provincial elections), the province will also celebrate Frater Mark Mastin’s final vows, a mission-sending ceremony for Fr. Charles Bisgrove, and the installation of the ministry of acolyte for Fraters Duy Nguyen and Greg Schill. VMM celebration The Provincialate received an invitation to the Volunteer Missionary Movement’s (VMM) Assembly and 25th Anniversary Celebration. The event will begin Friday, June 15, with a liturgy led by Edwina Gately, founder of VMM. Dinner will follow. Saturday, June 16, there will be retreat-style presentations by Irene Senn, JPIC director for the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, and Fr. Martin Pable, a Capuchin priest who is known by many SCJs for his years of teaching at Sacred Heart School of Theology. Saturday will conclude with a dinner, and on Sunday, there will be a town hall meeting with the board of directors. All events will take place at the Basilica of Holy Hill, about 45 minutes north of Milwaukee. For more information, contact VMM through its web site at: http://www.vmmusa.org E-rate Earlier in the month we noted that St. Joseph’s Indian School received funding for its telecommunications through the federal government’s E-rate program. Holy Family and Sacred Heart Schools in Mississippi also receive funding through this program. Combined, the two Mississippi schools anticipate saving nearly $19,000 during the next fiscal year. E-Rate is a program that falls under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission. It helps schools obtain affordable telecommunications and internet access. Reminder Fr. Paul Kelly did a presentation titled “Responding to the Heart of Christ” that will be shown on several television stations on or around feast of the Sacred Heart. The schedule is as follows (all times are Eastern): June 15 EWTN, 2:30 p.m. Catholic TV, 11:30a.m., 6:30p.m. and 11p.m. Catholic Life Channel, 1 p.m. June 16 Catholic Life Channel, 9 p.m. June 17 Catholic Life Channel, 11:30 a.m. June 21 EWTN, 3 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.