THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF November 5, 2007...
Provincial’s time Fr. Tom Cassidy returns from family visits in Long Island on Tuesday. He is expected back in the office on Wednesday. Next week Monday and Tuesday (November 12-13) he meets with the Provincial Council, and later in the week heads to San Antonio. Please remember… Fr. Justin Guiltnane, who was hospitalized and had surgery last week following a significant stroke. He is said to be doing better but will require continued hospitalization and later rehabilitation. Fr. Dermot Twomey, who just received news on his latest scan. The scan showed that the tumors on his lungs have increased. Chemotherapy is no longer of benefit and has been discontinued. Helen Zemlik, the mother of Fr. Ed Zemlik, who fell and broke her hip. She will have surgery early this week to do a partial hip replacement. Mrs. Zemlik is 82 and is being treated at Methodist Southlake Hospital in Merrillville, Ind. Arnold Kellenberger, who died October 26 at the age of 79. He had been the province’s insurance agent for many years. GB shelter to open As noted in previous Fridge Notes, St. John the Evangelist parish in Green Bay, Wis., has been fighting to keep open a shelter for some of the area’s most desperate homeless. Fr. Guy Blair is pastor of the parish. The Green Bay City Council voted to deny the conditional use permit that has allowed COTS (Churches Offering Temporary Shelter) to operate its seasonal emergency homeless shelter for the last two winters. The program had operated there until March 31, when its license expired. It had hoped to resume operation November 1. The program took in people who were rejected from other area homeless shelters for a variety of reasons, including drug or alcohol use and criminal activity. Debate has continued since the council decision. In September, the mayor endorsed a proposal made by the city’s Chronic Homeless Task Force to open a public shelter that would serve the needs of those who previously were helped by COTS. However, necessary zoning changes for the new shelter had not yet been made by the end of October. Meanwhile, St. John’s prepared to offer a shelter program that would be open from 6 p.m. to midnight, as is currently allowed by the city. Of course, the problem is that the people served by the shelter still would have nowhere to go after midnight. On November 2, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, currently apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Green Bay, wrote a letter to Green Bay Mayor James J. Schmitt. In it, the archbishop basically wrote that he is giving St. John the Evangelist parish permission to open the shelter despite city zoning ordinances that currently do not allow for its operation. “Because the city of Green Bay and the Church of Green Bay currently face a situation that does not provide a viable option for the homeless who do not qualify for care with current agencies, the Catholic Church feels obliged to fulfill its gospel mandate and moral imperative to serve these people as best we can,” wrote the archbishop to the mayor. “…We know and respect the diligence that you and others have demonstrated in trying to find common ground to serve the homeless,” he continued. “Our action is being taken only because the homeless currently have no other place to turn. Further, I believe that our action is consistent with the First Amendment rights of the Catholic Church to fulfill its essential ministry, and am advised that there is judicial precedent to protect that.” The city can fine the diocese approximately $600 a day but the mayor has indicated that if the diocese now applies for a permit for the shelter the City Council will most likely approve it. Traveling treasurer’s office As noted last week, Dn. David Nagel, John Kuxhause and Kevin Stanke of the Treasurer’s Office will be out of town at a seminar for most of this week. However, all three will be checking their voice mail for messages. Texas SCJ gathering Texas SCJs are doing their annual gathering this week, Monday and Tuesday. The 12 SCJs, including Br. Mike Fette, who is currently on sabbatical at Lebh Shomea in Sarita, Texas, are meeting in San Antonio. Besides enjoying a few good meals together, the group plans to remember Fr. Chuck Kelly during prayer. Fr. Frank Wittouck will use one of the prayer services that Fr. Chuck previously prepared for the group during his many years ministering in Texas. They will also keep in prayer the people –– including SCJs –– affected by recent changes at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Houston. Update Updated personnel directories are currently being mailed. Please note that although Br. Mike Fette is listed as a member of the Villa Maria community, his mailing address until mid-February is: Lebh Shomea P.O. Box 9 La Parra Ranch Sarita, TX 78385