THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 7, 2008...
Provincial’s time Fr. Cassidy is in Dallas for a CMSM workshop until February 14. When he returns, he’ll spend a few days with the Dehon Formation Community in Chicago. He visited them in fall but wanted to spend more time with the students after they settled into their academic and community routines. Please remember… Fr. David Maher, who returned home to Villa Maria from the hospital after six-and-a-half weeks of treatment for an aggressive form of Leukemia. Fr. David will remain at Villa Maria while he continues to receive treatment, both at home and at the hospital, to slow the progression of the disease. All are encouraged to send cards and letters. Fr. David would enjoy brief visits; however, it’s wise to call before coming to avoid any conflicts with treatments. Fr. David’s number at the Villa is (414) 425-5968, ex. 272. Fr. Attilio Carminati, a member of the North Italian Province, who died February 4. He was born in 1921, professed in 1940 and ordained in 1947. Chapter delegates The process of determining chapter delegates continues to gather steam. As of Friday, February 8, six of ten communities reported their delegate count; 21 members total have been elected so far. Elections within local communities are scheduled to terminate on Friday, February 15. Results need to be reported to Br. Frank Presto in writing (fax, letter or electronic mail) no later than Friday, February 22. The chapter will be convoked once the slate of delegates is finalized. The full listing will be communicated with that correspondence. Congolese visit Fr. David Maher’s provincial superior, Fr. Wilson Hobold, (Fr. Dave is a member of the Congolese Province) was in the Milwaukee area last week to visit with him. Fr. Wilson, originally from Brazil, and Fr. Dave, originally from the United States, both have a long history in Congo. Each volunteered for the missions and left their home countries soon after ordination. Both have seen the Congo through its violent rebellions (and name changes). And both have seen the province make the transition from one consisting primarily of missionaries from the West to one now dominated by indigenous SCJs. “It is a province of its people now,” said Fr. Wilson. “We have 90 SCJs, but only 20 are missionaries.” Fr. Wilson is proud of the vocation and formation efforts of his province. For years, it was entirely staffed by non-Congolese. “We are unique in the congregation in that so many missionaries have dedicated themselves to Congo,” said Fr. Wilson. “The Priests of the Sacred Heart first came to the country in 1897 and since then, 412 missionaries have ministered there.” Initially, missionaries worked for the diocese; the province was unable to recruit vocations. Twenty-five years ago, that changed. “And now we have 22 indigenous SCJ priests. We have 40 students in formation. The province is growing, though the number of missionaries is getting smaller,” said Fr. Wilson. The province is blessed with vocations, but it is only able to educate its students with the help of other provinces. “We are grateful for the many years of support from the U.S. Province,” he said. “It is because of the United States that we can recruit and nurture vocations, and serve our parishes. Thank you.” A letter home Fr. Vien Nguyen is in Columbia to study Spanish. Soon after his arrival, he sent an e-mail to let SCJs know that he arrived safe and sound: “I arrived to Medellín, via Miami, on January 30. As I was getting in line to go through Customs/Immigration, the thought of being alone in a foreign land gave me a chill. I thought to myself: ‘why on earth am I in Colombia?’ Of course, I was there to work on my Spanish. “Before my departure for Medellín, I made arrangements with Luis Fernando Orozco (one of our Colombian students in Chicago) to pick me up at the airport. I was so happy to see him as I made my way out of the airport exit. I was also totally surprised to see a group of people waiting for me outside, including family and friends of Juan Carlos Castaneda (another one of our students). I didn’t expect such a greeting. What a treat! I felt so at home when I experienced their warm welcome and hospitality. “During the next two days, Luis took me to visit his family. His hometown reminds me much of Assisi, Italy. He introduced me his friends and showed me how to use the public transportation system. “I started my classes on February 4 at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. I have a total of four hours of class time every weekday: two hours with a group and two hours with a private tutor. The teachers are so patient with us. In our class we have two students from England, one from Australia, one from Germany, and one from Canada. The other day, I met an older gentleman from Madison, Wis., who is taking private lessons with a tutor. “As every day progresses, I feel more comfortable speaking the language and engaging in conversations with local people. I don’t feel embarrassed when making language mistakes anymore. I guess it’s part of learning. “Occasionally I miss home. I miss speaking English and miss seeing familiar faces and things. But my busy schedule at school and at home keeps me from going insane. For now I take every opportunity to enjoy the city, the people, the weather. I plan to return to the states the first week of April.”