THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 4, 2008...
Provincial’s time Fr. Cassidy is in Pinellas Park until February 7. After a few days at home, he’ll be at a CMSM workshop in Dallas. February 11-14. Just saying “hi” Bishop Joe Potocnak recently wrote to say “hi.” “Next week I drive to the South African bishops’ meeting. Bishop Heckt of Kimberly and I always go together. Overall, I am doing okay, though I feel a bit like St. Paul at times. The only thing that hasn’t happened to me is being shipwrecked or lowered over the town wall in a basket. [As you may remember, Bishop Joe was injured in a robbery last year.] I have been active, usually celebrating four Masses on Sundays, three of them in different towns. I also keep up with my golf and actually am not playing too badly. “South Africa is having troubles. There is not enough electrical power to take care of the country; power stations should have been built years before. There is also more political instability… “I hope to get to the States in April and part of May and look forward to seeing everyone. Hello to all!” Happy new year! February 7 is Lunar New Year (often known as Chinese New Year). Because of various schedule conflicts, and the visit of the Provincial Council, the Dehon Formation Community in Chicago celebrated the holiday a bit early –– last Monday, January 28. Festivities began with Mass –– the chairs of the chapel were filled with friends of the community, including students from Catholic Theological Union. Students in the formation community prepared Asian dishes for the dinner. Following the meal, party-goers played traditional games of chance. Of course, the evening finished with fortune cookies. A few photos from the gathering are on the province photo site: http://www.scjusa.smugmug.com. Just click on the appropriate gallery. Properly installed Fr. Jan de Jong was installed as president-rector of Sacred Heart School of Theology on January 30. Among those in attendance were Bishops William Callahan and Richard Sklba of Milwaukee. “It was September 4, 1969 when I first entered this chapel. I had just arrived as a fresh moral theologian from Rome to teach moral theology to our SCJ scholastics,” said Fr. Jan in his closing remarks. “At that time they numbered about 20 students. Fr. Thomas Cassidy [a former president rector and now provincial superior], Fr. Paul Grizzelle-Reid [director of the ESL program] and Dr. John Gallam [now an SHST professor] were among them… “Facing the future of Scared Heart School of Theology, I am filled with hope. I am excited about exploring new growth opportunities for Sacred Heart School of Theology. Our collaboration with St. Francis de Sales seminary under the new leadership of Fr. Don Hying, has given our seminary a strong boost. My dream is that Sacred Heart School of Theology develop into a theological center that serves the formation of priests and leaders for the local church of Milwaukee, the Church in the United States and beyond. We have a school that provides the students academic excellence, holistic human-spiritual formation, and solid pastoral formation.” To read the full text of Fr. de Jong’s speech, please click HERE. A few photos from the ceremony are at http://www.scjusa.smugmug.com. In Houston Our cub reporter in Houston, Fr. Rick DiLeo, writes: “For Vocation Awareness Week, the confirmation candidates participated in a Church Vocation Forum that was sponsored by the Faith Formation Team at Our Lady of Guadalupe. Sr. Arlene Vasquez, representing the Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence, met with the women. Seminarians from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and Diocese of Dallas, gave witness talks to the young men in attendance. I represented the SCJs at the gathering. “To celebrate Catholic Schools Week and its theme ‘Lighting the Way,’ OLG school hosted a number of events. The light of hospitality promoted an open house for prospective families wishing to enroll their children for the next school year. The light of faith brought the entire school together to attend a Mass. After the liturgy, an honors assembly took place that recognized students for academic, athletic, and community achievements.  The light of gratitude brought the week to a close. A gala benefit was held in OLG church hall to honor retired Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza, and Nancy and Tom Macrini for their outstanding financial support of OLG Catholic School and to the Coalition of Inner City Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Texas.” Fr. Rick adds that during an auction held at the benefit, an Italian dinner for four, to be prepared by him, was sold for $600. Please remember… Teri Lenta, who died in Peru while visiting her family. Years ago, Teri and her husband Jorge took care of the laundry at Sacred Heart Monastery. Jorge and their five children flew to Peru to take Teri to Hawaii for burial. Three of her children live there. Condolences can be sent to: Jorge Lenta, 3669 N. Arelia Drive, Delray Beach, Florida 33445 Fr. Charles Bisgrove, who was briefly hospitalized in India. He e-mailed to say that doctors determined that he had a pinched nerve that was causing his neck pain. He is now doing better.