THE NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 17, 2008...
Provincial’s time Fr. Cassidy returns to Milwaukee on March 20. After Triduum, he’ll go to Baileys Harbor March 24-26. Please remember… Fr. Dermot Twomey, whose condition continues to deteriorate (he is in the latter stages of cancer). The Mississippi community reports that he is not eating much and tires very quickly. Fr. Dermot is receiving hospice care at Nesbit. He is unable to answer his phone very often but is thankful for the prayers and the support he is receiving. Cards can be sent to Nesbit, or messages can be left with Fr. Jack Kurps at 901-413-8822; he will share them with Fr. Dermot. Honored Marge Lirette, who was assistant to the president-rector at Sacred Heart School of Theology and secretary to the board of directors, retired at the end of 2007 after 23 at the seminary. On March 7th she was honored by the SHST board of directors at a special dinner. The seminary held a retirement celebration for her in November. Although she isn’t at SHST anymore, Marge is still working with the Priests of the Sacred Heart. If you call Villa Maria you may hear her voice at the other end of the phone –– Marge is working at the retirement community part-time. Coming home Fr. Charles Bisgrove returns to the U.S. Province after several months of ministry in India. He got back in time to spend Palm Sunday with his family and is expected to be in Hales Corners by March 25th. Happy Easter Although in most parts of the country the weather doesn’t make one think of Easter, we are indeed beginning Holy Week. Please note that the Provincialate Offices will be closed as of noon on Thursday, March 20, and all of Good Friday, March 21. Regular office hours resume on Monday, March 24th. Update Fr. Peter Mastrobuono New e-mail: pmastrobuono@olghouston.org Overdue update There is a member of the Toronto SCJ community who, though he has been there for quite some time, wasn’t listed in the North American Personnel Directory: Fr. Aegidius “Aegi” Warsito of the Indonesian Province. Fr. Aegi is continuing a tradition that goes back to the early 1980s. It was at that time that the Indonesian Province first began sending one of its members to minister to the Indonesian Catholics of the Archdiocese of Toronto. The ministry was started 28 years ago by Fr. Wayne Jenkins, now a member of the U.S. Province. The UKI (The abbreviation of “Indonesian Catholic Community” in the Indonesian language) is now considered a linguistic chaplaincy. Twice a month a Mass is celebrated in Indonesian at St. Anselm’s parish in Toronto. However, Fr. Aegi’s ministry is much more extensive than just these two masses. The Indonesian community is spread throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Fr. Aegi visits the elderly, prepares couples for marriage and baptism (and then generally celebrates the sacraments as well), does funerals and general family counseling. He helps new immigrants learn about and get settled in their new home. When they are established and buy a house, he is there to bless it. “I don’t know how they manage to do it,” said Fr. Jim Casper, of Fr. Aegi and the Indonesian SCJs who have preceded him. “They have so many pastoral commitments with the Indonesian community, but then also find time for graduate studies and ESL. Plus, they have been wonderful assets to our local SCJ community. Each of our Indonesian brothers has been a responsible, kind and flexible member of our community.” In Portugal Fr. Jan de Jong sent an e-mail from Portugal where he took part last week in “Theologia Cordis”(conference on the Theology of the Heart) hosted by the Portuguese Province. “The conference was a successful process of exploring theologically the charism of Fr. Dehon and the Theology of the Heart,” wrote Fr. Jan. “Several substantial contributions were made, including a presentation by Fr. P.J. McGuire. In it he discussed the theological connection between the writings of St. Augustine and Fr. Dehon. It was vintage PJ work, very well researched and well received. “On Wednesday afternoon we went on a pilgrimage to Fatima, where we celebrated the Eucharist. This weekend I had the opportunity to make a little trip to northern Portugal, where we visited our houses in Aveiro (location of the novitiate), Porto, and Coimbra. The enthusiasm of the young men in formation was contagious! “Of course, everywhere I go I meet former ESL students; that is a great joy! I also visited many good friends from former years in Rome as well.” Documents from Theologia Cordis are available at the congregational website: www.dehon.it. However, most are only in Italian.