What's New?

We have made extensive revisions to our Necrology section. From the Documents & Letters Page you can now proceed to the Necrology for 1998. The section contains those scjs who have died during the year, and to the best of our ability (it depends on province cooperation) we include a photo and brief obituary for each. To use this section the 'welcome' page contains the name and date of death of each scj, from there you can link to the individual photo and obituary.

We now also have the complete historical necrology on our site. Though a new print edition is in the works, it has been some time since a new print edition has been issued. Thanks to the efforts of Bernard Rosinski, an electronic necrology exists from which this data has been taken. The welcome page will give you the 12 months of the year and days of the month. From there you can either link to a month or an individual day in a month.

Last week we reported on the projected dates for the on-going formation programs in Rome planned by Osnildo Klann (BM). Today we have posted in English, French and Spanish, a brief course outline he prepared for the general administration. According to Klann: "The overall objective is to offer religious a time (kairos) and a process to establish a new relationship with himself, with God, with the world, and with others." (Cf. On-going Formation)

There is a notice on the Justitia et Pax page from Angelo Cavagna (IS), president of GAVCI, a group in Italy opposed to national conscription. GAVCI released a statement on May 15, 1998, which we have posted (in Italian) to Justitia et Pax (Cf. Nuova Legge-Obiettori).

Finally, our web master reports it will be necessary to remove the link to the XX^th General Chapter Documents. These have been residing on a second server in Helsinki that will soon be shutting down. Therefore if you wish to download or revisit the Chapter now is the time to do so. No official date for cutting the link has been established, all we can tell you: It will be soon!

What's Happening?

Our congregational archives recently discovered two examples, in excellent condition, of Manuel de pieté a l'usage des élèves du Sacré-Couer, the prayer book Fr. Dehon's mother gave him when he entered the College at Hazebrouck in 1855. The first is an 1869 edition and the other from 1905.

The first edition of the manual was published in 1835. Later editions did not substantially change from the original. The manuals offer a wealth of information regarding the early religious formation Fr. Dehon received from his mother. Pictured below is the title page from the 1869 edition.
 

Fr. General wrote a one page report on his recent April visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire). The article is available in English, French and Spanish. The two photo's are from this visit. (Cf. Congo)

The scj philosophy students with Frs. Wilson, Dino and Mondry. To the right, St. Gabriel, the first scj mission in the Congo founded by Bishop Grison

Congratulations to Fransiskus Purwanto (IN) who was ordained a deacon by Bishop Joseph Soundant, retired scj bishop of Palembang, Indonesia in the Chapel of the SCJ community at Brussels. Purwanto is studying dogmatic and pastoral theology at Louvain.

Br. Antonius Sudaryono joins Roma I

Antonius Sudaryono was born on February 4, 1962, in Sleman, Yogyakarta, near the Scholasticate of the SCJs on the island of Java. He is the third son from a big family of five brothers and two sisters. His father's name is Fransiscus Assisi Sastrodiharjo and his mother's is Catharina Tuginem. In 1972 they migrated to South Sumatra, i.e. in Musi Banyu Asin, Pasang Surut (meaning swampy area).

From his early primary school days Sudaryono was interested in joining the scjs. He studied at Xaverian High School of Palembang, and then one year in our Minor Seminary of St.Paul, Palembang in 1983. He did his brother's aspirancy in Tugumulyo, Lubuk Linggau (1984-1985), and then his novitiate in Gusting. He made his first profession on July 20, 1986, and continued his formal formation in Yogyakarta taking courses in carpentry at PIKA, Semarang.

Beginning in 1988 he has worked as a carpenter in Palembang living in the provincialate community. He made his final profession on May 9, 1991, in Tugumulyo. For the last 10 years he has been an instructor at the St.Paulus carpentry school [for young men] in Palembang. Sudaryono also assisted in building the new novitiate house under the supervision of Brother Yacobus Lotgen. He also took a short course in catechese, to better his involvement in helping Fr. Alex Sapta Dwi Handoko scj serve the parishioners of St. Stephanus of Talangbatutu, Palembang.

Sudaryono arrived in Rome on 8 May 1998 to take up his new assignment of supervising the maintenance of Rome I. Before he can begin that work he will spend the summer in Perugia mastering the Italian language and culture.

Celebration at Pointe-au-Chêne

The celebration began with a solemn mass. Bishop Charles Valois, bishop emeritus of St-Jérôme, a close friend of the school, was the main celebrant. Here is an excerpt from his homily.

I want to highlight some aspects of the life of the Séminaire that seem important to me. Founded by three religious, among whom were Fr. Van As, pastor in Brownsburg, and Br. Ephrem, the Séminaire persevered despite many obstacles, mainly because of the courageous decisions taken by the Priests of the Sacred Heart. Straightaway, they included their former students in the Séminaire's life, hiring them as teachers and executives, and even as directors. Furthermore, in the years 1977-78, they adapted themselves to the difficult situation of education in today's world, and gave a place to girls in their Séminaire.

In 1978, when the Priests of the Sacred Heart made the decision to open the doors to girls in their school, they followed a sign of the times which says that women are called to the same roles as men, and they should have the same opportunities. They invited youth to be attentive to Christian values, and to ask themselves if the Church and the world were not calling them to priesthood, religious life, lay ministry or responsible parenthood.

After mass, about 350 people gathered in the gymnasium for a dinner, and enjoyed the performance of two singers with some wonderful classic songs. The purpose of the celebration was to recognize the work of the Dutch confreres who worked with dedication at the Séminaire for so many years. A mosaic of photographs of all these confreres was unveiled, and is to be placed in the main entrance of the school. A smaller replica of it was given to every member of the province, and to our Dutch confreres still living. Antoine Santegoeds was representing them at the celebration, and accepted the gift in their name.

Maurice Légaré (CG)

God gives the Green Signal

The 30^th of April '98 was a very memorable day in the life of the infant scj mission in India. It was the first time that two novices, Louis Mariano Fernandes and Roque Placido Rebello, were formally admitted to the novitiate of the congregation. A simple but meaningful rite of initiation was held in the evening in the chapel in the presence of Fr. Martin van Ooy, superior of the mission, Fr. Sebastiano Pitz, novice master, fellows scjs, seminarians and a host of friends.

In his homily Fr. van Ooy lovingly reminded the novices that the call to the religious life in the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart was a gift and a challenge. He wished them a happy and enriching year. The novices were welcomed by the community with a lot of enthusiasm and hope. The celebration ended with Eucharistic adoration followed by a small get-together.

Another milestone in the history of our mission in India. It was in October of 1994 that the first scj missionaries came to India. In a short span of time Providence has blessed this humble beginning with an immense growth, a good number of vocations and a strong hope for the future. The definite step of instituting the novitiate is one of the most evident blessings of God. At this juncture our hearts echo the sentiments of the psalmist: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain (Ps. 127:1). A fitting expression of our faith in God's providence can be summed up in the words of Gamaliel: If this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail, but if it is of God you will not be able to overthrow them (Acts 5:38-39).

We remain grateful to the congregation, benefactors and fiends for the prayers, support and generosity without which our efforts would be limited. We extend our heartfelt thanks and solicit your precious help and cooperation in the years ahead. Thanks be to God! God has indeed shown the green light.