Fr. General's Return Delayed

Fr. Virginio Bressanelli's (CU) return from his short visit to Kisangani (Democratic Republic of the Congo), to attend the scj province assembly, has been delayed due to travel difficulties encountered upon entering the country. He now plans to return to Rome at the end of the month (original schedule was to return on April 25). The general council's spring meetings are scheduled to run through May 15, 1998.

Please Remember +Br. Conrad Thelan, scj (US)

Br. Conrad Thelan, scj, died on April 16, 1998 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (US). He had been professed for 75 years and would have turned 95 on April 30.

One of the founding members of the U.S. Province, Br. Conrad was born in Tondorf, Germany in 1903. He came to the community as a student in 1919 and professed his first vows in 1922. While it was still a mission of the German Province, Br. Conrad came to the United States in 1929. A farmer by trade, Br. Conrad felt at home in his new country, clearing land and farming food for the SCJ seminary communities.

For 44 years, he worked at Divine Heart Seminary in Donaldson, Indiana. Opening the high school in 1935, he was responsible for clearing the grounds, laying water pipes, planting the fields and laying the driveway. When the school was closed in 1976, Br. Conrad retired. For several years, he lived at a retreat house the SCJs' had operated in Massachusetts. In recent years, he had been a member of the Villa Maria community in Franklin, Wisconsin, with residence at Marian Catholic Home.

Br. Conrad was buried in the SCJ crypt on the grounds of Sacred Heart Monastery/Sacred Heart School of Theology on Monday, April 20, 1998.

--story & photo provided by Mary Gorski,

director of communications US SCJ Provincial Office

What's New?

• Carlos Alberto da Costa Silva (CU) has posted on the Justitia et Pax page information issued by the Brazilian Episcopal Conference entitled: Brazil: Land, Violence and no Redress, and a report out of Zaire. Both texts are available in French, English and Italian (cf. Justitia et Pax).
• Note the new 'look' to the necrology. Tom Cassidy (CU) has published a letter requesting provinces to send information concerning newly deceased members (cf. Documents & Letters). It too is available in French, English and Italian.
• The annual on-going formation meeting for middle aged & senior Indonesian scjs was held at St. John's Novitiate House (Gisting, Lampung -- island of Sumatra), from April 20-24, 1998. Fr. I. Ismartono, scj, served as meeting facilitator. The theme of this year's gathering: Economy and the Kingdom of God.

With a 70% decline in the value of the rupiah to the US dollar, the daily life of the Indonesian people grows increasingly difficult. This is caused not merely by economic factors, but internal social-political ones, as well. Calls for a true reformation promised by the government grow increasingly stronger. During the last several months university students, in particular, have protested against government corruption, collusion and nepotism.

It is hoped scjs, true to their call as prophets of love and servants of reconciliation (cf. Our Rule of Life #7), working with other Catholic religious communities, Church leaders and the laity, can offer gospel values which will help bring to fruition a truly just Indonesian society.

Information provided by p. Wardjito (CU) and is taken from Fiat Lux.
(a publication of the scj Indoesian Province)
• At the suggestion of several scjs we will be posting the 'meditations' one week in advance, starting with today's update (cf. Mediations).
• Claude Bédard (CG), director and founder of Maison Dehon, one of the first AIDS hospices in the Montréal area, also has a passion for music and theater. He was recently able to combine the two during the week long run of the musical The Desert Song, in which he played the part of Bennie the journalist. On April 21^st a benefit concert of The Desert Song was held for Masion Dehon .

Ordination to the diaconate at Rome I

On Saturday April 18, 1998 Javier Francesco Luengo and Raul Calabuig, members of the SCJ Spanish Province were ordained to the diaconate by Archbishop José Sariva Martins, C.M.F., secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, in the Rome I chapel. The new deacons are currently studying youth ministry at the Salesian University in Rome.

 

Rome I Chapel April 18, 1998

Ordination of Javier Luengo, scj