What's New

A letter and appendix dated January 30, 1999, from The Preparatory Commission for the Meeting of 2000 has been posted to the Letters & Documents page. It is avaiable in English, French, Italian and Portuguese. This commission is responsbile for planning the meeting of the Dehonian Family set for October 9-13, 2000, here in Rome using the facilties of Villa Aurelia.

What's Happening

The North Brazil Province (BS) held its annual Assembly February 9-11 in Recife. The main themes discused were two topics in the Province Apostolic Plan: the World of Labor (Work) and Youth Work. At the end of the meeting several events were celebrated: Fr. Brás Severino's 50th anniversary of religious profession, Fr. Antônio Snijders 40th anniversary of ordination, the 50th anniversary of the estabishment of Cristo Rei Seminary, and the 20th anniversary for the Centro Vocacional in Paulista. The celebration took place in the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Camaragibe.   SCJs from North Brazil at their annual assembly, Racife February 9-11, 1999

Rome I was host to three new bishops from the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil, including Bishop Vital Chitolina, scj, bishop of Paranatinga, MT. Accompanying him on a brief visit to Rome were two other new bishops from the same area: Bishop Franco dalla Valle, bishop of Juina, and Bishop Canisio Klaus, bishiop of Dimantino.

Please Remember

                    Fr. Henricus de Vries (NE)

born: 29/12/26
first profession: 08/09/47
ordained: 19/07/53
died: 10/02/99 at Breda

Our brother religious, Fr. Henricus Geradus Maria de Vries, scj, died suddenly on Wednesday February 10, 1999, at Breda. He was born at Flessinga on December 29, 1926; made his first profession of vows at Asten on September 8,1947; and was ordained a priest on July 19, 1953, at Niemega.

From September 9, 1954, until the present he lived at our provincilate (duivelsbruglaan 54) in Breda. After his ordination he earned a BA degree in economics from the Academy of Economics at Tiburgo. From June 11, 1965, on he was Provincial Treasurer of our province. As a result of this he served on many commissions and administrative boards within the province. From 1973 until 1986, he was a member of the General Finance Commission.

He was well respected at home for his competency and vast experience. At the national level in Holland he often served on various commissions and administrative boards, such as Kontakt den Kontinenten (intercontinental contacts with developing countries), Raptim (an international travel agency serving missionaries), St. Radbourd Foundation (promoting Catholic Education, and Dutch Catholics in academic fields), C.M.C. (Central Committee for the Missions), the national finance commission of religious in Holland, the finance commission of the ecclesiastical province of Holland, KASKI Commission (Catholic Institute of Statistics and Social/Religious Research). He managed to do all this and still found time to handle the matters of God's house in a true pastoral style of service.

This indeed will be a solemn funeral set for February 15, 1999. We have chosen the Church of Ginneken-Breda, which is dedicated to S. Lawrence, deacon and martyr. From there the body of Fr. de Vries will be laid to rest in our community cemetery at Asten (Klooser H. Hart).

(By Rein van Langen, scj

provincial )