What's New

We regret to inform you that the mother of our superior general, Fr. Virginio Bressanelli, scj, died late Friday evening (19.11.99) in Argentina. Please remember her and the family in your prayers (cf. Fede Dominga Del Frate).

To complete our information about J&P in the Congregation, we are publishing in English a summary of a report about the JP activities by Fr. Abdi in Indonesia. It's a work of the Indonesian Province and the local Church. In the future we'll mail a digest of this report in others languages (Cf. Pansos).

from Carlos Alberto da Costa Silva (CU)

Wardjito (CU) has prepared a short article on the recent year long anniversary celebrations in Indonesia marking the arrival of the first scjs in 1924 (cf. Indonesia).

Carmelo de las Heras (HI) wrote to inform us that the school choir at the Colegio de Novelda has published a web page at www.gabrielgarcia.com/cantoria. This site will be added to our links page.

Editor's Note: The autumn look of this weeks website is in honor of Italian Harvest Thanksgiving Day held on Sunday, November 14^th and US Thanksgiving Day celebrated on Thursday, November 25^th.

SCJs in South Texas hold a Thanksgiving Feast

Willacy County Thanksgiving Feast. This is a busy day at OLG. The parish hall and grounds are filled with people as Willacy County sponsors the first county-wide Feast of Sharing. By the end of the afternoon, some 3500 free turkey dinners with all the trimmings, including dessert and beverages, will have been served to anyone from Willacy County. In addition to those able to come to the hall, several hundred meals were brought to the homebound, enabling them to share in the event.

Initial planning for the Feast of Sharing began in January. At that time the idea of having such a day in Willacy County started to sow the seeds that led to months of preparation to transform the idea to a reality. The more intense planning and organization during recent weeks have assured that an event of such proportions could go very smoothly.

With the help of some 300 volunteers and the generosity of HEB, Coca-Cola, Amigos del Valle, and other businesses and organizations, what was once just a dream became reality. OLG is proud to have been able to offer our facilities for such a celebration. The time and work of many - including students from the different school districts throughout the county who provided music and entertainment - proved that the county could get together to accomplish a wonderful event.

A true spirit of THANKSGIVING and SHARING continues to be evident as the festivities continue for the rest of the afternoon.

Posted Nov 12, 1999
From the Willacy County Catholic Churches website
http://www.vsta.com/~spujdak/

Meetings of J&P in Europe

North Europe

Frs. Patrick Harnett (BH), Harry Peels (NE) and Edy Ahnen (LW) met on 25 October in Cinqfontaine, Belgium to continue their discussions about the General Conference and others items. Representatives from GE and FL were not present.

They responded to the questionnaire coming out of the meeting of Cadier en Keer and knew about the proposal made by the Provincial and Regional Superiors to create a "Secretariat for J&P" in North Europe, and the plan to organize a house for refugees in Luxembourg. They also realized that the two North European Regions, Austria-Croatia and Finland, were not invited to the former meetings.

South Europe

During two days (9-10 November) the Representatives of J&P from the South European Provinces (LU, HI, IM), with Fr. C.A. da Costa Silva, General Counselor and in charge for Social Commitment, met at Milan, Italy. They discussed the next General Conference in Recife. They first considered the responses from their three provinces to the Conference, discussed the content and prepared an intervention to be presented at the General Conference. Therefore they plan to hold a meeting in February in Madrid, subject to the approval of their Major Superiors. Taking part in this meeting were G. Carrara and Agostinho Sousa from Portugal, Valentin Pérez from Spain and Angelo Cavagna and Francesco Bottacin from North Italy. For the next meeting it's expected that confreres from Poland and South Italy will also be present.

by Carlos Alberto da Costa Silva (CU)

Please Remember

+Paul Schneeeberger (US)

Born: 29.05.28
First Profession: 08.09.47
Died: 12.11.99 at St. Petersburg, Florida

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Br. Paul Schneeberger, SCJ, died Friday, November 12, in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was 71, and a member of the Sacred Heart Community in Pinellas Park.

Br. Paul made his first profession with the Priests of the Sacred Heart in 1947, and his final vows three years later. Throughout religious life, he often served in "support roles," doing the work that needs to get done but often goes unnoticed.

He spent many years at Divine Heart Seminary in Donaldson, Indiana, where he worked primarily as a sacristan and in the kitchen. In 1968, he transferred to Sacred Heart Monastery/School of Theology. There, he was the librarian's assistant until 1984.

Br. Paul then left for Houston, where he ministered at Our Lady of Guadalupe, and later, Holy Name parishes. Both parishes were in Houston's central city and Br. Paul spent much of his time assisting the poor who came to the churches for help. He also served as sacristan and did much of the day-to-day office work of the parishes.

In 1995, Br. Paul retired from full-time ministry.

Funeral services are to be held both in both Florida and in Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, the wake and funeral Mass will take place at Sacred Heart Monastery in Hales Corners. The wake will be November 17 at 7 p.m. and the funeral Mass will be November 18 at 10:30 a.m.

Br. Paul will be interred at the Monastery mausoleum.

Dehon Photo of the Week

In the years 1897-1900 Leo Dehon, gave several lectures in Rome on the social question, on Christian democracy and on the mission of the Third Order of St. Francis. So begins this week's commentary by Stefan Tertünte....(cf. Dehon's Roman Lectures).

Dehon in Canada and America

Paul J. McGuire (US) was kind enough to offer our website an electronic (computer) copy of his recent work In Canada and America: Selections from Father Dehon's Diary. This week Fr. Dehon returns to Chicago as he nears the end of the US portion of his travels.(cf.Return to Chicago).