SCJ World News

02 December 2000

What's New

Another article is being added to the Education Conference page. This one is a sermon given on August 8, 1907, to the older students at St. John's College, by Fr. Cottart. It is available in French and Portuguese.

This week's Meet an SCJ features Luís Alberto Rodrigues Dinis (MAD), originally from Portugal, but now a member of the new region in Madagascar. This was prepared by him last September at the start of the on-going formation program. Since then (cf. below) he has recently been appointed the first regional superior.

We start a 'new year' with the first Sunday of Advent on our www.scj.org website. Over the next month several changes will take place to make the site a more pleasant experience for our readers and give our site a new look for 2001. Your help and advice is always welcome. We also depend on you to supply us with the information about what is going on around the congregation. That information should be sent to your editor at tomc@scj.org

What's Happening

New Bishops

On November 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II named two scjs as bishops. Since this information arrived too late for our translators we will provide full information next week. You may wish to check the Vatican website at: http://www.vatican.va/. The Holy Father nominated:

Fr. Rev. Josef Wrobel, scj, professor of bioethics at the University of Lublino, and member of the Polish Province as bishop of Helsinki, Finland.

Fr. José Alfredo Caires De Nóbrega, scj, superior of the SCJ Novitiate at Antsirabé and member of the region of Madagascar, as bishop of Mananjary, Madagascar.

From the Postulator


Fr. Juan María de la Cruz Garcia Méndez is first priest on the right.

Evaristo Martínez de Alegria (HI), from the office of postulator general, has prepared a brief announcement on the planned beatification on March 11, 2001, by Pope John Paul II, of 234 martyrs from in and around the dioceses of Valencia, Barcelona and Lleida. Included in this group of Spanish Martyrs is the first scj to be beatified, Fr. Juan María de la Cruz Garcia Méndez who died on August 23, 1936 (cf. From the Office of the Postulator).

Congratulations

In Madagascar the first regional administration has been appointed by the general superior with the consent of his council.

Regional Superior: Luís Alberto Rodrigues Dinis

Council:

  1. Gaetano Di Pierro
  2. Alfredo Caires de Nóbrega
  3. Rocco Nigro
  4. Pedro Fernandes Coutinho
In South Brazil over the next few weeks 12 scjs will be ordained to the priesthood
  1. Cláudio Sousa Fernandes -- 02/12/2000 in Pinsaré-Miriim, MA
  2. Ademir Vicente de Paula -- 08/12/2000 in Lavras, MG
  3. Vicente de Paula Neto -- 08/12/2000 in Lavras, MG
  4. Gervásio Linke -- 08/12/2000 in São Bento do Sul, SC
  5. Francisco César dos Santos -- 09/12/2000 in Taubaté, SP
  6. Valmir Colombo -- 09/12/2000 in Rondon, PR
  7. Mário Marcelo Coelho -- 09/12/200 in Itumirim, MG
  8. Vitor Martins Ribeiro -- 09/12/2000 in Varginha, MG
  9. Marilton Nuss -- 09/12/2000 in Guabiruba, SC
  10. Joaquim Donizete Tomba -- 16/12/2000 in Eloi Mendes, MG
  11. Aparecido Octaviano Pinto da Silva -- 16/12/2000 in Varginha, MG
  12. Gilberto Luiz R. de Miranda --16/12/2000 in Rio Negrinho, SC
In the United States on November 25th in San Jose, California Quang Nguyen was ordained to the priesthood. He will continue serving at the scj parish of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Houston, TX.

North America

We were so inspired by this practical, alternative vision rooted in Gospel principles of solidarity, option for the poor and care of the earth that, at the General Conference when each geo-cultural zone was invited to establish a geo-cultural priority, we felt impelled to adopt the following as the North American geo-cultural priority: "to buy Fair Trade products, to encourage both education and personal conversion."

This is taken from a letter written to North American scjs dated December 3, 2001 by the major superiors of North America introducing their fellow scjs to the topic of Fair Trade. In addition to the letter enclosures were sent on:

What is Fair Trade?

FAIR TRADE -- Resources & Addresses

Individual & Community Reflection Questions

India

Leonard Zaworski writes that he has updated the photo section of the SCJ Indian District website. It can be reached at the following URL as well as from our links section: http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/DharmaDr/scjindia/ .

One picture Leonard does not have is one taken by Wardjito (CU) during his recent visit to the district. Pictured below is David Marsdin (BH) who is spending a cross cultural year in India after completing his theological studies in Dublin, Ireland. He is currently working with Whim van Paassen (NE) at the formation house in Ponnarimagalam.

David Marsdin (BH) and one of the Indian scj candidates
who also serves as community barber

Rome

The ongoing formation program in Portuguese has concluded and the 17 participants have dispersed to various parts of the congregation. Thanks goes out to many people, but most especially to Osnildo Klann (BM) who serves as director of these programs on behalf of the congregation. He is now busy preparing next year's French program and reminds all interested French speakers to let him know as soon as possible if they wish to participate as space is limited. He can be reached at: oklann@scj.org .

United States

Andrew Gordon, a university student in the scj San Antonio, TX formation program, is a member of the University of Incarnate Word Chorale which gave a concert at Carnegie Hall, in New York City on November 26, 2000. Carnegie Hall is, perhaps the most prestigious/historic music hall in the Untied States.

Letters from the First Novices

In the twenty-fourth in our series from CORRESPONDENCE OF THE FIRST NOVICES BEFORE THE "CONSUMMATUM EST 1878-1883" by Egidio Driedonkx, we present the ninth letter sent by Fr. Paris to the novice Falleur .

"Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

I received this morning the Manual and 10 copies of the triple Corona... Once again, I would ask that you send me a Manual and 20 copies of the triple corona for Abbe Debout. The triple corona is spreading. May these prayers take us to the Lord with hearts like his!..."