26.01.2002

 What's New?

General General

The preparatory text for the 21^st General Chapter: Dehonians on Mission: A heart open and in solidarity is now available on the letters and documents page.

Necrology

We are posting the new Necrology page for 2002. Herman Falke (CA) was kind enough to allow us to use his work The Widow of Naim as the art piece for the 2002 edition. He was also kind enough to pass along a poem by Sister Irene Zimmerman, OSF, a School Sister of St. Francis who serves part time on the support staff at Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Herman and Sister Irene hope to collaborate on a book featuring his art work and her poetry (CF article below by Sister Irene). We wish to thank Sister Irene and St. Mary's Press for permission to use her poem Firstborn Sons and the Widow of Nain. It can be found in her published collection of poems Woman un-Bent.

Please note: As the review of her books points out: At times she rereads the script of the text, releasing its dynamism and challenging the reader with its radical simplicity. We encourage you to spend some time with Firstborn Sons and the Widow of Nain. Also take note that 'Naim' is spelt 'Nain' in her work.

Venezuela

Our website is already working, but some sections are still under construction as we develop new features, so we're open to new ideas and opinions.

For now we have discussion forums, theological articles, e-mail lists (dehonian family and site updates), information about the SCJs, etc. We're hope to create soon new interactive features such as an interactive theology course, new e-mail lists and forums, information about the Dehonian Family, etc.

Our goal is to create an interactive, and efficient tool for the Dehonian Family, inside, and outside Venezuela, and for all those who are interested in sharing their opinions about different topics (such as theology, philosophy, national and international issues, etc.), and also to those interested in learning basic theology, and about the scjs.

You can access the website on the next URL: http://scjven.puertasdebabel.org

What's Happening?

Congo

On January 6, 1902 the German missionary Fr. Melchoir Goerke invited Fr. Grison to establish a mission station at Basoko. The local colonial authorities did not look favorably on the missionary's presence because he had criticized their administration, but the local people were much more receptive and welcoming.

On January 6, 2002, Bishop Laurent Monsengo and about twenty scjs and diocesan clergy marked the 100th anniversary of this event....

Umberto Chiarello, vicar general, represented the general administration at this celebration and wrote this article (Basoko: Celebrating 100 Years). Next week we will post another article about his journey on the Congo River.

Ottawa - Milwaukee

Though Fr. Herman Falke, SCJ, of Ottawa and Sr. Irene Zimmerman, School Sister of St. Francis of Milwaukee, have not yet met in person, their kindred spirits became acquainted a few years ago in the Waseda Gallery, located on the grounds of St. Joseph Retreat Center in Door County, Wisconsin. While Sr. Irene was making a retreat there, she visited the exhibit of Fr. Falke's art work and wrote poems in response to his Eve's Creation and Ruth Gleaning. They began to correspond. When Sr. Irene sent her book of scriptural poetry, Woman Un-Bent (Saint Mary's Press, Winona, 1999), Fr. Herman dropped his current art project to carve Cana Wine in response to one of her poems. In ensuing correspondence, they learned that they not only shared a love of Scripture and creation and found these to be a source of artistic inspiration, but also that they both will celebrate their Golden Jubilee of commitment to religious life in the year 2004.

To celebrate this event together, they plan to collaborate on a book of visual and verbal reflections a collection of his recent art pieces illumined by his meditative prose and her poetry.

by Sister Irene Zimmerman, OSF

Rome

Bishop Joseph Wróbel of Helsinki, Finland, was in Rome to assist in the traditional Finish ecumenical celebrations which coincides with the feast of St. Henry of Finland. On January 19th in the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minvera he was the principal celebrant at Mass in which Evangelical Lutheran Bishop Samuel Salmi of the diocese of Oulu, Finland, preached. The liturgical music was provided by the Evangelical Lutheran Sofia Magdalena choir also of Oulu.

South Africa

(from left to right) Bernard Tente Sompane, Bishop Lobinger & Innocent Mutanyu

The South African SCJ community has two more deacons; on 15 December 2001 Bernard Tente Sompane and Innocent Mutanyu were ordained in Aliwal North by Bishop Frederic Lobinger of Aliwal North. The new deacons come, respectively, from South Africa and Zimbabwe. After a month break they will continue preparing the presbyterate. Another Zimbabwean - Innocent Mabeka - was ordained deacon in February this year. Congratulations!

by Adam Maslowski, SCJ

Fr. John Strittmatter, an SCJ serving in Middleburg, South Africa, shared some of his work in a recent letter to Fr. MacDonald:

"The hospice work continues to grow very steadily, and Sr. Cathy Thomas is kept busy giving caregivers courses and attending workshops and seminars all over the country. In the past year the branches have cared for over 1,100 patients of whom most were with HIV/AIDS. The soup kitchens are also busy as so many people are unemployed (about 60%) in this area. The 'Mzamo' disabled group is still struggling on even though it is rather difficult. However, we did get some help via 'Dockda,' which is a Catholic agency for development which distributes some monies from Europe, but that was only a little and only for this year.

"The shelter for the street children is open again & monies received from the national lottery have helped there. The 'Last Comfort' funeral business is also gradually getting on its feet and is able to provide cheaper service for those in need. And soon I hope to move my scrap and furniture repair business from the church and church yard to another area and have it supervised by another newly started development group which is working for job creation.

"God bless!"

From Fridge Notes
21.01.2002

Fr. Dehon's meetings with the students of St. John's College

NINETEENTH MEETING OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FROM ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE-

In his address, Fr. Dehon recalled the history of St. John's. It was solely established with the supernatural understanding to do well for France, diffusing the fruits of Christian education. He said: "We have known trials, some coming from Divine Providence like the fire and illnesses; others were through human hands like the competitions and threats of '80. This was only the beginning. The struggle which is agonizing now, prepares us for days to come that will be more difficult. We do not laugh at the trials. Our Lord also bore his trials and he himself said that the disciple is not greater than the master. But we have also had many days of glory.

Please Remember

+Fr. Jan Krzysztof (PO)

born: 15.09.1949
first profession: 24.10.1965
ordained; 15.07.1975
died 16.01.2002 at Warsaw, Poland