From Rome February 14, 1998 
Headed for South America

Fr. General left Rome on Monday, February 8, 1998 for a visit to Latin America. He first travels to North Brazil, where he will attend their province assembly. The province is also in the middle of its provincial election process. North Brazil, along with Holland, South Africa, Chile and the United States uses varying forms of an election method for choosing provincial leadership.

Prior to departing Rome, Fr. General concelebrated Mass in St. Peter's on February 2, 1998 joining with the Holy Father, and other religious leaders, in marking the second anniversary of the publication of the document on religious life (Vita Consacrata).

Mozambique province planning

Planning is moving ahead for the establishment of the SCJ Province of Mozambique. If all falls into place, that sould happen on March 14, 1998, the anniversary of the founder's birth. Currently Mozambique is a region of the North Italian Province.

Philippine novitiate

The territorial community in the Philippines plans to open the novitiate for the first time on March 25, 1998. Since this community falls directly under the general administration, it has submitted the names of two postulants to Fr. General and his council for approval as the first Philippine novices.

Roman comings and goings

Alceu Kuhnen (BM) has returned to his province after completing his Roman studies. Juan Domingo Griffone (AU), a member of the Philippine territorial community, has completed the Roman portion of his sabbatical year, traveling next to his home province of Argentina prior to returning to ministsry in the Philippines. Also returning to Argentina after a semester sabbatical in Rome is Fr. Primo Corbelli (AU).

Br. Ruggero Verbeet (NE) has received word that a room for him in the Nimega community has become available, and so, after forty plus years of faithful service to the Curia and International College, he will retire to his home province next month.

Necrology page

It is our intention to publish on the news page the names of deceased scjs just as soon as they become available. Because Tom Cassidy (CU), and responsible for producing the news page, was on retreat last week the names of + Fr. Giovanni Brevi (IS) and + Fr. Giuseppe Roberto Persico (IS) were not published here, but are listed on the 1998 necrology page. We encourage you to visit this site often. It can be accessed directly from the Letters & Documents Page.

Progress at last

Shortly after the completion of the XXth General Chapter in June of last year some difficulties arose with the contractor responsible for the Rome I remodeling project. This led to a halt in the work, leaving a number of loose ends needing to be completed. Happily, a solution to the problem seems to have been reached allowing the remodeling to be completed, albeit without the services of the original contractor.