Besides Reception of Ministries, many other events took place throughout the province to commemorate Founder’s Day on March 14, the 181st anniversary of the birth of Venerable Leo John Dehon.
“If we delve into the life of Fr. Dehon, we can sense a man of great humility, charity, and gentleness,” wrote Fr. Vien Nguyen, SCJ, in his Founder’s Day letter to employees and other collaborators. “To the young people he ministered to, he’s known as a good father, or ‘très bon père.’ He genuinely cared for the factory workers who were exploited and impacted by the Industrial Revolution. The long working hours kept many workers away from their families and the church. In response, Fr. Dehon founded clubs and schools for young people. He sent his fellow priests to the factories to ensure that the workers’ sacramental needs were met. Furthermore, he challenged factory owners to implement humane working hours and conditions for their workers. Fr. Dehon was inspired by and faithful to the Catholic social teaching and wanted his fellow clergy and religious, as well as the laity to protect the dignity and rights of the vulnerable.”
Click here to download the letter. Click here for Fr. Vien’s letter to fellow SCJs.
Also, Fr. Vien was the main celebrant of the morning liturgy at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology for Founder’s Day (pictured above with Bishop John Brungardt of Dodge City, KS). Click here to access his homily. Click here to view photos from the liturgy.
In his homily at the SCJ community Mass at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake, Fr. Jim Schroeder, SCJ, reminded fellow Dehonians that “Leo united his whole life with the Ecce Ancilla of Mary, the full but passive acceptance of the action of God the Spirit, with the Ecce Venio of Jesus, the full and active readiness and willingness to work to bring about the Reign of God in souls and in societies. Part of that work was to make reparation, to pray to God for those alienated from Him, and to work to repair the break in their relationship. Another essential part of that work was to strive with others to Tikka Olam, to Repair the World, to remedy the sin and lack of love in the world and in the church. Reparation in a spiritual way is nothing without reparation, or repair work, in the human world.”
Click here to read Fr. Jim’s homily.
And finally, click here to access the Founder’s Day letter from Fr. Carlos Luis Suarez Codorniú, SCJ, superior general.
