“It is the capacity to embrace disparate realities,” said Fr. Emerson Ruiz, SCJ. The “it” he was referring to is “Sint Unum” (“May they be one”) which is one of the three primary mottos of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (the other two: “Ecce Venio” and “Aveniat Regnum Tuum”). In one of a series of lunchtime presentations at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, Fr. Emerson spoke November 28th on the topic of “Sint Unum in the Life and Writings of Fr. Dehon.
“Ecce Venio [Behold, I come to do your will] and Sint Unum are a constant element of our vocation,” said Fr. Emerson. “They define us as a Dehonian community, they articulate and support each other. Sint Unum requires a personal openness… There is no unity without going outside of oneself; there is no Sint Unum without Ecce Venio.”
Fr. Emerson noted how the theme of Sint Unum is found in the current Synod on Synodality.
“When he spoke of Sint Unum, Fr. Dehon included the laity,” added Fr. Emerson. “He referred to the whole Dehonian family, not just SCJs… The paschal fruitfulness of Sint Unum impels us to push the boundaries of charity through care for our common home and ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.”
Closing his presentation on Sint Unum, Fr. Emerson invited those gathered to join him in a prayer of unity:
O God, Trinity of love,
from the profound communion of your divine life,
pour out upon us a torrent of fraternal love.
Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty,
reflected in all the peoples of the earth,
so that we may discover anew
that all are important and all are necessary,
different faces of the one humanity
that God so loves. Amen.
Fr. Emerson completes his studies in the English and Culture Studies program at SHSST this semester and will soon return to the Brazil – Saõ Paulo Province, where he has taught theology. Fr. Emerson has also studied and served on the staff of the Dehon Study Center in Rome.
NOTE: A text from Fr. Emerson’s presentation will be available later this week. We will link it to the US Province website, and send it via email to SCJs.
