SCJ News. Fr. Mike Burke, SCJ, former US provincial superior, dies

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1 SCJ News February 2017 A n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e U. S. P r o v i n c e o f t h e P r i e s t s o f t h e S a c r e d H e a r t ( D e h o n i a n s ) Fr. Mike (left) with classmate Fr. John Czyzynski during last year s celebration of their 60th jubilees of religious life. Fr. Mike Burke, SCJ, former US provincial superior, dies I have appreciated and valued our shared life together as SCJs. I find in it a source of support and encouragement. While there are many different personalities and ministries in our community we all share and experience the love of God and we desire to share that experience with others. This is what binds us and supports us in our ministry. -Fr. Mike Burke, SCJ F r. Michael Burke, SCJ, former provincial superior of the US Province, died February 9 in suburban Milwaukee. He was 79 years old. Originally from Chicago, Fr. Mike professed his first vows in Just last year he and classmate Fr. John Czyzynski, SCJ, were honored for their 60th anniversary during the province jubilee celebrations in June. Fr. Mike studied at Kilroe Seminary, Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology (then Sacred Heart Monastery), and at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Among his degrees was a master s in Medieval History. Ordained in 1963, his initial assignment was as a teacher at Sacred Heart Monastery. He then went into administration, first as superintendent of St. Joseph s Indian School in Chamberlain, SD, and in provincial administration serving as personnel director and as vice provincial. Fr. Mike was elected as the ninth provincial superior of the US Province in After completing his second term in 1989 he was named novice master for the international novitiate in Toronto. He continued in various formation and vocation roles until his retirement in 2009, though remained active with the Admissions Board through the end of last year. Reflecting on his own vocation Fr. Mike said that it was important to him to belong to a congregation that is dedicated in a special way to the Sacred Heart, promoting the love of God through service to his people, he said. I wanted to be of service to others and serve through the Church, he continued. Fr. Dehon s prophets of love and servants of reconciliation fit my vocation. I was especially impressed with the SCJs emphasis on service to the poor and most needy in our world. I have appreciated and valued our shared life together as SCJs. I find in it a source of support and encouragement. While there are many A younger Fr. Mike Visit us online at and on Facebook at

2 2 different personalities and ministries in our community we all share and experience the love of God and we desire to share that experience with others. This is what binds us and supports us in our ministry. Fr. Mike was a member of the Sacred Heart Community at SHML in Franklin, Wis. Remembering Fr. Mike Fr. Ed Kilianski, SCJ, provincial superior, was the homilist at the Mass of Christian Burial for Fr. Mike. To me personally, as the 15th provincial superior of our province, I was truly blessed to receive Mike s support, counsel and wisdom, said Fr. Ed. Besides sharing his own thoughts about Fr. Mike, he invited other former provincial superiors to do so as well: FR. JOHNNY KLINGER, SCJ: He was a humble man. Talked little about himself and seldom talked (gossip) about others. He was good at giving his time to others. He was IRISH and so proud about it. He was vice provincial when I was provincial. We made a good team. FR. JOHN CZYZYNSKI, SCJ: I thought about a passage in the Acts of the Apostles. As the early Church began to spread to Antioch and other places, the Christians in Jerusalem wanted to send someone there who could find out what was going on and then report back about what he heard and learned. The text says that they chose to send Barnabas because he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. Mike Burke was Barnabas in spades. Mike was just a good man. I was blessed to have known him for 65 years and he blessed our community just being who he was and he modeled for all of us what it means to be a good religious, a good Priest of the Sacred Heart. FR. RICHARD MACDONALD: To me Mike was first of all an SCJ, he loved the community. I suspect that I am not the only one who was impressed by his loyalty and generosity. As our provincial, he worked hard to help us be better SCJs. Times were not easy in Raymondville in those years but his support leaves me grateful and blessed. When his term was up, he went back into the ranks. His priorities were serving the Church and the poor and I could not shout that any louder about Mike. His life was a gift to our province and congregation. May his memory stay with us. FR. TOM CASSIDY, SCJ: If asked to summarize a life in a single word, AVAILABILITY would describe Mike Burke to a T. He served and ministered to the best of his ability wherever he was sent. I have no doubt if asked he d say his work with the Native Americans was in many ways his first love. But whatever assignment he was given, it was done in a quiet and gracious manner respectful of others. FR. STEPHEN HUFFSTETTER: While I am so grateful for his years of service in administration, my most lasting impression of the quality of Mike s personality comes second hand. During my years in South Dakota, I met so many alumni from St. Joseph s Indian School who were young children during Mike s time in Chamberlain. Those were the lean and difficult years at St. Joe s, with tight budgets, a short staff and overcrowded dormitories. But the students of Mike s era spoke of the joyful memories of the ways he interacted with and cared for them as children. He kept contact with many over the years, and whenever he came to visit us on the rez or at the school, there were always folks waiting to see him again. He was loved and will be greatly missed. Fr. Tom Knoebel speaking at an SCJ Mission Education gathering A familiar face returns to SHSST F r. Tom Knoebel has been named interim president-rector of Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, effective July 1. He replaces Msgr. Ross Shecterle, whose five-year term ends June 30. The Priests of the Sacred Heart have spent the past few months seeking ways to enhance our commitment and presence at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, one of the major apostolates not only of our province, but of our congregation, said Fr. Ed Kilianski, SCJ, provincial superior of the US Province. I have been in dialogue with our general administration in Rome, and with many of my fellow SCJs around the world, about collaborative possibilities for the future, he continued. There is a strong commitment to Sacred Heart and I anticipate that starting with the next academic year we will have several more SCJs joining the seminary community in various capacities. A global search has surfaced strong possibilities for leadership in the future but the congregation is not prepared to name a permanent SHSST president-rector at this time. Fr. Tom Knoebel, a priest with the

3 3 Archdiocese of Milwaukee, is an emeritus professor of systematic theology and a member of the seminary s Board of Directors. He served at SHSST from 1981 to 2013, for many years as vice rector, and twice as interim presidentrector ( and in the fall of 2007). Fr. Tom holds a Ph.D. in theology from Fordham University. The Priests of the Sacred Heart, both in our province and globally, envisions a vibrant future for SHSST in service to the Church, said Fr. Ed. We are very grateful to Fr. Tom Knoebel for accepting this responsibility while we take time to ensure the best possible leadership arrangement for the future. He is a well-known leader with a pastoral heart who is very familiar with the Priests of the Sacred Heart and Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. But one of Fr. Tony s most memorable anniversary celebrations took place just a few weeks ago when he joined a couple of classmates in Rome: Jubilarians reunite in Rome after 50 years It felt like it did back when we were students. It was wonderful! L ast year Fr. Tony Russo, SCJ, celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination. He was honored at the parishes where he had been pastor: Our Lady of Guadalupe in Houston and St. Martin of Tours in Franklin, WI. There was also a province event with fellow golden jubilarians Bishop Joseph Potocnak, SCJ and Fr. Tom Westhoven, SCJ, as well as other gatherings with friends and family. Fr. Tony is pictured above (right) meeting Pope Francis. Bishop Virginio is in the background. Bishop Virginio Bressanelli, SCJ, of Neuquén, Argentina (and former SCJ superior general) and Fr. Tom Stanley, SCJ, of the British-Irish Province. Wouldn t it be great if we got together in Rome to visit some of the places we went to when we were students? wrote Bishop Virginio last year. He and Fr. Tony had been in contact following the death of fellow classmate Fr. Peter Mastrobuono, SCJ. The three were students together at the Gregorian University in Rome. Classmates reunite at St. Peters: Fr. Tom Stanley, Bishop Virginio Bressanelli and Fr. Tony Russo And while there, wouldn t it be wonderful if the classmates could celebrate Mass with Pope Francis? Bishop Virginio feels a strong connection to the pope, a fellow Argentine; both have served as officers in the Argentine Episcopal Conference. Fr. Tony agreed, but no specific plans were made. That was until early January when he got a message from Bishop Virginio. Would Fr. Tony be able to meet him in Rome in a couple of weeks? We put the trip together quickly but we did it, said Fr. Tony. Fellow The is published by the U.S. Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJs). Articles, photos and suggestions are always welcome. Editorial offices are located at P.O. Box 289, Hales Corners, WI (414) comdir@scjcommunications.org Mary Gorski, editor. Postage prepaid. Copyright All rights reserved. Priests of the Sacred Heart

4 4 classmate Fr. Tom Stanley was able to join them. I hadn t seen Fr. Tom in over 50 years! said Fr. Tony. Two other SCJ classmates Bishop Carmo João Rhoden and Fr. Darcy Dutra of Brazil were unable to make the trip. The trio visited the churches where they had each celebrated their first Masses and many of the other haunts of their youth in Rome. And yes, they did concelebrate Mass with Pope Francis at Casa Santa Maria (the pope s residence) and after, briefly met with the Holy Father. The Mass with the pope was a very special moment for Fr. Tony. However, what most impacted me during our visit in Rome was the spirit we found in the house [Generalate], he said. It was good to feel such a sense of welcoming and collegiality among the many young SCJs in the house, priests and brothers from Africa and Asia, from all over. I am grateful for their hospitality and to see so much life there. It felt like it did back when we were students. It was wonderful! Visit us online! Many of the stories that you see in the SCJ News are often published first online. You can find us at: PROVINCE WEBSITE FACEBOOK (Like us!) PriestsoftheSacredHeart PROVINCE BLOG I ve always taken my questions to God - Fr. Zdzislaw Stan Plawecki, SCJ A vocation, not VACATION? T hroughout his life Fr. Zdzislaw Stan Plawecki, SCJ, has turned to God for answers to his questions. But sometimes, the 44-year-old admits, he hasn t always been quick to embrace the response he receives, starting with his own vocation. He first came in contact with the Priests of the Sacred Heart when a couple of SCJs preached a mission at his family parish in a small town in Poland. The SCJs invited teens to attend a vocational retreat. Fr. Stan went twice, but for me, it was just an opportunity for a vacation, he said. I did not want to go to the seminary. But he did want to be open to the will of God. So I asked God, If you want me to go to the seminary can you give me a concrete sign? He was relieved that in the weeks ahead he did not see one. That was until he joined a friend on a trip; the friend was going to see an SCJ vocation director. Again, Fr. Stan s interest was in a VACATION not a VOCATION. But then came the sign. The vocation director asked me about my plans for the future, he said. I told him that I was going to the university in Krakow to study technology. He said No, you will go to the seminary with your friend. It was the sign that Fr. Stan said that he did not want to see. Within a week he changed his plans for the university and entered the postulancy program with the Priests of the Sacred Heart. For nine months he fought with God about his vocation. I prayed that he would change it, said Fr. Stan. Near the end of his novitiate Fr. Stan went on a month-long Ignatian retreat. During it, he said that he had a conversion experience. It was then that he embraced his vocation to the priesthood and never looked back at least not too far. Missionary? Not me! In the seminary each student was expected to join a prayer group. The focus of Fr. Stan s was the missions. I didn t think about being a missionary, I just prayed for them and their work, he said. Fr. Stan pictured himself serving in Poland, most likely

5 5 in formation, in youth ministry. I had no missionary call. Or so he thought. Among those who were in attendance at Fr. Stan s ordination in 1999 was a missionary from Cameroon. The missionary asked Fr. Stan and his classmate, Which of you will go to Africa? Fr. Stan assured the missionary that it wouldn t be him. As with many newly ordained priests in Poland, Fr. Stan s initial assignments were in parishes. The first was very large, and I felt lost, he said. Fr. Stan was much more comfortable in his next assignment, a small parish similar to what he experienced growing up. I like being able to know the people as you can in a small parish, having direct contact with them, he said. The young priest was happy in his new assignment, but felt that something was lacking in his life. I wanted to give myself more fully to Jesus but I was not sure how. And then he began to think of the missions. Maybe this would be the way to give of myself more fully, he said. I asked God. Fr. Stan took part in a meeting of young priests in the Polish Province. During it, the provincial superior told them of some of the needs in the congregation, especially in the missions. That was his sign, the answer to his question about becoming a missionary. On Mercy Sunday I wrote my request for the missions and on the feast of the Ascension I sent it to my provincial, he said. His request was accepted and soon after he was in Paris studying French in preparation for the missions in Cameroon. Wonderful! I arrived in Cameroon and it was wonderful! said Fr. Stan. The welcome was incredible. The people, the community; everyone was so kind. It still stays with me. Besides the strong sense of welcome, he also noticed something else. Everyone walked slowly; no one was in a hurry, he said. This, he realized, was his first step into enculturation. I loved the contact with people. If I went to the market, immediately a group formed around me. You speak to one person and others quickly join in. If you are kind and gentle you are met with the same. He felt the same sense of welcome in his SCJ community. It was very international, he said, we had SCJs from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Cameroon and, of course, Poland. There were differences and challenges, but I liked it very much. This community, as well the next one of which he was a part, made a strong commitment to community life. Each night after dinner we would sit for an hour in the recreation room to have tea and just talk, he said. There was a television, but it was rarely used. There was a strong commitment to each other, to spend time together and to be community. Fr. Stan was very happy, which started to make him uneasy. He went to the missions to give himself more fully to God, to have a sense of sacrifice but I had everything in the mission, he said. I lived in a well-built house, I had hot and cold running water, I had all the food that I needed. I lacked for nothing while the people we lived among were living in poverty. I felt like a wealthy man and I didn t like it, said Fr. Stan. The monastic life In the midst of his personal discernment Fr. Stan led a group of Cameroon students on a retreat at a nearby Trappist monastery. I was instantly attracted to the monastic life, he said. Following the retreat he returned to the monastery each month for a day of reflection and eventually connected with a Trappist spiritual director. Fr. Stan told the Trappist that he was looking for a deeper life, one that was more fully consecrated to God. His spiritual director suggested that he give monastic life a try. Fr. Stan spoke to his provincial superior and eventually received permission to go to a monastery. He spent five months at a monastery in Poland and four more at one in France. I loved it! he said. Morning prayer, meditation. I thought that God was answering my questions with a whole new vocation. But then he listened more closely to God s voice. Fr. Stan was happy, but during prayer, in my discernment, I realized that I was still called to an apostolic life, he said. The monastery filled my heart but I needed to be with others. God answered my questions. It was time for me to leave the monastery and get back to preaching the Gospel. Fr. Stan returned to Poland and transitioned back into the community. I lived in a well-built house, I had hot and cold running water, I had all the food that I needed. I lacked for nothing while the people we lived among were living in poverty. I felt like a wealthy man and I didn t like it. - Fr. Stan Plawecki, SCJ

6 6 Fr. Stan talking with Fr. Steve Malkiewicz, a member of the SHSST faculty However, in my heart I knew that I could go anywhere that I was needed, he said. The general administration was seeking another Polish SCJ to be a part of a new effort in Asia. I said yes and now here I am, said Fr. Stan. Here is Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology s ESL program. English is the primary language of communication for all of the congregation s Asian missions. Greatest gift Before concluding an interview Fr. Stan said that he wanted to talk about one of his greatest gifts. It came to him as a result of once again going to God with a question. It was in my first ministry in Cameroon as the vicar in a parish, he said. There was a widow who was very religious, a very good woman. But in Cameroon, a widow s life can be hard. She came to me and was very sad. She spoke of her hard life, the scorn she received from others, even children. Life has become too hard for me, too many bad things, she said. I don t want to On that day I truly learned the power of pardon, the GIFT of pardon. n January 25th, following an unusual southern snow delay, Sacred Heart Southern Missions held a groundbreaking for the Gregory Bezy Volunteer House in Holly Springs, Miss. Among those who took part in the ceremony was Bishop Joseph Kopacz of Jackson. Each year SHSM hosts hundreds of volunteers from all over the country. Many are high school and college students who want to make a difference in the lives of the poor. Often, volunteers find that those whom they have helped have made a difference in their lives as well. In volunteering, they find that they too have been changed, said Fr. Jack Kurps, SHSM executive director. Their hearts have been changed by their experience. They learn what it means to be a Christian. The house will Fr. Jack have space for 32 volunteers (four each in eight bedrooms) and is expected to be completed by fall. It is named after Fr. Gregory Bezy, SCJ, who came to Mississippi in 1952 and served as director of SHSM for more than 30 years. He was instrumental in establishing churches in northern Mississippi, expanding schools and initiating social outreach programs. He touched the lives of many in Mississippi and across the nation, said Fr. Jack. What follows are just a few of the stories of the impact of Sacred Heart Southern Missions volunteers. The stories are taken from the SHSM weblive any more. The woman looked at me, waiting for help but I couldn t give her anything. I was totally empty. I didn t know what to do so I prayed; I asked God a question, I asked him what to do. A few minutes later Fr. Stan suggested to the widow that they see what Christ suggests. I quoted the Gospel where Jesus says that when someone does something bad to you, you answer by doing something good, he said. If someone says something bad of you, you bless that person. Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. [Luke 6, 27-28] The widow told him that this would be too hard for her. But she said that she would try, said Fr. Stan. It was a month before he saw the widow again. I was amazed, she was changed, he said. Her face was shining like the sun. Father, this works, THIS WORKS! she said to me. That morning, the neighbor who had been most difficult with her asked for pardon and gave her a chicken. A child who had previously thrown stones at her asked if he could fetch her water. It was the happiest day of my life, she said to Fr. Stan. It was worth everything that I endured to have this experience because I know that God is with me. Fr. Stan said that it was the greatest gift that he had ever received, the best answer to any question that he had ever asked of God. On that day I truly learned the power of pardon, the GIFT of pardon, said Fr. Stan. Work begins on new SHSM volunteer house O

7 7 site. Go to to learn more not only about the volunteer program and those whom it assists, but also about the many ministries of Sacred Heart Southern Missions. Housing rehab In Holly Springs, Miss., two families with health challenges were recently assisted. Alice and her husband live close to the social service office. Alice once had a thriving home-based hair salon, but her mobility issues made the work impossible to continue. Her husband, elderly and stricken with a number of health problems, is also unable to work. Their poor physical condition combined with limited income has resulted in their home falling into disrepair so much so that the insurance company threatened to discontinue coverage. Two groups, St. Martin of Tours and St. Ignatius, were able to tackle exterior painting and replacement of rotten wood, as well as refurbishing the couple s bathroom, which was nearly inoperable. Wheelchair ramps Ida, another elderly Holly Springs resident, was the recipient of a wheelchair ramp courtesy of these two volunteer groups. Her project had been delayed several times due to heavy rains. Bringing sunny weather and even sunnier dispositions, St. Ignatius began the ramp and St. Martin of Tours completed the rails and the landing, giving Ida more mobility. Other families also saw phenomenal improvements with the help of SHSM volunteers. Charlene and her son both have epilepsy. The mother and son suffer multiple seizures daily, sometimes as many as 20. It is not unusual for EMTs to assist several times a week. The family lives in a Those at the January groundbreaking: Fr. Thi Pham, SCJ, Christine Greer, Barbara Caldwell, Mayor Kelvin Buck (Holly Springs), Fr. Jack Kurps, SCJ, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and Sr. Nancy Schreck, OSF trailer tucked away on a steep bluff. A wheelchair ramp is a necessity, enabling the safe removal and transport of Charlene and her son during life-threatening situations. Their old ramp was literally falling apart. The wood that remained was spongy at best. Regnum Christi and St. John s College High School were able to remove the old ramp and reconstruct a safe and solid one. Keeping a family together Sometimes it seems that one misfortune has a snowball effect. For Hailey, a kitchen fire in her trailer was a disaster, but it was nothing compared to the shock of the Department of Human Services knocking on her door, informing her that her two children might be taken away if she didn t make the kitchen functional again soon. While Hailey and her children stayed with her mother, SHSM volunteers came to the rescue. A good cleaning, lots of primer, buckets of paint and elbow grease were just what the doctor ordered. The Mission Youth from Regnum Christi were able to get the kitchen looking good as new. They were also able to freshen up other areas of the trailer home that suffered smoke damage. A new roof Joyce s home is also getting a facelift. One of our ongoing renovation projects, we have been able to make great strides. Thanks to many hands, the roof is near completion. Structural elements fixed, it is sealed up and has brand new shingles! All new windows and doors, insulation, and exterior sheathing make the exterior nearly ready for siding. The inside has also seen some dramatic changes. Kitchen gutted and new floors and sheet rock installed, it is now ready for new cabinetry. The home s electrical was rewired, eliminating the fire hazard of the weatherworn wires. Crews have also cleaned, constructed a shed, and helped straighten up Joyce s disheveled yard. Volunteers make such a difference, said Laura Grisham, SHSM communications director. Their presence at SHSM, whether for an hour, a day or a week, is a blessing for us and for all of the people we serve. These groups and individuals truly are the heart and hands of Christ in our world.

8 8 SCJ NEWS God s call in many languages On February 1 Frater Juan Carlos Castañada Rojas, SCJ, renewed his vows along with 18 other seminarians studying in the Brazil - Sao Paulo Province. Frater Juancho is in Brazil for his pastoral ministry year. It really doesn t matter what language you speak when you are Frater Juancho with Fr. Ronilton Souza de Araujo, provincial superior of São Paulo (left) and Fr. Lucio Djalma, superior of the Convento Sagrado Coração de Jesus (right). responding to God s call, wrote Frater Juancho. I am from Medellin, Colombia, and my first language is Spanish. When I professed my first vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity with the Priests of the Sacred Heart in the US Province I did it in both Spanish and English. On February 1, I said yes to God one more time as I renewed my vows in the Sao Paulo Province of Brazil. This time I renewed them in Portuguese. In doing so, I felt a real renewal of my vocation as a Dehonian and as a missionary by speaking the formula of vows in another language. God calls us not because we are perfect but because of our own imperfections. And yes, it is true that we are renewed by this beautiful call, but God also wants us to be authentic and to be who we truly are by keeping true to our own identity. This is how by this call we come to follow the example of obedience, poverty and chastity found in Jesus. Building the mission in India Fr. Dominic Peluse, SCJ, and Pam Milczarski of our Province Development Office, traveled to India earlier this year to represent the US Province at the dedication of several new homes and to see the construction of a new church at St. Joseph Parish in Kerala. Benefactors from the US Province donated to these and many other efforts including a solar project, 160 compost toilets, and the replacement of windows and doors at the district theology house. Welcome to Canada again! In January, the SCJ community in Montréal welcomed Chad Assal Hala, a Syrian refugee who is a widow with two daughters. The family spent three years in a refugee camp in Lebanon before being selected for immigration to Canada. The Montréal SCJ community, in partnership with the Sault-au-Récollet Pastoral Unit, is committed to financially supporting two refugee families. Last year, SCJs in Ottawa also committed to supporting a Syrian refugee family. The Hala family is busy settling into its adopted home; Christa has already begun classes at Concordia University in Montréal. Welcome to the land of cold and snow! said Fr. Gustave Lulendo, local superior and one of several people who were at the Montréal airport waiting to greet the Hala family. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fr. Gustave is also an immigrant to Canada. Vol. 38, No. 1, February 2017 Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Hales Corners, WI Permit No. 71 Priests of the Sacred Heart P.O. Box 289 Hales Corners, WI Change service requested Visit us on the web: Vocations: Facebook: