Around the Provinces: Confrere News and Updates

Fr. John Clartk, CM		Fr. Tony Dosen, CM		Fr. John Ochola , CM		Fr. Ron Ransom, CM		Fr. John Rybolt, CM

Midwest Province

Chicago — Perboyre Mission House

Jeremy Dixon, CM, was installed as an acolyte on October 4 by Father James Swift, CM. The liturgy took place at the chapel at Perboyre Mission House. Mr. Dixon ministers with young adults at St. Alphonsus Parish on Chicago’s north side, while continuing his theological studies at Catholic Theological Union.

Our novice, Toshio Sato, NCM, and his director, Father Tony Dosen, CM, took a week-long study tour of the historical sites of the Vincentian community in Bardstown, Kentucky, and Perryville, Cape Girardeau, and St. Louis, Missouri. Over the past several months Mr. Sato has been involved in various workshops on the life of St. Vincent, prayer, human formation, and the Constitutions and Statutes of the Congregation.

Karl Ries, our seminarian in the first year of initial formation, is adjusting from his life as an undergraduate at DePaul University to community life at Perboyre Mission House and pre-theology studies (philosophy and theology) at the Catholic Theological Union.

Father Guillermo Campuzano, CM, has joined the formation team at Perboyre Mission House for the coming year. Besides assisting with formation direction and integrating Spanish into our liturgy, Fr. Campuzano adds his unique sense of enthusiasm and humor
to our community.

Fr. Tony Dosen, CM, in addition to his work as formation director, has been attending theology classes at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, where he is working toward a degree (license) in Sacred Theology. He was recently selected by the Tri-Province Formation and Vocation Committee as its new chair.

Chicago — DePaul Vincentian Residence

Father Mark Pranaitis, CM, gave the opening keynote address at the 15th Annual Vincentian Business Ethics Conference at St. John’s University. His talk, “The Insufficiency of Organizational Values, Making the Case for Organizational Virtues,” was well-received by attendees. This conference is cooperatively sponsored by the three Vincentian universities in the United States, and draws participants from around the world.

Father John Rybolt, CM, spent several weeks in Europe in August and September as a guide for two Vincentian Heritage pilgrimages, and then continued his research into the Vincen tian History project. After his return,
he made two presentations for the Vincentian Integration Experience program of continuing education for the Daughters of Charity. This group of Daughters comes from English-speaking provinces, and members spend nine months working on formation materials for their home provinces. He also made some presentations for the Southern Province’s October meeting on the theme of Vincentian Ministry in the American South.

Chicago — DePaul University

The “Values-Centered Leadership” graduate course at DePaul University will be available online starting in Spring 2009 through the School of Public Service (SPS), where Father J. Patrick Murphy, CM, is the director. The course considers transformational and servant leadership models by highlighting how these are reflected in the leadership values and practices of St. Vincent de Paul. The instructor for the course is Sister Patricia M. Bombard, BVM, D. Min., who recently took over as director of Vincent on Leadership: The Hay Project, which collaborates with SPS on leadership research and training related to Vincent’s extraordinary capacities as a leader, organizer and manager. More information is available at http://las.depaul.edu/sps or http://leadership.depaul.edu.

Kenya — DePaul Centre, Nairobi

The school year began with an annual retreat conducted by Father Manuel Ginete, CM, of the Curia in Rome. Forty-one participants, including personnel of the house, seminarians, and Daughters of Charity, gathered around the theme of “The Vincentian Family.”

Vocation Directors Fathers George Busieka and John Ochola, CMs, are in the process of reviewing 10 applicants for the Initiate Program. Both confreres visited each applicant in their homes as part of the recruitment process. In each case, family members were joined by friends and villagers to voice their remarks relative to the applicant. The Initiate Program begins in early January 2009 and is directed by our Irish confrere, Father Harry Slowey, CM.

Father Ron Ramson, CM, along with Father Rich Wehrmeyer, CM, and Sister Loretta Brennan, DC, concluded the latest Emmaus Program for the continuing formation and education of diocesan priests. Priests from five dioceses attended the session in October.

Fr. Ramson also visited Our Lady of Fatima High School in the Korokocho slum, where students have a “Friends of St. Vincent de Paul Club.” During the recent riots, members of the Vincentian Club help stopped the burning and destruction of the school buildings. The principal voiced his deepest appreciation for what the young Vincentians did. These teens live in one of the poorest and most dangerous slums in Kenya.

Kenya – St. Vincent de Paul Church and Holy Cross Church

The Vincentians at Holy Cross Church in Thigio – Fathers Lennoxie Lusabe, Philip Njenga, and Ignatius Mukanzi, CMs, – celebrated the 40th anniversary of the parish on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. All the confreres and seminarians of DePaul Centre joined the parish in
its outdoor Mass and celebration. Bishop David Kamau administered
the Sacrament of Confirmation to a group of adults and older children.
St. Vincent de Paul Church in Kamulu celebrated the feast of their patron saint in September. A huge crowd of people attended the Eucharist. Several confreres from DePaul Centre joined Fathers Rod Crowley (pastor), Alex Isonga, and John Musolo, CMs, as concelebrants.

St. Louis — Lazarist Residence

Father Dan Harris, CM, presented a preaching workshop to the priests and deacons of the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming at the end of September. In October, Fr. Harris presented a “Re newing Sunday Preaching” workshop for the priests of the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan. These workshops are designed and sponsored by the National Association of Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy.

Father John Francis Clark, CM, served on a team conducting a parish renewal in October at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Philadelphia, a parish staffed by the Vincentians of the Eastern Province. Fr. Clark preached at all the Masses and attended an International Festival held at the parish featuring ethnic foods of the many nationalities and home countries of the parishioners. Later in the month, Fr. Clark was on the team for “Invitation for Renewal,” a leadership identification and training retreat/workshop for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul held at Seton Cove Spirituality Center
in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Denver — DePaul House

Father Paul Golden, CM, attended the annual convention of the Canon Law Society of America in Kansas City, Missouri. The convention marked the 25th anniversary of the promulgation of the Code of Canon Law, with talks and seminars that reflected back to 1983 and summarized the positive and negative experiences of renewed law. Fr. Golden also gave a talk on the Vincentian vision at the Archdiocesan seminary in Denver on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its library.