Provincial Newsletter - Congregation of the Resurrection, Priests ...

Dear Brothers,Greetings to each and every one of you!We begin a new year – 2006 – with hope for this year of grace that the Lord will provide for us.The Lord is faithful and true, and we know that he will accompany us and guide us as we bring themessage of hope to those we serve and share this journey with.I wish to thank all those Resurrectionists who joined in the Community Christmas Celebration onTuesday December 27 at Resurrection Manor. It was a great afternoon and evening together. Those ofyou who could not attend, especially those of you at a great distance – you were missed!Thank you to those members of the Province who have let their name stand for election toProvincial Council. We trust that each Resurrectionist will make an effort to participate – in his locality– in the election process.At Council we have begun planning our 2006 Community Retreat. We have moved it to anunusual date – July 3 to 7 – with the hope of attracting retreatants who vacation in August when weusually have the retreat. We are also moving it to Resurrection College, with the hope that moreResurrectionists in the area will be able to take advantage of this time together. Jim Donohue, C.R., andI (Paul) are working on the format of the retreat. The theme will be ‘Hope’, and like the CommunityRetreat (in Niagara Falls) in 2004 it will involve reflection on Scripture. This will be complemented bya theme talk given each day. There will be time for sharing (as in 2004) on an individual and groupbasis. More information will be made available as time goes on. Please do keep these dates open andjoin us on the 2006 Community Retreat!Soon we will be marking the first year of our service to the Province in these leadership positions.We appreciate the support that we have received in so many ways. We also invite, whether it be on aVisitation or in writing, your constructive concerns and suggestions. There may be some items in thisvery newsletter that you may wish to respond to. Perhaps we have not articulated something in the bestway possible. Perhaps you may feel that we are giving too much attention to some things at the expenseof others that may appear more important to you. Above all, please keep us in your prayers.In the Risen Christ,Paul S. Voisin, C.R.Jim Valk, C.R.DATES TO REMEMBERFebruary 18April 28 – 29July 3 – 7October 9 - 11October 12Provincial Council ElectionsVocation Retreat -- Resurrection CollegeCommunity Retreat – Resurrection CollegeSuperiors’ ConferenceJubilarian Celebration

PROVINCIAL NEWSInvestmentsIn the spring of last year, at one of ourFinance Committee meetings, an Investment Sub-Committee was formed with Charlie Fedy, C.R.,Hartman Krug, Brian Lipskie, and Brian Ruby.Their objectives were to:1. increase the total rate of return(income and capital appreciation) on theCongregation’s investments.2. reduce the risk of the Congregation’sinvestments.3. reduce the investment fees andtransaction costs associated with the managementof the Congregation’s investments.4. simplify the administration andmonitoring of the Congregation’s investments.At the next meeting, they presented a verythorough and professional report. There it gainedthe support of all the members. These FinanceCommittee members are very professional, andwe respect and appreciate their advice andexpertise.The recommendations of this Committeereport were then discussed by the ProvincialCouncil. Charlie Fedy, C.R., and Brian Lipskieattended a Council meeting to answer any furtherquestions.It was decided unanimously by Council toadopt the recommendations of the Committee:1. the Congregation’s U.S. dollarinvestment portfolio should be consolidated withthe Canadian dollar investment portfolio. Thecombined portfolio should be managed by onefinancial institution in Canada.2. the Congregation should switch froman actively managed segregated portfolio by TDPrivate Investment Counsel (K-W) to pooled indexfunds managed passively by TD AssetManagement (Toronto).3. the proposed asset mix for theCongregation’s consolidated portfolio should be80% short-term investments and bonds, 10%Canadian stocks, and 10% U.S. stocks. This assetmix should be reviewed annually as to itsappropriateness by the Investment Sub-Committee.4. the Congregation’s formal investmentpolicy statement should be updated.In my Visitation in Kentucky in Octoberthese matters were discussed with variousmembers of the Villa Pacis and St. Cecilia’sHouses.Recently letters were sent to BrianFreiburger, manager of our TD investments inKitchener, and Craig Brunton of Fifth Third Bankin Columbus, Ohio, informing them of thisdecision and to begin the transition of funds tothe new investment firm in Toronto. This willfulfill the recommendations, and greatly reduceour expenses for handling our investments.VisitationsIn the months of January, February andMarch I hope to conclude Visitation to all theHouses of the Province. I am happy to say thatbefore the end of 2005 I visited each House, andvisited with each Resurrectionist of the Province– either informally or formally. I thank theSuperiors for their calling together of Housemembers and for all members making themselvesavailable. As many of you have experienced, Ilike to spend a good part of the day in the residenceof the House, allowing for optimum times to talkand share. It has also given me a closer look atthe institutions and parishes, and an opportunityto meet religious and lay staff members. Thisallows me a very privileged insight into the livesand work of each Resurrectionist. I am sincerelygrateful for the honesty and openness of each oneof you. The Closing of the Visitation has not, andmay not, necessarily directly follow the final visitwith house members, due to (mutual) schedulingdifficulties.Retirement CommitteeAt some recent Provincial Council meetingswe spoke about the need for a ProvincialRetirement Policy. We have received similarmaterials from the Archdiocese of Louisville andthe Diocese of Hamilton. Some of the materials

are excellent, as they present a very holisticapproach. We have asked Pat Aiello, C.R. andLloyd Michaud, C.R., to serve with Jim Link, C.R.,on this Committee, with the objective to come upwith our own Ontario-Kentucky Retirement PolicyBooklet. As their Committee progresses they mayask for input from the members of the Province.Please keep this new initiative in your prayers.Vocation RetreatOn Saturday April 29 and Sunday April 30Bob Liddy, C.R., and I are planning aResurrectionist Vocation Retreat at ResurrectionCollege. This will be a time to share with potentialcandidates our spirituality, charism and mission.This is a new initiative, and we hope that it willgenerate interest in vocations among ourselves asResurrectionists, and among potential candidates.So often we have heard, and many can rememberfrom our own experiences, the importance of usreaching out to them and initiating with them avocation reflection.I would invite each Resurrectionist toconsider possible candidates that you may havecome into contact with in your apostolate, oramong your friendships, who may benefit fromthis experience. Bob, as Vocation Director, wouldfollow through with these young men who wouldjoin us for the weekend. Please contact Bob ifyou have any questions, or already have someoneidentified as a possible participant.Funeral PlansAfter the funeral celebrations of Don Taylor,C.R., I received some constructive comments andsuggestions about the manner in which the funeralrites – Wake Service, Funeral Mass, and Burial –should be conducted for Resurrectionists. Thesewere discussed at the recent Provincial Councilmeeting, and will be kept in mind for futureoccasions. Some of them concerned:1. place of the Wake Service2. place of the Funeral Mass3. time of the Burial.Reflecting on the decisions I made in relationto the plans for Brother Don’s celebrations, I wouldstill not have changed the place of the FuneralMass, since it was the Parish where Donworshipped weekly. I believe that was morerespectful of his (unspoken) wishes, than totransfer the celebration to a Resurrectionist venuewhere he did not regularly worship.Once again, as mentioned earlier, it helpswhen Resurrectionists leave instructions, inwriting or verbally with their Superior or anotherCommunity member, concerning such aspects ofcelebrations of funerals.Notification of DeathsThere was also some concern expressed thatsome Resurrectionists did not receive timely newsof the death of Don Taylor, C.R. From now on,each Superior will receive a phone call on the deathof a Resurrectionist of our Province. The Superiorwill then be asked to communicate the news tothe residences and individuals in the House. Asplans become available this will be communicatedby e-mail to all members. Please do check youre-mail regularly! When there is the death of afamily member of a Resurrectionist, or aResurrectionist of another Province dies, we willcommunicate it by e-mail only. Theannouncements of death that you have receivedfrom the Secretary General, Very Rev. SteveBartczyszyn, C.R., that refer to thirty Masses, areon a Provincial basis, not an individual House.Patti Tusch, Provincial Secretary, will requestindividual Houses to celebrate Masses to fulfillthis responsibility.Identification CardsSome religious communities and dioceseshave identification cards that their religious and clergycan present, when requested, to Church officials at adiocesan or parish level. When I stayed at St.Timothy’s in Louisville, the priest who came topreach on behalf of Cross International showedDeacon Phil Tremblay, C.R., and I his identificationcard with his photo on it. We have a few copies ofidentification cards presently in use, are working onour own version, and will be informing you aboutthe process to receive such an identification card.

Donation to the Diocese of St.George, NewfoundlandAll of the Resurrectionists serving in Canadareceived a letter requesting a donation from theDiocese of St. George, Newfoundland, to help withthe settlement costs due to the lawsuits againstthe Diocese in cases of sexual abuse. It is animportant effort to keep the Diocese, led by BishopDouglas Crosby O.M.I., from bankruptcy. We havesent $10,000.00 CAN to the Diocese of St. Georgein the name of the Province. Perhaps some of youhave also made personal donations.Donation to CatholicChildren’s Aid of HamiltonWe received a request from the CatholicChildren’s Aid of Hamilton to contribute to theirmajor building initiative, already supported by theDiocese of Hamilton and numerous religiouscommunities of the Diocese. The Councilapproved a $10,000.00 CAN donation to theirappeal in the name of the Congregation of theResurrection.Contribution to HousesAt the Superiors’ Conference we had aconversation about Resurrectionists who maydecide to vacation at a residence of the Province.Whereas it is a great community builder and allowsfor friendships to be encouraged, we should alsobe conscious that at times a lengthy visit can alsobring financial responsibilities with it. This isparticularly true of houses financially dependenton the Province. I would ask that when we makesuch visits to parishes or residences that weconsider a financial contribution to help coversome expenses that may be incurred in our timethere. It would not be fair, to my way of thinking,that others subsidize our vacation time. This ismost conveniently worked out before visiting withthe host.This has been an ongoing discussion, andmany ‘sides’ of this question have been voicedand studied. The last thing that anyone wants isfor people to feel unwelcome or a burden, but atthe same time we should respond responsibly tothe costs our lengthy visit may represent.Visit with Don Marrokal, C.R.On Friday December 30, 2005, JimJohnstone, C.R., Jim Valk, C.R., and I visited DonMarrokal, C.R., in Forum Health Center inYoungstown, Ohio. It was a lengthy day trip, andwe had about two hours with Don. He has comealong well since having colon surgery, which didnot necessitate a colostomy. He was stillexperiencing problems with blood clots, but wasresponding well physically, and to the work of theoccupational therapist. We briefly met his doctor.He has now moved to a nursing home, run by afriend of his. He was looking forward to it,although he has enjoyed his apartment for manyyears and his neighbours there.We reminisced with Don about manyResurrectionists and many occasions sharedtogether in Community. He was so happy to hearabout many of his brothers in Community, andasked about many. Our visit concluded with thecelebration of the Sacrament of Anointing of theSick by Jim Valk, C.R.Don was grateful for the visit, and I promisedto come again. As soon as possible I will makeavailable the new address and telephone numberfor further communication with members of theProvince.Visit with Charlie WestfallShortly before Christmas I visited CharlieWestfall in his apartment in Hamilton. He was asgracious a host as always! Charlie has had somedifficult months after a fall in which he broke hisshoulder. He continues to suffer from leg problems,which affects his mobility. We had a lengthyconversation in which the names of many Resurrectionistscame up. Charlie continues to reach outin compassion to many in his building, and in theAIDS network in Hamilton and area. I told him Iwould return, for which he was grateful. Charlie’saddress is 507-100 Ferguson Avenue, South, Hamilton,ON L8N 3Y1. Charlie’s phone number is905-526-9257. His email address is

weschar@sympatico.ca. He would be happy to hearfrom other Resurrectionists.Jim Donohue, C.R., nominatedfor AwardJim Donohue, C.R., together with colleagueKarl Einolf, have been nominated by Mount St.Mary’s University for the ‘2005 U.S. Professors ofthe Year Awards’. There are 300 candidatesnominated, of which only four will receive the award.In 2003 Jim received the ‘Faculty Award forExcellence’, and in 2000 the ‘Richard’s Award forTeaching Excellence’, both given by St. Mary’s.Congratulations, Jim!‘Christian Funeral Practices ina Changed Time and Culture’At the Superiors’ Conference Jim Donohue,C.R., made available copies of this work that he andJohn McFadden collaborated together on (Wipf andStock Publishers, Eugene Oregon, 2005). There wererequests for more copies, which Jim has generouslysent to the Provincial Office. If you do not have acopy, please let us know, and we can mail a copy toyou.St. Jerome’s UniversityRecently St. Jerome’s University was rockedby the news that its President, Dr. Michael Higgins,had accepted the position of President at St. ThomasUniversity in Fredericton, New Brunswick, effectiveJuly 1. Michael has contributed greatly to theUniversity as a teacher, led the University well as itsPresident, and has been a supporter and friend to theResurrectionists. Jim Link, C.R., has been appointedto the Presidential Search Committee.Suggestions for ResurrectionistCelebrationsI remind you of the letter I sent out on the backof the last Newsletter, and invite your suggestions ofways to celebrate:1. the 200 th Anniversary of the birthof Bogdan Janski;2. the 150 th Anniversary of our arrival inNorth America.Please talk about this at a House Meeting, andsend me something in writing before March 1.Requests for PrayersPlease remember the following in yourprayers:the faithful departed:Michael Bartczyszyn, father of Very Rev. SteveBartczyszyn, C.R.Clara Carvajal, mother of Nelson Carvajal,C.R.Frank Dietrich, brother of the late Ed Dietrich,C.R.Harry Dietrich, brother of the late Ed Dietrich,C.R.Sarah Misselbrook, daughter of Gerry and Pat(Kroetsch) GrundyBernetta (Oberholzer) Reitzel, sister-in-law ofFrank Reitzel, C.R., and sister of the late FredOberholzer, C.R.Casimir Wilczynski, C.R., of the U.S.A.Provinceour deceased Benefactorsthe sick:Vern Brunning, C.R.Albert Carvajal, father of Nelson Carvajal,C.R.Jim Ivers, Director of Resurrection Center inWoodstock, IllinoisFrank McDermott, father of MurrayMcDermott, C.R.others:Michal KruszewskiToby Collins, C.R., in his final semester atAquinas Institutevocations to our Religious Communityour new General CuriaDr. Michael Higginsthe Presidential Search Committee of St.Jerome’s Universitythe newly elected government of Canada

This is the second report from Sangre de Cristo from Bro. Ed Hohenadel C.R.In the last newsletter I shared with you the first part of the program at Sangre whichfocused on the interior life. How does God work in me?The second half of the program follows a silent eight day retreat starting in late October.This section helps you look at ministry but in a different way. Some of the topics are:moved with compassion, a spirituality of ministry; ethics as process; developing rightrelationships; tools for ministry and new cosmology. This last section had some greatinput but it just went too fast.A full nine days was spent on our sharing and reflecting in different sized groups of howthe program and God touched us. It was directed by the participants and for a lot of us itwas a time to build relationships. Some of us gained more than others. I think this wasdue to the fact that we would share with each other after each program. Sometimes thesharing was during an hour walk, maybe in the spa, just sitting outside or in the fireplaceroom.I was asked by my spiritual director in the first week what color I would say my feelingswere. My answer was pink because I felt warm inside and happy to be there. Her gift toall her retreatants was a prayer shawl. Guess what color mine is?Even though I still have to deal with sadness in my life, I gained more insight intomyself, love myself more and the God who created me. My closing remarks at the lastgroup sharing was that God was caressing my heart from inside. I am indeed a happysinner.If you get the notion that you need a time away like this, I would be more than happy toanswer any questions you have.We always closed our prayer sessions withLive Jesus in Our Hearts. ForeverPeaceEd