Feast of the Sacred Heart
Dear brothers, as usual, here we are at our first annual gathering as the SCJ region, to celebrate the traditional Feast of the Sacred Heart in advance. We are overjoyed to be together once again in this familiar, warm, and intimate setting to mark this great feast day for the Universal Church, which is also our patronal feast.
Beyond the festive aspect that allows us to tangibly experience Sint Unum as disciples of Father Dehon and members of the region, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is above all a time for deep reflection during which we contemplate Christ’s unconditional love and mercy. We thus seek to establish an intimate connection between the Eucharist and the Heart of Jesus, which symbolizes his profound love and compassionate care for humanity. This is why the traditional format of our celebration includes Eucharistic adoration the evening before and the Eucharistic celebration the following day, moments of great significance in our life of faith. The two moments are also accompanied by a shared fraternal meal, as a sign of gratitude for all the blessings received from the Lord and, above all, for the brothers and sisters whom the Lord places on our path, both in our communities and in our pastoral contexts. This feast is also an opportunity to renew our commitments as Dehonian religious by taking up the challenges associated with this vocation in our daily lives, in a spirit of total self-giving.
As always, we would like to thank the Ottawa community, which, despite the challenges its members sometimes face, has agreed to welcome our brothers to share this moment of grace together. We are aware of the disruptions such an event causes to the community’s daily routine, and yet you have generously agreed to host us.
Thank you also to our confreres from Toronto who will lead the adoration today, as well as to those from Montreal who will preside over and lead the Eucharist tomorrow. We have not forgotten our collaborators, especially Donald, for his willingness and generosity in putting his musical talents at our service. This is also an opportunity to unite with all our confreres around the world who will be celebrating with us a God who never ceases to love us despite our limitations in loving as He does and in sharing that love with others.
Thank you to everyone who, in one way or another, has contributed to making this double celebration a reality. We would especially like to thank Chef Ric’s Catering for providing the meal.
We would like to join our thoughts and prayers with those of our confreres who, for various reasons, are unable to be with us these days. Our thoughts go especially to Father Martin, who is still stranded in India due to visa issues; to Father Vando, who is on vacation in Brazil; to Father Jim Casper, who remained in Toronto to provide parish services; and to our dear Father Guy Bertrand, who had to devote himself to his academic obligations. Let us also spare a special thought for the Congolese people, as well as for our confreres working in regions affected by the Ebola virus, a disease that has forced some of us to alter their vacation plans; may the Lord assist them in these times of trial, and may they find love, compassion, and consolation in the heart of Jesus.
In closing, we have two announcements to share. The first, for those who are not yet aware, is the official appointment of Father Greg Murray as a full member of the Toronto community, residing at the High Park house. The second announcement concerns the implementation of the Dehonian Care plan. Each superior will assist the members of his community in completing the form; a copy of which will be submitted to the regional superior during the regional assembly to be held August 17–20, 2026, in the Toronto region, a date to mark on our calendars. I also ask you to read the letter from the Superior General written for the Feast of the Sacred Heart, titled “Let Us then, Go to Him.”
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus continue to inspire us to take actions that can change our lives and those of our brothers and sisters.
Happy feast day to all,
Ottawa, June 10, 2006
Gustave Lulendo SCJ
Regional Superior
