New Title - Canons Regular of St. John Cantius

Via Sacra
VOLUME VII, NUMBER 1
THE
NEWSLETTER
OF THE
S OCIETY
OF
ST. J OHN C ANTIUS
FROM THE SUPERIOR’S DESK
COORDINATING COUNCIL
Rev. C. Frank Phillips, C.R.
Fr. Director
Rev. Burns Seeley, S.S.J.C.
Fr. Assistant Director
Rev. Albert Tremari, S.S.J.C.
Bursar
Rev. James Isaacson, S.S.J.C.
Member
BOARD OF
SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS
AND ADVISORS
Rev. Regis Barwig, O.S.B.
Rev. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.
Rev. John Hardon, S.J.
(deceased)
Dr. James Hitchcock
Bishop Basil Meeking
Rev. Thomas Nelson, O.Praem.
Bishop Joseph Perry
Msgr. Richard Schuler
Msgr. James Turro
Telephone: 312-243-7373
Fax: 312-243-4545
Dear Friends and Benefactors,
As I write to you,
eight long months have
already passed since our
last issue of Via Sacra
and many of you probably wondered why you
didn’t receive the usual
Spring/Holy Week issue.
We know that many of
you look forward to the
photos and articles, so
that you can keep up
with everything that is
happening in the Society
of St. John Cantius. To
be honest—there have
been so many things happening in the life of the
Society since January
that sometimes we were
barely able to keep up
with everything.
Easter came exceptionally early this year
and seemed to catch us
all off guard. Barely had
Lent begun when we
found ourselves standing in front of Holy
Week, which is the most
intense week of the year
for us. The Easter vigil
brought us the joy of the
Risen Lord but the next
day we were already
plunged into preparations for a two-day
wake and funeral of a
prominent parishioner,
with thousands of mourners from the United States
and abroad.
On the heels of this
sad occasion, we were
AUGUST 15, 2005
August 5, 2005
Our Lady of the Snows
then thrown into mourning once again with the
death of our beloved
Pontiff, John Paul II.
This was changed into
The cover to the souvenir booklet for Our Lady of the
New Millennium at St. Anne’s Chapel was designed by the
Society’s own graphic designer, Br. Joshua Caswell.
1
the anxious anticipation
of the papal conclave
and finally into jubilation with the election of
Benedict XVI. We experienced those weeks with
a great intensity. How
many times in one’s lifetime does one have the
opportunity to experience the death and funeral of one of the great
popes of all history, followed by the election of
his successor?
But this wasn’t the end
of it. At the beginning of
May we anticipated the
return of our seminarians
from Connecticut and the
ordination of Deacon
Brendan Gibson later that
month. And interwoven
with this was extensive
planning and preparation
for an exciting, but exhausting, two-week series
Members of the Society have to get away once in awhile for a little recreation. So in January,
they took a day off to visit parishioners, who live in northwest Indiana and headed out to
the Indiana Dunes State Park for a good healthy hike. Here they take a break to pose on
the snow-covered beach of Lake Michigan. (PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID TUTWILER)
of events at our St. Anne’s
Chapel in Lawton, Michigan connected with the
arrival of the 33-foot
statue of Our Lady of the
New Millennium.
So, as you can see,
God has kept us very
busy the last several
months. Now, in this expanded edition of the Via
Sacra, I would like to
update you in more detail about all that has
happened since January
and share with you some
of the many interesting
photos from these activities and events.
Rev. C. Frank Phillips, C.R.
Founder-Superior
On the morning of January 24, 2005, Fr. Jim Isaacson said Mass in the chapel of the Dominican House of Studies near the
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. for the group from St. John Cantius Parish, who were getting ready
to take part in the March for Life. Front row (left to right): Eileen Dziak, Anne Dziak, Ashley Michalowski.
Middle row: Br. Chad McCoy, Sean Dempsey, Trevor Karas, Sarah Michalowski, Kathryn Michalowski, Br. Joshua Caswell,
Fr. Jim Isaacson, Br. Brian Schafer. Back row: Anselm Karas, Aaron Pfauth, Charlie Geters.
2
DECEMBER 2004
Shortly after last
Christmas, when all of
our brothers were back
home from Holy Apostle
Seminary, Cardinal George
joined us for an evening
of dinner and conversation. This year’s meeting
with him was especially
exciting because he outlined his perspective of
the Society’s ministry at
St. John’s, as well as the
Society’s future at St.
Peter’s Parish in Volo, Illinois. We all realize that
many challenges face the
Society as we continue to
grow, but all the men are
eager to work in the vineyard of the Lord.
JANUARY 2005
During
January,
Brother Scott Haynes directed the music for a
Mass, which he recently
composed. I myself gave
a presentation to the
Trevor Karas (center) and other young parishioners from St. John Cantius Parish in Chicago
joined members of the Society of St. John Cantius in this year’s March for Life in
Washington, D.C. on January 24, 2005.
paper, The New World.
Later in the month,
Father Jim Isaacson organized a trip to Washington, D.C. to take part
in the annual March for
Life. Brothers Chad,
Joshua and Brian, as well
Catholic Citizens of Illinois on the formation of
the Society of St. John
Cantius in the context of
the parochial life. Portions of my presentation
were later published in
the archdiocesan news-
Taking part in this year’s March for Life in Washington, DC January 24, 2005, were
(left to right) Deacon Brendan Gibson, Fr. Jim Isaacson, Br. Alexander Schimpf,
Br. Brian Schafer, Br. Joshua Caswell, Br. Anthony Rice.
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as a number of young
adults from the parish,
accompanied him on
that trip. While in Washington, they met our
Brothers from the Seminary, who had driven
down to Washington
from Connecticut for the
March. As I understand
it, our young adults
brought a great enthusiasm to the March.
A while back, Cardinal
George appointed me as
chaplain to the Patrons
of the Vatican Museums,
which is a wonderful organization that raises
monies to assist the
Vatican in restoring
works of art. At the end
of January, I was able to
host a small reception at
St. John’s for the group
in order to familiarize
them with our beautiful
church and some of our
collections of sacred art.
On the way back from this year’s March for Life in Washington, DC the participants from St. John
Cantius Parish stopped at St. Anthony’s Relic Chapel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Fr. Jim Isaacson
said Mass for the group. Sitting (left to right): Fr. Jim Isaacson, Trevor Karas, Anne Dziak, Sean
Dempsey, Br. Chad McCoy; standing: Aaron Pfauth, Anselm Karas, Charlie Geters, Sarah Michalowski,
Eileen Dziak, Kathryn Michalowski, Ashley Michalowski, Br. Joshua Caswell, Br. Brian Schafer.
While they were here, I
sent them on a “Treasure
Hunt” of various works
of art in the church,
which they had to “discover” and learn more
about.
MARCH 2005
dinal Arinze and presented to him the music
for two Masses, which
Br. Scott Haynes had
composed. During our
conversation, the Cardinal told us about the
In March, an opportunity arose to travel to
Rome along with Fr. Jim,
Br. Robert and Br.
Joshua. During our stay
there, we met with Car-
Is this Batman and his sidekick Boy Robin? No, it’s Br. Alexander Schimpf and Deacon Brendan Gibson
running to catch up with the others in this year’s March for Life in Washington, DC January 24, 2005.
4
work his office does and
the many challenges,
which face them every
day. As a parting gift, he
presented us with a
book, which he had just
written on Divine Providence, and then he gave
us his blessing.
Fr. Isaacson and I also
were fortunate to briefly
meet with Monsignor
Charles Mangan from
the Congregation of the
Clergy, who is well
known to members of
the Institute on Religious
Life. All four of us were
also able to meet with
the Rector of St. Mary
Major Basilica, Monsignor Jagosz. David
Carrollo, a good friend
of the Society, who was
with us, acted as translator. During our visit,
Monsignor Jagosz gave
us a private viewing of
the Basilica’s crypt museum.
While in Rome one
can always be assured of
the opportunity to visit
many churches. While
we were there, we were
able to visit almost 90
churches and chapels.
And in light of the fact
that our stay in Rome
took place during Lent, a
majority of them were
the Lenten Stational
Churches.
For nearly 6 years, we
were fortunate to have
Father James Downey,
O.S.B., former director
of the Institute on Religious Life, as a resident
in our rectory. During
this time he assisted in
teaching the Novices,
hearing confessions and
offering a daily Tridentine Mass in our church.
But due to age and declining health, he decided to return to his
monastery in Kansas. On
Laetare Sunday, before
he left us, we presented
Father Downey with the
Golden Rose for his
many years of service in
the life of the Church.
We bid farewell to a man
of great faith and one
who supported both the
work in our parish, as
well as the men of the
Society.
On the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19, we were
very pleased to have Father Michael Alcantara, a
priest of the Archdiocese
of Chicago, celebrate his
40th Anniversary of Ordination at St. John’s. Father Mike is one of the
Society’s supporters and
views us as his adopted
religious family.
Finally, as we approached the final days
of Lent, everyone realized the extent of the
work, which had now
come upon us. In order
to make the ceremonies
of Holy Week perfect,
much time needed to be
spent in preparation of
the Sacred Music, vesting of the altars, set-up
and takedown of decorations as each day of the
Holy Week progressed. It
was a blessing to have
three of our seminarians
home for the Triduum.
Our fourth seminarian,
Brother Anthony Rice,
requested to visit his
For the occasion of the Polish National Alliance’s 125th Anniversary, its president,
Edward Moskal, requested a Tridentine Solemn High Mass at St. John Cantius Church
where he was a life-long parishioner. Fr. Dennis Kolinski (left to right) assisted in the role of deacon,
Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R. was the celebrant, Fr. Regis Barwig, O.S.B. delivered the sermon
and Fr. Jim Isaacson assisted in the role of Subdeacon. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDRZEJ BARANIAK)
family in order to take
care of some personal
family matters.
Each day of Holy
Week was laden with
grace. The Office of
Tenebrae on Wednesday
has always been one of
the popular days of Holy
Week at St. John’s. We
were blest with good
weather, so nearly 600
individuals attended.
The splendor of Holy
Thursday night with the
Eucharistic Procession to
the Repository always
fills people with emotion
as they then “watch and
wait” with Our Blessed
Lord in the Garden of
Parishioners Dorothy and David Carollo look over some of the paintings at the opening night of the
Second Annual St. John Cantius Art Show on April 8, 2005. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL)
5
our priests heard many
hundreds of confessions
on Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday of Holy Week
as we approached the
Great Sabbath on Holy
Saturday. This Mother of
all Vigils seems to be attracting more and more
people because each year
our attendance increases.
It is upon the three sacred days of the Sacred
Triduum—Holy Thursday,
Good Friday and Holy
Saturday—that the entire
Year of Grace rests. From
this Triduum grace upon
grace flows into our lives,
sanctifying everything we
do, for as we pray in the
blessing of the Paschal
Candle, ALL TIME BELONGS TO HIM.
Then, with the entire
church adorned with
flowers and decorations,
On the evening of May 26, Deacon Brendan Gibson was waiting
anxiously for the ordination Mass to start.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
Gethsemane. Hundreds
of individuals visited our
church this year as part
of the Holy Thursday
night pilgrimages. We
ourselves sent four
busloads of pilgrims to
various churches on that
night after the Mass.
Members of the Society
either took turns in adoration at the Repository
here at St. John’s or took
part in the pilgrimage.
On Good Friday, we
were once again blest
with good weather, so
the church was filled for
the Solemn Liturgical
Service. I must add that
St. John Cantius Church was full for the funeral of former parish council president, Edward Moskal,
who had also been president of the Polish National Alliance and the Polish American Congress
for many years. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
6
we were finally ready to
celebrate the joy of Easter. The Tridentine Solemn High Mass was the
crowning point of the
Easter celebration. The
church was filled to capacity and the Resurrection Choir and Orchestra
rendered the Sacred Music with great fervor.
But it was during the
Easter season, this time of
great joy, that we also experienced great loss in
both the parish and the
Church. Long time parishioner, parish president and
supporter of the Society of
St. John Cantius, Edward
Moskal, entered eternity
during Holy Week and already on Easter Monday
we were preparing for his
Wake, which was to be
held in the church because
we knew that there would
be large numbers of
mourners. He was President of the Polish National Alliance and Polish
American Congress for
many years and many dignitaries from the United
States and Poland came to
pay their last respects.
It is a fair estimate to
say that between the
two-day Wake and the
Requiem
Mass
on
Wednesday of Easter
Week, over 3000 people
attended. Mr. Moskal
had always liked the
Mozart Requiem in D
Minor, which we do every year at St. John’s for
the Mass on All Souls’
Day, so we thought it
only fitting that the
parish’s Sine Nomine
Choir and Orchestra
Members of the Society were so elated with the election of Benedict XVI as the new Roman Pontiff, that on April 20,
the day following his election, they spontaneously organized a march with young people and parents from the parish. The group
of over 100 decked out in white and gold, marched from St. John Cantius Church to Holy Name Cathedral where
(PHOTO COURTESY OF JAKUB RZEPKA)
they took part in a rally in support of the new pope.
should sing this same
Requiem Mass for his
funeral.
APRIL 2005
With a statue of Our Lady of Fatima towering above them, the march organized by the
Society of St. John Cantius on the day following the election of Pope Benedict XVI,
seemed to be the center of attention along the entire route from St. John Cantius Church
to Holy Name Cathedral. (PHOTO COURTESY OF JAKUB RZEPKA)
7
But we had barely said
farewell to a dear parishioner, when we were
struck again with sadness,
for it was just a few days
later, that along with the
Church and the entire
world we began to mourn
the loss of Pope John Paul
II. Those were days of
great emotion for the
members of the Society,
who felt the very real loss
of a dear and great Holy
Father. Our sorrow was
also mixed with a feeling
of anticipation about who
would—who could—suc-
ceed him. We were all able
to watch the Wake on
television, as hundreds of
thousands of mourners
came to St. Peter’s Basilica
for the visitation.
We made it a point to
get up in the early morning to view the Papal Funeral Mass, which took
place on St. Peter’s
Square—something that
one does not experience
often in a lifetime. During those days of the
Holy Father’s Wake, Funeral Mass and nine days
of Masses for the repose
of his soul, we all prayed
the Novena to the Holy
Spirit here.
Knowing with confidence that the Holy
Spirit guides His Church,
we nonetheless wondered: “Who will the
In January 8, 2005, some of the members of the Society traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan to visit
the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. Fr. Jim Isaacson has known
the community’s founder, Mother Assumpta Long for many years and Br. Joshua Caswell’s sister
Patsy had just entered the community. Standing here are (left to right): Sr. Mary Samuel,
Fr. Jim Isaacson, Sr. Patsy Caswell, Br. Joshua Caswell and Br. Brian Schafer.
several days after the
conclusion of those intense days of mourning,
we saw the new Holy Father emerge on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica—Benedict
XVI,
formerly Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger, Prefect of the
Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith. We
wondered what would
develop in the life of the
Church with our new
Holy Father, but we
knew for sure that this
man was chosen under
the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit and as such
will lead the Church
wisely.
In the midst of these
historic events, Brother
Chad continued to organize and coordinate the
Second Annual Cantius
Art Show in the St. John
Cantius Parish Hall. A
number of parishioners,
Cardinals elect as the
next pope?” But imagine
the surprise when only
During his to visit the Dominican Sisters of Mary,
Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in January 2005,
Fr. Jim Isaacson conferred his first priestly blessing
on all of the sisters at the convent
8
as well as other local artists, submitted art works
for the show. Considering that this event required hours and hours
of preparation over and
above the Society’s regular schedule, Brother
Chad was extremely
busy trying to make this
event a success.
MAY 2005
As many of you know,
we ordered a set of cast
bronze bells for the St.
Anne’s Chapel in Lawton.
We dedicated them to
Pope John Paul II on the
25th anniversary of his papacy, which he declared as
the Year of the Rosary,
and each bell was named
after one of the Luminous
Mysteries of the Rosary.
On May 3rd we were delighted to have Bishop Joseph Perry from the Archdiocese
of
Chicago
consecrate the bells. A
number of parishioners
and local families attended this impressive ceremony. After this, our
own “Uncle Bob” from
Lawton and a crew of expert workmen from the
area set up the bell tower
in front of the St. Anne’s
Chapel and mounted the
bells on the it.
As we approached the
end of May, the activities
of the Society reached fever pitch as we made final
preparations for the ordination of Deacon Brendan
Gibson. Cardinal George
ordained him on May
26th, the original date of
the Feast of Corpus
Christi, with a number of
priest concelebrants in attendance.
Father Brendan offered
his First Solemn Mass of
Thanksgiving on Sunday,
May 29th, the “External
Feast of Corpus Christi.”
At the conclusion of the
Mass, he presided over a
Procession with the
Blessed Sacrament on the
parish grounds. Later that
afternoon, members of
the Society, as well as family and friends of Father
Brendan gathered for a
wonderful banquet to
bring to a close a wonderful event in the life of the
Church, the Society and
Father Brendan’s family.
The very next day,
May 30, a number of the
members of the Society
went to Lawton, Michigan to prepare for the arrival of the statue of Our
Lady of the New Millennium—the culmination of
The statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium was at the St. Anne’s Chapel from June 5 through
June 11. As seen here, many visitors came to visit the statue and chapel. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL)
June 5th. With a sigh of
relief and a prayer of
thanksgiving all of us,
who were at Lawton during that rather “tense”
week without the statue,
were finally at peace.
On Sunday, June 5th, it
seemed that the day exploded with excitement.
Not only was the statue
of Our Lady of the New
Millennium to arrive, but
the blessing of a carved
statue of Our Lady of
Ludzmierz was also
planned for that day. Two
busloads of Polish pilgrims in native costumes
drove in from Chicago,
along with many others
in private cars. Over 200
Górale (Polish Highlanders) from Chicago came
for this event in honor of
Our Lady of Ludzmierz,
Patroness of their region
in the Polish mountains.
weeks of intensive planning. Unfortunately, due
to Michigan laws, oversize loads were prohibited
on the Memorial Day
Weekend, thus making it
impossible for the statue
to arrive on the scheduled
day, May 31. Throughout
the week, Father Jim and
myself contacted every
possible person we could
to see if there was some
way to get the statue to
Lawton.
JUNE 2005
As the week literally
“dragged on,” the hope of
having the statue seemed
to fade away, until the
Hour of Mercy on First
Friday, June 3rd, when everything finally fell into
place. Permissions were
finally granted, so that the
statue of Our Lady could
be delivered on Sunday,
9
There were also many
people from the local
area. The heat was blistering that day but everyone
was in good spirits.
A little past noon, as
we were preparing to begin the ceremonies for the
enthronement of the
statue in St. Anne’s
Chapel, the statue of Our
Lady of the New Millennium finally arrived. So,
everything was put on
hold until the large statue
was set in place near the
chapel.
When that was done,
the statue of Our Lady of
Ludzmierz was solemnly
blessed by Father Waclaw
Lech, OCD. The Górale
(Polish
Highlanders)
then carried Her in a
beautiful procession to
the chapel in their colorful traditional costumes.
Following Fr. Brendan Gibson’s First Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving on May 29, he led the
parish’s annual Corpus Christi procession. Here, he gives the benediction with the
Blessed Sacrament at the first altar. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
After She was enshrined in St. Anne’s
Chapel, Father Lech and
our own Father Dennis
Kolinski offered the
Mass in Polish for the
pilgrims. The Knights of
Columbus
of
the
Hennepin Province acted
as honor guard and occupied places of honor in
the Choir area of the
chapel, along with the
standard bearers of
many of the Highlander
organizations.
After the Mass, our
Polish pilgrims then gathered in various places on
the grounds for an outdoor picnic, but this was
cut short when gale force
winds suddenly hit. As the
pilgrims scrambled back
to their buses and cars, a
torrential downpour put a
complete stop to everything.
But now that “Our
Lady” was finally in
Lawton, things began “to
happen.” Each day we
offered the regular Canonical Hours of the Divine Office (Matins,
Lauds, None, Vespers,
Compline), two Masses,
the Divine Mercy chaplet
and a Rosary Procession.
On Thursday, we held a
beautiful Eucharistic Procession, which a large
number of pilgrims attended.
We estimate that during the second week,
over 5,000 individuals
visited St. Anne’s Chapel
to see Our Lady. This included Catholics and
non-Catholics alike. And
I think that to this day,
people are still talking
about this special event.
But as all good things
come to an end, so too
was this week with Our
Lady. On June 11 th, we
conducted the final services, packed up and
made our way back to
Chicago.
In mid-June, our
newly ordained Father
Brendan accompanied
Brother Joshua Caswell
to his home in northern
Saskatchewan, Canada
to assist in the summer
camp, which Mr. and
Mrs. Caswell conduct
each year for the children in their town.
Brother Joshua’s sister,
Sister Patsy, a Postulant
in the Dominican Sisters
of Mary, Mother of the
Eucharist, was also able
to make a home visit together with her brother.
Aided
by
your
prayers, the Society of St.
John Cantius continues
to grow. On June 22 nd
this year, we received
four men into the
Postulancy program—
Nathan Caswell, brother
During the Mass of Ordination on May 26, Fr. Brendan Gibson
distributed Holy Communion to parishioner Pam Ahearn,
assisted by Br. Alexander Schimpf. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
10
Following the Ordination Mass on May 26, newly ordained Fr. Brendan Gibson stands with Cardinal George and the other clergy,
who were present. To the left of Cardinal George are Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R. and Bishop Joseph Perry. To the right of Fr. Gibson are
Bishop Basil Meeking and Bishop Thomas Paprocki. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
to
Brother
Joshua
Caswell, Robin Kwan,
Matthew Lewis and Trenton Rauck. The first days
of entrance are always difficult because one is not
only adapting to a new
schedule but also to different prayers, classes, work
and recreation. We ask
you to continue to pray
for vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life,
especially to the Society of
St. John Cantius.
JULY 2005
As we continue to
grow, more obligations
are placed on the Society,
and as a result, more is
expected of us. In connec-
tion with this, Cardinal
George requested ArchAbbot Lambert, O.S.B. to
conduct our very first Canonical Visitation. During
his visitation at the beginning of July, Abbot Lambert met with each member of the Society in order
to get a good sense of our
community for his report
to Cardinal George. In addition, he gave us some
guidance on religious life
that he himself had
learned through his life as
a Benedictine monk and
then later abbot at St.
Meinrad’s Abbey.
Through the generosity of many donors, a
number of the brothers
were able to accompany
Abbot
Edmund
F.
McCaffrey, O.S.B. on his
last pilgrimage to Fatima
during the second half of
July. Fathers Al, Jim and
myself also joined them.
During the pilgrimage, we
kept all our benefactors in
our prayers.
AUGUST 2005
But now that the summer is rapidly coming to
an end, we pray that you
may all enjoy the remaining days of summer ahead
of you. We ask that you
pray for Brother Nathan
Caswell, Brother Robin
Kwan, Brother Matthew
Lewis and Brother Tren-
11
ton Rauck, who will receive the habit on August
14th. We also ask that you
pray for Brother Robert
Maresh, Brother Chad
McCoy, Brother Anthony
Rice
and
Brother
Alexander Schimpf, who
will renew their vows on
August 15th. In addition,
Brother Joshua Caswell
and Brother Scott Haynes
will profess first vows on
that day.
As we prepare to celebrate the solemnity of
Our Blessed Mother’s Assumption into heaven, I
pray that She will always
guide you along the path
that will lead you to Her
Divine Son.
At the beginning of the Rite of Ordination at St. John Cantius Church on May 26, 2004,
Deacon Brendan Gibson prostrated himself on the floor of the sanctuary during the chanting of the Litany
of the Saints. Kneeling in front of him are (left to right) Deacon Bart Juncer, Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.,
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
and Fr. C. Frank Phillips, C.R.
After the “imposition of hands” Cardinal George recited the prayer of ordination surrounded
by all of the other priests in attendance. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
12
Deacon Brendan Gibson knelt before Cardinal George and all of the other attending priests as he
awaited the Cardinal’s final prayer of ordination. In attendance at his ordination on May 26
were (left to right) Bishop Thomas Paprocki, Bishop Basil Meeking, and Bishop Joseph Perry.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
During the ordination ceremony the newly ordained priest kneels
in front of the ordaining bishop, who anoints his hands
with sacred chrism to signify the sacredness of those hands,
which from that time will consecrate bread and wine
and hold the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord.
Fr. Brendan Gibson knelt for the anointing of his hands before
Cardinal George on May 26, assisted by Deacon Bart Juncer (left)
(PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
and Fr. Frank Phillips (right).
Deacon Brendan Gibson knelt before Cardinal George
and all of the other attending priests as he awaited
the final prayer of ordination. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
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After the “imposition of hands,” by which the ordaining bishop calls
down the Holy Spirit configuring the ordinand to Christ the High
Priest, all of the other priests in attendance also lay hands on the newly
ordained in solidarity with the bishop. (PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
After the ordinand is “called” by the bishop at the beginning
of the Rite of Ordination, he then kneels in front of the bishop,
who clasps the ordinand’s folded hands within his own,
as the ordinand makes his solemn promises to the bishop.
On May 26, Deacon Brendan Gibson proclaimed to
Cardinal George his readiness to accept the responsibilities
(PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
of the priesthood.
On May 29, the Feast of Corpus Christi, Fr. Brendan Gibson celebrated h
(PHOTO COURTESY OF
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At the conclusion of the Rite of Ordination on May 26,
after the Fr. Brendan Gibson had been vested in the chasuble
of the priesthood, Cardinal George welcomed his new priest.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
Although it is not a part of the formal Rite of Ordination
there is a beautiful and touching custom that one sees at many
ordinations. At the conclusion of the Ordination Mass,
the ordaining bishop kneels in front of the newly ordained priest
to receive his first priestly blessing. Here, Fr. Brendan Gibson
imparts that blessing on Cardinal George.
ated his first Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving at St. John Cantius Church.
ESY OF PAUL VARGA)
(PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL VARGA)
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THE BELLS OF ST. ANNE’S CHAPEL
1
3
Bishop Joseph Perry began the solemn ceremony of consecration
for the Society’s new bells in Lawton, Michigan with the assistance
of Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R. (left) and Deacon Bart Juncer (right).
Members of the Society, friends from the Lawton-Paw Paw area
and youth from St. John Cantius Parish, were present
for the elaborate ceremony. (PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. DENNIS KOLIÑSKI, SSJC)
Following the sprinkling with Holy Water during the consecration
of bells, the bishop then incenses the bells. Bishop Perry is assisted
by Deacon Bart Juncer. (PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. DENNIS KOLIÑSKI, SSJC)
2
4
After the incensation of the bells during the ceremony for the
consecration of bells, the most interesting part is the anointing of
each bell with Sacred Chrism by the bishop. The Sacred Chrism is
generously poured over the bell. Then, the bishop calls the bell by its
name, marking the Sign of the Cross on it in the Chrism and reciting
the prayer of consecration. (PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. DENNIS KOLIÑSKI, SSJC)
After he reads the opening prayers for the consecration of bells,
the bishop sprinkles each bell with Holy Water. Bishop Perry is
assisted by Deacon Bart Juncer. (PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. DENNIS KOLIÑSKI, SSJC)
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After the blessing of the new bells on May 3, 2005 at Lawton, Michigan, members of the Society posed for this photo with
Bishop Joseph Perry, Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago. (left to right) Br. Chad McCoy, Br. Brendan Bartlett,
Br. Anthony Rice, Br. Scott Haynes, Deacon Bart Juncer, Bishop Joseph Perry, Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R., Br. Joshua Caswell,
Br. Alexander Schimpf, Fr. Jim Isaacson, Br. Brian Schafer, Keith Manna, Fr. Brendan Gibson, Br. Robert Maresh, Fr. Dennis Koliñski.
Recently installed outside the
entrance to St. Anne’s Chapel is a
set of five church bells custom-designed for the Society of St. John
Cantius by the oldest bell-makers
in central Europe, Ludwisarnia
Felczynskich. Their family-owned
and run bell foundry based outside of Gliwice in southern Poland, has been in business since
1808. The bells they produce are
all individually handcrafted according to a centuries-old tradition of bell making and no two
bells are alike. Each of the five
bells in the set at St. Anne’s Chapel
is named for one of the Luminous
Mysteries of the Rosary, and they
are hung according to size and
mystery—the smallest bell, representing the First Mystery, at the
top and the largest bell, representing the Fifth Mystery, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, at the
bottom. The entire set of bells was
dedicated to Pope John Paul II in
2003, the 25th year of his pontificate and the Year of the Rosary.
Because the new bells at St. Anne’s Chapel still hadn’t been hooked up to an electrical control
mechanism, they had to be rung the old-fashioned way—by hand.
The brothers had so much fun doing this that they might be disappointed
(PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
once they are electrified.
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FAREWELL & GOLDEN ROSE PRESENTATION TO
FR. JAMES DOWNEY, O.S.B.
After residing for almost six years at the Society of St. John Cantius motherhouse, Fr. James Downey, O.S.B. decided that it was time to return to his home abbey in Atchinson, Kansas. During that time, although not a member
of the Society himself, Fr. Downey had become a close member of the Society’s family and a regular part of its parish life in Chicago. His departure was the occasion to specially honor him for his contributions as a defender of the
Faith. The following is a portion of the presentation made to Fr. Downey on March 6, Laetare Sunday:
The custom of blessing a golden
rose by the pope is so old that in
1051 Pope Leo IX spoke of it as an
ancient practice. Popes often presented them to notable churches,
kings, queens and distinguished persons as a mark of their fidelity to the
Church and their promotion of the
Faith. And a number of years ago,
Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R., Founder of
the Society of St. John Cantius, decided to institute this same custom
at St. John Cantius Parish as a way
to recognize those individuals
among us, who have done much to
promote our Catholic Faith.
For the 2005 Golden Rose
Award, there was no one more worthy than Fr. James Downey, O.S.B.,
who had done much to promote the
teachings of the Catholic Church.
He will probably be remembered
most for his work as the Executive
Director of the Institute on Religious Life, overseeing its efforts to
support and promote authentic religious life that is faithful to the
magisterial teachings of the Church.
When the Institute decided to
move its main office to Chicago in
1999, he took up residence here
with the Society of St. John Cantius
and its parish in Chicago for what
was to be a few months and ended
up just staying there. This turned
out to be a great blessing for the Society. He helped with Masses &
Confessions in church and taught
some classes to the novices. For the
entire Society of St. John Cantius,
Fr. Downey had been not only a
constant source of inspiration and a
model for us as religious, but also a
very dear friend.
In a time when the ministerial
priesthood is being attacked by
many people from without and
within the Church, Fr. James
Downey gave all of us an example
of a good and faithful priest. But
this award is not only a special
recognition of his fidelity to the
Catholic Church. Now, after being
a part of the Society’s life for
nearly six years, when Fr. Downey
has decided that it was time to return to his monastery in Atchison,
Kansas, this award is also a fitting
farewell to one, who was “one of
the family.”
After Fr. James Downey’s last dinner with the Society of St. John Cantius the evening before his departure to St. Benedict’s Abbey in
Atchison, Kansas, he spent some time reminiscing with them. (PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. DENNIS KOLIÑSKI, SSJC)
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THE STATUE OF OUR LADY OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM
In a surprise appearance, members of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist from
Ann Arbor, Michigan came to Lawton on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 to visit the statue of Our Lady of the
New Millennium and St. Anne’s Chapel. In this photo taken in front of the statue are their Postulants
(front row), Novices (white veils—second and third rows) and Professed Members (black veils—third
row). Behind the Sisters are members of the Society of St. John Cantius. Fr. Thomas Nelson,
O.Praem., Director of the Institute on Religious Life, stands to the right. (PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN RYAN)
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The late Carl Demma desired to bring the Blessed
Mother to others by making a
large statue of Her that could
tour various parishes. He initially received the inspiration
to build a large statue of Mary
as a child, when he mistook
for the Blessed Mother, a huge
statue of the Roman goddess
Ceres, atop the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Building in
downtown Chicago.
When informed of his error
by some priests, the young
Demma replied, “Well, you
know what? Someday I will
build a statue of Mary that big
and bring it to everyone.”
The idea remained dormant until 1984, when he saw
the statue of Our Lady Queen
of Peace that was visiting
Quigley Seminary, but the
project lay dormant over the
next ten years due to insufficient funding.
Then, in 1994, he realized
that he would have enough
money to finish construction
of the statue if he sold his 35year business. Work on the
statue of Our Lady of the New
Millennium began in 1997
and was finished in time to
have it blessed by Pope John
Paul II during his visit to St.
Louis, Missouri, in 1998.
Since its completion, the
statue has visited hundreds of
parishes and has moved thousands to a deeper devotion
and love for our Blessed
Mother. At 33 feet tall and
8,500 pounds, the statue is the
largest portable likeness of the
Blessed Virgin Mary in the
world
OUR LADY OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM STATUE
VISITS ST. ANNE’S CHAPEL IN LAWTON, MICHIGAN
Despite the great disappointment that the statue of Our Lady of the
New Millennium didn’t arrive at St. Anne’s Chapel as expected on
May 30, frustrations quickly turned into rejoicing when the statue
arrived the following Sunday, June 5. (PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
When the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium arrived at
St. Anne’s Chapel on June 5, it had to be carefully guided as the
driver backed the trailer carrying it down the long narrow path
to the chapel. (PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
THE FIRST PUBLIC EVENT AT ST. ANNE’S CHAPEL
“I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the
way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue” (Sirach 24:24-25).
Our Lady of the New Millennium, the largest portable statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the world was scheduled to visit St. Anne’s Chapel in Lawton, Michigan this year, from May 31 to June 11. However, due to unforeseen complications beyond the Society’s control, it did not arrive at the chapel until Sunday, June 5.
In order to be transported, the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium is mounted on a flatbed trailer.
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(PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
Once the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium arrived
on June 5 and was backed into place, it had to be raised
at the site near St. Anne’s Chapel. (PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
Various events were
scheduled for the two
weeks that the statue was
to be there. Mass was
celebrated every morning and evening. The
Blessed Sacrament was
exposed in the chapel
each day after the morning Mass for prayer and
adoration throughout
the day. Vespers and
Benediction took place
in the evening. Then,
each day, concluded with
Compline and a Rosary
procession with a statue
of Our Lady of Fatima,
which the Society had
purchased in Fatima.
Once the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium was raised,
She was truly an imposing sight.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
Among the special activities organized at St. Anne’s Chapel during the first two weeks of June this
year, a Rosary procession with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima (brought from Fatima) concluded each
day. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
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During the time the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium
was at St. Anne’s Chapel this past June, the local Knights
of Columbus lent a golf cart to the Society of St. John Cantius
to help transport the elderly and infirm back and forth
to the statue and chapel. Here, Fr. Jim Isaacson takes some
children from St. John Cantius Parish in Chicago for a ride.
A lot of people were expected at St. Anne’s Chapel for special
Masses and devotions on Sunday, June 5. While waiting for them
to arrive in the hot summer sun, Br. Alexander Schimpf (left)
and Br. Joshua Caswell (right) apparently differed in their opinions
about how to handle the situation. (PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
During the first week of June, the Handmaids of the Precious
Blood, a contemplative community of nuns, traveled from their
monastery at Lake Villa north of Chicago, to Lawton, Michigan
for a special day of retreat at St. Anne’s Chapel.
Many people from the Lawton-Paw Paw area were very generous
in volunteering to help with all of the set-up and events at
St. Anne’s Chapel this past June. One of these volunteers, Susan
Cichinni, stands in front of the chapel with Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN CICHINNI)
(PHOTO COURTESY OF DANITA COVINGTON)
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The long procession with the statue of Our Lady of Ludzmierz to St. Anne’s Chapel, attended by a large number of Polish Highlanders,
was very reminiscent of traditional village processions in their homeland. Br. Alexander Schimpf and Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF DANITA COVINGTON)
led the procession, followed by the local Knights of Columbus.
ENTHRONEMENT OF
OUR LADY OF LUDZMIERZ
Some of the Polish Highlanders, who were present at the Mass for the enthronement of Our Lady of Ludzmierz in St. Anne Chapel
on June 5 posed outside the chapel for this photo. In front center, are two Polish Albertine Sisters and Fr. Waclaw Lech, OCD,
who was the main celebrant for the Mass in Polish. Behind them are Fr. Frank Phillips, C.R. (left) and Fr. Dennis Koliñski, SSJC.
Br. Alexander Schimpf stands to the left of the sisters. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
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On Sunday June 5, a
large crowd of Górale
(Polish
Highlanders)
drove to Lawton from
Chicago for the enthronement of a figure of
Our Lady of Ludzmierz
in St. Anne’s Chapel.
For centuries, Our
Lady of Ludzmierz has
been the Patroness of the
Polish mountains where
St. Anne’s Chapel was
made for the Society of
St. John Cantius.
Fr. Waclaw Lech,
OCD from St. Camillus
Parish in Chicago, first
blessed an exact replica
of the fifteenth-century
statue. The Polish mountaineers, dressed in their
colorful traditional costumes, then carried the
figure of Our Lady in
procession to this chapel
from the Polish mountains where the Patroness
of the Polish mountains
was then officially enthroned. A Mass in Polish followed.
Left: On June 5, Highlanders
from the mountains of
southern Poland (now living
in Chicago) carried an exact
copy of the statue of their
patroness, Our Lady of
Ludzmierz, for enthronement
in St. Anne’s Chapel. They
came for the special occasion
in the traditional dress that is
characteristic for that region
of their homeland.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
THE SOCIETY OF ST. JOHN CANTIUS WISHES TO EXTEND A SPECIAL THANKS
TO ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO GENEROUSLY GAVE OF THEIR TIME
FOR THE EVENTS RELATED TO OUR LADY OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM AT
ST. ANNE’S CHAPEL IN LAWTON, MICHIGAN. IN ADDITION, THE SOCIETY
WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS,
WHO MADE CONTRIBUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE EVENTS.
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St. Anne’s Chapel now even has its own postcard designed by the Society’s own graphic designer, Br. Joshua Caswell
ST. ANNE’S CHAPEL
Crafted in the mountains of southern Poland in 2003, using the traditional style of architecture that has been
employed in that region since the Middle Ages, this chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin’s mother was reassembled
that same year at the Society of St. John Cantius’ future retreat center in Lawton, Michigan. The walls of the chapel
are made from spruce logs from the mountains of southern Poland. They are joined at all of the corners with an
elaborate method of lock-notching that does not require the use of any nails—an architectural technique that has
been employed for centuries by craftsmen in that region of the Polish mountains.
The interior of St. Anne’s Chapel in Lawton, Michigan. Above the altar is a beautiful statue of St. Anne.
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(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
ST. ANNE’S RETREAT CENTER
In 2001, the Dietz family donated to the Society of St.
John Cantius 96 acres of farmland outside of Lawton,
Michigan, which will be the site of a future retreat center and possible novitiate house. The site is already home
to St. Anne’s Chapel, which was completed in 2003. The
parents of the Deitz family were named Anne and
Thaddeus, so in their honor the chapel was dedicated to
St. Anne and a statue of each of their patron saints has
been enshrined in the chapel.
The new bells at Lawton, Michigan are now mounted on a tower
in front of St. Anne’s Chapel. Traditionally, bells have always been
given individual names. These five bells are named after the
Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, beginning with the smallest
at the top to the largest at the bottom: i.e. The Baptism in the
Jordan, The Miracle at the Wedding Feast in Cana,
The Proclamation of the Kingdom, The Transfiguration,
The Institution of the Holy Eucharist.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
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On July 5, 2005, some members of the Society of St. John Cantius
went to Lawton, Michigan for a day of much needed maintenance
work around St. Anne’s Chapel. Here, new postulants Robin Kwan
(foreground) and Matthew Lewis clear brush and weeds.
On July 5, 2005, some members of the Society of St. John Cantius
went to Lawton, Michigan for a day of much needed maintenance
work around St. Anne’s Chapel. Here, Br. Brian Shafer weeds
the flowerbed behind St. Anne’s Chapel.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
(PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
On July 5, 2005, some members of the Society of St. John Cantius went to Lawton, Michigan for
a day of much needed maintenance work around St. Anne’s Chapel. Here, Br. Alexander Schimpf
mows the grass and fields around St. Anne’s Chapel. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BR. JOSHUA CASWELL, SSJC)
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THE SOCIETY OF ST. JOHN CANTIUS
The Society of St. John Cantius is a Public Association of the Christian Faithful in formation as a new religious community of men formed with the approval
of Cardinal George and the Congregation of the Resurrection. Its mission is the
Restoration of the Sacred in the Church through solemn liturgies, devotions, sacred art and sacred music, as well as instruction in Church heritage, catechesis, and
Catholic culture in the context of parish ministry. The community’s eighteen
members include six priests, four seminarians, two professed religious brothers and
six members in formation.
HELP RESTORE THE SACRED
VISIT US ON THE WEB
You too can help Restore the Sacred through your
tax-deductible contribution or as an Associate Member of the Society of St. John Cantius. In addition to
men who are seeking a vocation in religious life, the
Society’s statutes also allow the laity—male or female, married or single—to affiliate themselves with
the Society as Associate Members in order to aid in
the advancement of its mission. For more information about how to become an Associate Member,
write to: Fr. C. Frank Phillips, C.R., Superior, Society
of St. John Cantius, 825 North Carpenter Street,
Chicago, Illinois 60622-5405. You can also send
your check made out to “Society of St. John Cantius”
to the above address.
Learn more about the Society of St. John Cantius
on its website www.societycantius.org . You can
also learn about the Society’s work by visiting the
St. John Cantius Parish website www.cantius.org ,
where you can visit the community’s mother church
on a cybertour or view an exhibit of Sacred Art from
the Society’s collections.
GET THE WORD OUT!
Do you know of someone who you think should
know about the Society of St. John Cantius? Please
send us their names and addresses, so that we can add
them to our Via Sacra mailing list.
Via Sacra
The Society of St. John Cantius
825 North Carpenter
Chicago, IL 60622-5405
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