On July 20, 2018, the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, elected its new Superior General, Fr. Carlos Luis Suarez Codorniu. Fr. Carlos Luis was born in 1965 in Canary Islands and belongs to the Region of Venezuela.
On Saturday, July 14, 2018, started the XXIV General Chapter of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, known also as Dehonians or SCJs. The Chapter is being held at the General Curia in Rome and is being attended by seventy-seven (77) delegates plus one (1) invited guest.
The purpose of this assembly is election of the new administration, review the State of the Congregation, and to discern what are the current needs and challenges lying ahead of the Congregation.
Normally, the General Chapter is held every six years. The XXIV General Chapter is an exception. It occurs only three years after the previous General Chapter at which Fr. Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, was elected the superior general. On April 6, 2018, Fr. Heiner was appointed as bishop of Hildesheim, Germany. That appointment led to the calling of a General Chapter three years earlier than initially planned. Also, because of this the General Conference in Manila, going to be held at the same time as the Chapter, was cancelled.
The Chapter will end on July 27, 2018 at noon time. Hopefully, by July 21, 2018, the Congregation will have a new administration.
The General Chapter was preceded by the local chapters held in every entity with the purpose of electing delegates for the General Chapter and discernment of the present situation and needs.
The Philippines is being represented by Fr. Lukas Hadi Siswo Sasmito, SCJ, the Regional Superior and Fr. Francis Pupkowski, SCJ, the official delegate chosen by the members of the Philippine Region.
On July 10, 2018, two SCJ Deacons, Rev. Nathaniel D. Robilla and Rev. Rogereve U. Pausanos, received the Sacrament of Priesthood. The ceremony of ordination was held at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Cagayan de Oro City, run by the Priests of the Sacred Heart, and was presided by the Most Rev. Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, DD, archbishop of Cagayan de Oro.
Fr. Nathaniel Robilla, SCJ, comes from the Diocese of Tagum, while Fr. Rogereve Pausanos from Balongating, Diocese of Pagadian. Until June 27, 2018, Balongating was a part of Dumalinao Parish run by the SCJs.
The new priests will continue their present assignments, Fr. Nathaniel in Parokya Banal na Krus, Sitio Bukal, Barangay Tandang Kutyo, Tanay, Rizal (Diocese of Antipolo), and Fr. Rogereve in San Isidro Labrador Parish in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur.
On June 29, 2018, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, two (2) members of the SCJ Philippine Region: Bro. Ruel Paalisbo, SCJ, and Bro. Joel Bolo, SCJ, who a day before made their perpetual profession of vows, were ordained deacons.
They were ordained by the Bishop of Pagadian Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Cabajar DD, CSsR, at the San Isidro Labrador Parish in Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur.
Deacon Ruel comes from Bacolod, Lanao del Norte, Diocese of Iligan, while Deacon Joel from Ugyaban, Chaplaincy of Dansolihon, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. Both places were marked with the SCJ presence and the two new deacons are the fruits of it.
The new deacons are assigned, respectively, at Immaculate Conception Parish in Aluba, Cagayan de Oro City and San Isidro Labrador Parish in Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur.
Today, on June 28, 2018, five (5) SCJ Novices from the Philippines, Rene D. Adorable, Francis S.J. Atayza, July P. Zambrano, Giovanni B. Bautista, and Rackie M. Roxas, made their commitment to God in the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By the profession of three vows: Chastity, Poverty and Obedience, they declared their readiness to follow Jesus more closely. They were preparing for this moment for almost fourteen (14) months under the guidance of the Novice Master Fr. Indra Pamungkas, SCJ and Fr. Yohanes Sono Pribadi, SCJ, the “Socius.” Together, with five (5) Vietnamese Novices, who made their First Profession of vows in Vietnam last May 31, 2018, they have had been learning about the Congregation, the Founder, vows and religious life.
During the same celebration, two SCJ brothers on temporary vows: Fra. Ruel Paalisbo, SCJ and Fra. Joel Bolo, SCJ, made their final profession of vows.
Both Professions of Vows, First and Perpetual, were accepted by the Regional Superior Fr. Lukas Hadi Siswo Sasmito, SCJ.
The ceremony that was held on the 140 anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, took place at the St. Isidore Parish Church in Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur, and was attended by the SCJ confreres from different parts of the Philippines, family members and friends of the newly professed religious.
The newly professed will move to the Manila Community at the Dehon House, where they will study Theology and prepare themselves further for the ordination to the priesthood.
As we thank God for this beautiful moment, we entrust the new SCJs to our prayers. May they grow in their vocation and become effective instruments of God’s Love to the world.
SCJ Philippines Region 