Download - Viator Newsletter 1996 Fall
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE CLERICS OF SAINT VIATOR Volume 2, Number 3 Fall 1996
T E A C H E R S 0 F F A T H
"With hearts full of joy ... "
St. Thomas More Church Dedicated ___ _
Snnctunry of St. Tho111ns More Church
A thirteen year journey
of hope in the Green
Valley area of
Henderson, Nevada was
beautifully realized on
Thursday, September
26th with an evening
Dedication Liturgy for
the new St. Thomas
More Church attended
by more than 1,500
parishioners. The mass
processional was led by
Bishop Daniel F. Walsh,
Rev. Daniel T. Nolan,
C.S.V. Pastor of St.
Thomas More, and Rev.
Kenneth R. Morris,
C.S.V., Associate Pastor.
The processional
included representatives
and their families from
the parish Building and
Fund Raising
Committees; the Parish
Council, the Pastoral and
the Parish Staff, the
Liturgy Committee and
the Architects and
Construction Company.
All were selected to
recognize their
continued gifts of time,
talent and treasure in
making their new house
of prayer a reality.
Bishop Walsh celebrated
the dedication ceremony,
which included the
Sprinkling Rite; the
Anointing, the
Incensation and the
Lighting of the Altar and
"This . ceremony ... ts an
opportunity to renew our faith in and love of Christ and his
church"
Walls, followed by the
Preparation of the Altar
and the Liturgy of the
Eucharist. In the
bishop's remarks, he
Continued 011 pnge 4
Hispanic Ministry Established _ A new ministry with
the Spanish-speaking
residents of St. Viator
Parish, Chicago began
last September with a
Sunday afternoon
Mass. Many members
of the parish
community were
present to welcome the
people from Central
and South American
cultures who are new
to the neighborhood in
recent years. Long time
parishioners learned to
say welcome in
Spanish, -Bienvenido- to
serve as greeters for the
first weekly mass.
The commitment of the
Parish to the 1:OOPM
Misa En Espanol is a
strong sign of
encouragement to their
brothers and sisters
who are more
Continued on pnge 7
2
Viator
Reverend Robert M. Egan, C.S.V. Provincial Publisher
Philip}. Skeris Director of Development Managing Editor
VIATOR is published quarterly by the Clerics of St. Viator, the Viatorians, for friends, families, parishioners and alumni of Viatorian apostolates.
The Clerics of St. Viator are religious priests and brothers sent by the Catholic Church to teach the Faith and proclaim Jesus Christ as Gospel. In parishes, schools, and a variety of other ministries Viatorians work with Christian communities to live, deepen and celebrate their faith.
Our legal title is: Clerics of St. Viator.
From The Provincial's Perspective ____ _ Dear Partner in Faith:
Greetings from the Viatorians and good wishes for a Happy New Year! I hope that the Christmas season was a time of joy and peace for you and all the members of your family. The Viatorians pray that the new year is filled with many blessings and new hopes for you. Our community has been twice blessed with your generosity in recent months. First, our St. Viator Day prayer request was once again well received by many of you- those who sent prayer requests doubled from last year and many of you sent unexpected and most welcome gifts to our community. Secondly, our
community is extremely grateful to many of you who responded to our appeal in support of Colegio San Viator, our Foundation in Bogota, Colombia. On behalf of all the Viatorians, both here in the United States and in Colombia, I extend my deep thanks and gratitude for your generosity.
Last September I was attending a liturgy marking the 150th anniversary of Maternity B.V.M. Parish in Bourbonnais, Illinois; Maternity was the first parish for the Viatorians in the United States and the celebration marked the beginning of a year long festival for the parish. At the reception I overheard someone say that they recognized me from my
picture in the newsletter; it is nice to be recognized but even better to know you are reading our Quarterly Newsletter and enjoying the regular communication about the Viatorians and our ministry.
This edition of VIATOR takes you from Nevada to Chicago to Colombia! You will have a chance to read about the dedication of the new St. Thomas More Church in Henderson, Nevada. You will get a chance to hear firsthand from Father Bob Bolser of his recent visit
to our Foundation in Colombia after leaving there over twenty years ago. I think that you will find his reflection heartwarming and deeply touching. Finally, you will hear about our emerging ministry to the Hispanic community at St. Viator Parish in Chicago. In these locales, as well as the many others in which Viatorians minister, we continue to strive to be Teachers of Faith in the long tradition of our community.
Thank you again for your continued support and loyalty to our community. On behalf of all the Viatorians, I send my good wishes to each of you. Happy reading in this newest edition of VIATOR and please know that we always welcome your comments and reactions. We would love to hear from you!
Sincerely in Viator,
~ ;11. f'taNII CSv Robert M. Egan, C.S.V. Provincial
Rest in Peace Kindly remember in your prayers the following Viatorians who have recently died:
Reverend. Eugene J. Lutz, C.S.V. Born to Eternal Life June 11 , 1996
Reverend John J. Monahan, C.S.V. Born to Eternal Life: October 6, 1996
Reverend Michael J. Ranahan, C.S.V. Born to Eternal Life: November 20, 1996
Reverend Philip M. Clifford, C.S.V. Born to Eternal Life: January 4, 1997
3
Special Report
Fr. Bob Bolser, C.S.V. Returns
Colombian Pilgrimage to the Past _________ _ I had been staring fitfully
out of the American
Airlines window and
into the darkness for
some time looking for a
hint, a small sign that we
were indeed nearing our
destination of Colombia.
How many years had it
been? Twenty-two years
had passed since I had
last seen the place where
I had lived and worked
for five years and where
I had left half of my
heart, March 1st, 1975.
I was lost in a world of
memories as we passed
through the night sky. I
was also, truth be told,
extraordinarily excited
and full of anticipation
and questions. How
might the cities of Bogota
and Buga have changed,
and how had I changed?
In a quiet instant my
reverie was interrupted
by a faint gleam in the
blackness of the night.
Off in the distance I
could begin to make out
faintly the bronzed
outline of the lights of a
city stretched out along a
darkened coast. I
watched it grow larger as
we approached and
became sure it was
indeed Cartegena de los
Indes. My arrival in
Colombian airspace was
punctuated by quiet
tears of sheer joy. I was
home.
I was accompanying
Father Richard Rinn,
C.S.V. our Assistant
Provincial, on his visit to
the Colombian
Foundation. I guess you
might call this a
"businessman's holiday."
Part of my trip was
homecoming but I was
also Father Rinn's
interpreter, and true to
his promise, Father Rinn
kept me busy. Despite
the work, I began a week
of renewal of
relationships and are
acquaintance with our
Colombian Foundation.
As Father Rinn and I
disembarked from our
plane we were met by
Viatorian Fathers John
Pisors and Pedro
Herrera. We climbed
Bob Bolser, C.S.V. welcomed in Buga, Colombia with school Principal Jesus Gomez and his Secretary Marleni
Bob returns to Colegio San Viator
into the community Jeep
and began a journey
through streets that were
vaguely familiar and yet
greatly changed. As we
drove from the airport to
s r:1 n
our school, Colegio San
Viator, I was struck by
the sheer magnitude of
the city itself. When I
left Bogota in 1975, our
Continued on page 6
4
St. Thomas More Church Dedicated (continued)
stated that "This
ceremony will not only
dedicate and consecrate
this building to God but
will also be an
opportunity for each of
us to renew our faith in
and love of Christ and in
his church." He
concluded with the hope
that "This day may
begin a new chapter in
the life of this
community of faith, a
new chapter in which we
worship God more
profoundly and share
our faith more
effectively."
(left to right) Pastor Dan Nolan, C.S.V , Bishop Walsh, Associate Pastor Ken Morris, C.S.V
Father Nolan's
comments touched upon
the community's growth
and trials, journeying
from the status as a
Mission of St. Peter the
Apostle Church and the
first worship space at a
Pre-School; to the
interesting days - and
some unusual
experiences- at a funeral
home chapel, on to the
original parish Multi
Purpose Building, and
now, "our beautiful new
church." He also
recognized the
pioneering work of St.
Peter's Pastor Fr. Ceasar
Caviglia and Viatorian
Fr. Tom McCarthy who
St. Thomas More church and plaza
rotated the Sunday
masses; and the first full
time Pastor, Fr. Tom
Long. C.S.V. "This day,
more clearly than ever
before, I truly
understand fully the
psalmist's words "I
rejoiced when I heard
them say, 'Let us go to
the house of the Lord.' "
He concluded "The
effort of empowering
others to assume
positions of collaborative
leadership was crucial.
Our community has
been blessed. So many
people responded in so
many ways. As our
parish continues to grow,
so do our numbers in
people willing to serve
others in our various
liturgical and
educational ministries.
We have become an
active, still growing
community which is
joyfully striving to
celebrate the presence of
God among us, and at
the same time be a ware
of the needs and
concerns of others. This
evening, we gather in
prayer. 'With hearts full
of joy we consecrate to
Your glory this work of
our hands ... this house of
prayer.' " •
5
Viatorian Annuities Offered
Secure Your Future With a Gift ____ _____ _ _ Are you looking to payment for life, or the
strengthen your life of some other
retirement? Seeking to individual. It is also
convert low-yielding suitable for two lives,
assets into guaranteed such as spouses, which
and fixed income? continues payments
Interested in converting over both lifetimes.
real estate to a new Annuity guaranteed
income? Then we payments are free of
invite you to consider
our Charitable Gift
Annuity Agreement.
This simple gift
arrangement is a
contract between the
Clerics of St. Viator and
a donor. In
consideration for their
gift, the Viatorians
agree to pay the donor
or their designated
beneficiary a
guaranteed and fixed
payment for life.
Payments depend upon
the amount of the gift
and the age of the
donor or designated
beneficiary. For
example, rates of 7.2 %
are available at age 65;
8.4% at age 75, and
9.4% at age 80, as of
March 1.
Such an annuity is ideal
for any person
considering a charitable
gift who also wishes a
fixed and guaranteed
market fluctuation and
inflationary pressures
and are partially tax
free. Your gift to
establish the annuity
provides you with a
current Federal income
tax deduction. Better
yet, a gift annuity
leaves no asset or
contractual right
remaining in the Estate
of the donor or
beneficiary to be subject
to any Federal Estate
Tax.
Establishing a Viatorian
Charitable Gift Annuity
can provide one of the
most secure
arrangements available
to produce income for
living expenses during
your lifetime while
giving you the personal
satisfaction and tax
benefits of making a
current gift in
advancing the Viatorian
Mission. These gifts
support the many
worthwhile programs
and activities of
Viatorians as Teachers
of Faith.
Charitable gift
annuities are available
from the Clerics of St.
Viator for a minimum
For additional
information about the
Clerics of St. Via tor
Charitable Gift Annuity
or other planned giving
alternatives, please
contact:
Philip J. Skeris,
CARP, CFRE
gift of $5,000. There are Director of Development
also some minimum Clerics of St. Viator
age restrictions for the 1212 East Euclid Street
person to receive life- Arlington Heights, IL 60004
time annuity payments. (847) 398-6805
Specific quotations are Fax: (847) 398-6247
available by contacting
the Clerics of St. Viator
Office of Development
staff for your
individual
circumstances.
6
school was 14 kilometers
north of the city. Now I
found the city
encroaching on, and
indeed beginning to
surround the school. I
wanted to see it all, but
22 years takes a toll and
a bed seemed really
welcome.
The next morning was a
wonderful and
small radio station,
teachers offices and new
computer centers. There
are lots of changes to the
school as it strives
successfully to keep up
its reputation as a center
for great education, for
both those who can
afford it and especially
for those who cannot
afford it.
uncommonly sunny day One thing that I was
in Bogota. Father Rinn impressed by, of course,
and I went over to the
school and it was a
combination of
familiarity and the new.
At once I could see a
hole in the ceiling and
roof at the entrance to
the school where years
and years ago one of the
guards, being caught
sleeping by surprise, fell
over and fired his
shotgun, leaving a
permanent memorial to
himself. Ah memories!
On the other hand, I saw
a school much larger in
scale and much
changed. When I left,
there were 600 students
in Bachillerato, junior
high and high school.
Now enrollment is
almost 1,300 students
from pre-kindergarten
through high school.
There is a theater, a
was the still excited
curiosity of the students.
I suppose over the years
they, like all students
everywhere, have
changed, but their
genuine hospitality and
natural friendliness is
still very much a part of
them. They were ready
in an instant to question,
talk, and, of course, to
have their picture taken.
Their faces have
changed, but these are
still the students I
remember.
I was deeply moved by
the spirit of the Faculty.
They are dedicated and
professional teachers.
But even more
importantly, I had a
profound sense that they
grounded their work in
the mission of Jesus
Pedro Herrera with Bob renewing their friendship
Bob with Bachillernto students
Christ. They do
perceive themselves as
ministers, and that may
be their greatest gift to
the education of
students at San Viator.
It may also be why they
are so good at what they
do.
Our days at the school
were wonderful and so
impressive. However,
renewing friendships
with the Viatorians and
getting to know the
young men who are in
the process of discerning
God's call in their lives
was deeply moving as
well. In some ways, I
felt as if I had never left.
Through the sharing of
prayer, the laughter and
serious moments we
spent together, I
Continued on page 7
7
Colombian Pilgrimage to the Past (continued) ___________________ _ _ _
rediscovered a certain Rinn and I had one day as we toured the school was awed and humbled
combination of anxious there. Viatorians left and visited with the by what this small
anticipation and hope Buga about 25 years ago, teachers and students. picture reflected and
that is, I think, inherent and the Gimnasio When we entered their represented about our
in a mission experience, Central del Valle, the small chapel, we saw a story in Colombia, and
whether in foreign lands small school where we small picture of St. about our Viatorian call
or here in the United taught for a few short Viator still on the walls - to ministry.
States. I felt very much years. But our welcome our presence was still My return to Colombia
at home in their midst. was warm and genuine. there even after so many was indeed a spiritual
Perhaps most moving to I was overwhelmed by years. journey. It was a
me in my eight days in the real feelings of Their principal told us pilgrimage to the past,
Colombia was an fondness for the that the Clerics of St. but a pilgrimage steeped
experience in Buga, a Viatorians still evident Viator who had served in the wonders of our
small town about 200 here so long after we there profoundly shaped shared ministry in the
miles west of Bogota in had been there. The love and influenced the present, and in hope in
the hot countryside of and respect for our time character and our future. • palm trees and cool and our work there was
philosophy of the school, demonstrated especially By: Rev. Robert Bolser,
evening breezes. Father even to the present. I C.S.V
Hispanic Ministry Established (continued) ______________________ _
comfortable
worshipping in their
first language. St.
Via tor has long been a
multi-ethnic
community. Current
cultures represented in
the Parish include:
Polish, Filipino,
Colombian, Irish,
Indian, Mexican and
Puerto Rican, among
others.
Fr. Bob Bolser, C.S.V. ,
Associate Pastor at St.
Viator, celebrates these
liturgies which average
500 people each week.
As word spread that a
St. Viator priest was
fluent in Spanish,
requests multiplied for
baptisms, weddings
and quinceneras (a
celebration for 15 year
old young women in
some Hispanic
cultures.) Viatorians
are responding to the
challenges of our
Mission as they raise
up communities where
our Faith is lived,
deepened and
celebrated. •
Bob Bolser, C.S.V and St. Viator-Chicago Pastor Bill Carpenter, C.S.V. with Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe given as a gift by the Viatorians
Address Change ----------------------,
Name
Address
Send To: Development Office
Clerics of St. Viator
1212 Euclid St.
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
847-398-6805
Telephone ______________________________________________ __ Please include your current label.
If you would like any information on the Clerics of Saint Viator or if you have any special comments, please write them here or on a separate sheet. Thank you.
09S' 'ON jlLUl<ld 1! ''S1H U01'3ll!ll'v'
GIVJ a'ilE1SOJ 'S' n
·'31Q 1!]01J-UON
IUJS!U!W :J!UVdS!H SCJUlO:JfCJM O~V:J!l[J-l[S!J11d JOJV!A ·15
l DP!UCJ(2UCJ!fl!
v£Sl-86£> Lv8 '170009 1I 'S~l{~!aH uo~~U!IJV
·~s pqJna ·a nz:I lOl~!A ·15 JO S)!J<l[)