October 2017 Joanna Wagner joined the Midwest District staff Brother Larry Schatz announced that Joanna Wagner will become the new Assistant Director of Development and Events effective September 25th in the Midwest District Office. She comes from Lipscomb University in Nashville, where she served as Program Manager leveraging partnerships into off-campus internships and employment placements. She also managed annually all the logistics for four on campus events for current students and alumni. Joanna is a graduate of Drake University with a degree in Arts, Journalism and Mass Communication. She will be returning home to family and friends in Woodridge, IL. Joanna will continue the events programs currently managed by Samantha VenHuizen. Welcome and congratulations, Joanna! Sheila Cusack published in new book In late August Our Sunday Visitor published the book, Every Day with Mary, a daily devotional work with reflections and prayers for 365 days of the year. It contains meditations by thirty-one Affiliates of Mayslake Ministries of Downers Grove, IL. One of the authors is Sheila Cusack, Health Care Director for the Midwest District. She earned a certificate in spiritual direction after a nine month/weekly experience at Hinsdale Hospital sponsored by the Claret Center in Chicago. Dr. Mary Amore, Director of Mayslake Ministries, invited the spiritual directors to write reflections for the book and assigned them topics by each month of the year. The topics include peace, hope, serenity and gratitude among others. The book is available from Our Sunday Visitor for $17.95. https://www.osv.com/shop/product.aspx?productcode=t1867. Purchase a copy to read Sheila s reflections. Congratulations, Sheila! Three associates became affiliated members On September 7th at Lewis University the Midwest District affiliated three new members. Robert and Lori Dressel have embraced the Lasallian charism and mission. Robert Dressel has been the President of La Salle Manor Retreat Center in Plano, IL, for over 25 years, and his wife Lori has been an active participant in the retreat ministry. Twelve years ago Bob Daraskevich started helping retired Brothers and now volunteers weekly to assist the needs of the community members at Resurrection Life Center and St. Pauls House. Over seventy friends, guests and Brothers attended the evening program. Congratulations to them!
Brother William Mann will retire from SMUMN Brother William Mann, who has served as president of Saint Mary s University since 2008 - a tenure marked by many multi-million dollar construction projects and land acquisitions - is stepping down in May 2018. He announced his retirement on September 19 th in a university-wide letter, writing that it s time for him to return home to the Lasallian District of Eastern North America and spend more time with his family. He began his career as an English and religion teacher at Lasallian high schools in New York and Rhode Island, before holding a number of leadership positions within the Christian Brothers, including Vicar General from 2000-2007.. Brother William served on the Saint Mary s Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2001 and was a well-known member of the Saint Mary s community when he was named the university s 13 th President. Under his leadership, Saint Mary s achieved historic levels of fundraising success, more than doubling its average annual proceeds. Saint Mary s Science and Learning Center, which opened in May as a crown jewel of the Winona campus, was also funded entirely by alumni and other donors. During his tenure as President, Saint Mary s has spent $33.1 million on new construction, $13.8 million on land acquisition and $6.6 million on building renovation. The Board of Trustees will begin the search for his successor in the coming weeks. Brother Pius appointed Auxiliary Visitor Brother Superior Robert Schieler recently appointed Brother Pius Nsukula Bavingidi as the Auxiliary Visitor of the District of Congo-Kinshasa. Brother Pius arrived at Saint Mary s University in October 2014 to study English in the De La Salle Language Institute. Once he completed his studies in the institute, he began studying for an M.A. in the Lasallian Leadership program, and later he started the M.A. in Arts in Instruction program. He completed both degrees in May 2017. In addition to receiving two Master of Arts degrees from Saint Mary s, he also graduated from the Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies. Congratulations, Brother Pius! Prescription drug subsidy verification may be coming Brothers who have the prescription drug subsidy (reduced prescription costs) under Medicare Part D may be receiving the annual verification of eligibility to complete for the Social Security Administration. It often arrives in September or October. Brothers should follow the instructions carefully and submit by the due date. Those who might have questions after receiving the form should contact Brother Joe Saurbier at the Provincialate Office. New Leadership started at LEC meeting The Lasallian Education Council (LEC) held its annual summer meeting July 17-19 at the Christian Brothers Conference office in Washington, D.C. The LEC welcomed two new members: Sulema Modesto, Dean of Studies at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, California, and John Vitek, President of Saint Mary s Press in Winona, Minnesota. Dr. Kurt Schackmuth, Vice President for Mission and Academic Services at Lewis University, officially began his term as LEC chair. He succeeded Charlie Legendre, AFSC, Director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis in the District of San Francisco New Orleans, who served as chair for three years. Dr. Scott Kier, Superintendent of Lasallian education for the Midwest District, started his term as secretary. Established in 2011, the LEC shares responsibility for the Lasallian mission among the Brothers and Partners in the Lasallian Region of North America, and on behalf of all who participate in the mission. It is responsible for the oversight of mission formation/education programs and the expansion of mission-related activities and ministries.
La Salle Sisters in Houston need help Fr. Brian O Brien will leave Bishop Kelley H.S. The La Salle Sisters in Houston need help after Hurricane Harvey extensively damaged their ministry, the De La Salle Educational Center. The hurricane flooded the chapel, educational center and convent, and firefighters rescued the Sisters by boat. The De La Salle Educational Center was initially an expansion of a District of San Francisco New Orleans (SFNO) ministry in San Jose, California. The Sisters, who belong to the La Salle Vietnam Sisters, have remained close to the Brothers community in San Jose, which includes several SFNO Brothers from Vietnam. The four Sisters operate several ministries that take place in their convent, educational center, and at a local parish, including child care, tutoring, a Vietnamese language program, catechism, scouts and youth ministry. Volunteers are helping the Sisters clear the property, and a former Brother has opened his home to the Sisters. As many Lasallians are organizing collections to help those impacted by Hurricane Harvey, others are invited to consider supporting the La Salle Sisters. Send donations to La Salle Sisters, 13115 Dogwood Blossom Trail, Houston, TX 77065. Tulsa Bishop David Konderla has appointed Father Brian O'Brien as Pastor of St. Francis Xavier in Stillwater, OK. Continuing his role as the Associate Director of Vocations, Father O'Brien will complete his assignment as the President of Bishop Kelley High School on December 21, 2017, and will begin his work in Stillwater on January 13, 2018. The Diocese joined with the Bishop Kelley H.S. community in expressing its heartfelt gratitude for his ten years of dedicated leadership. As Bishop Kelley has recently formed a new Board of Directors, Bishop Konderla, as the Chairman, has charged the Board to form a search committee for the new President of Bishop Kelley H.S. and to discern the need for an interim President. Novices volunteer at San Miguel School On September 14 th the five RELAN novices in Chicago began volunteering one day a week at San Miguel Back of the Yards. They will be participating in the reading program for 6 th, 7 th and 8 th grade students. Each student is assigned a novel at his or her level to read. Students are given a comprehension test when they complete the novel to get credit for the book read. The novices and other reading volunteers listen as the student reads a page or so and asks some questions for understanding. Then the volunteer will read a page while the student follows along. The novices are Paul Avvento (DENA), Steven Barbaro (DENA), Mark Engelmeyer (MW), Matt Kotek (MW) and Dylan Perry (MW). Directory Changes Brother Nicholas Geimer - bronickg@outlook.com Brother Ryan Anderson - BroRyan@delasalle.com Brother Richard Paszkiet (773) 596-2014 - room at St. Pauls House Brother Roman Jarosz- (901) 261-4971 new land line no cell phone
Rest in Peace Fr. Martin Smith-Soucier, 69, a priest of the Diocese of Steubenville, OH, died on June 27th at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati. He was the Chief Chaplain at Veterans Affairs Medical Center for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and a priest for almost fifty years. Martin Smith entered the novitiate in Glencoe in September 1968 and earned a BA degree in Sociology at CBC in 1973 after he had withdrawn from the Brothers in 1972. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on June 29th by Steubenville Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton at St. Joseph Church in Cincinnati, with interment at St. Mary Cemetery. U.S. Embassy provided a grant for refugees The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See has provided a grant to the Solidarity and Development Secretariat to assist with the costs for refugee basic assistance and pastoral care in Rome for the 2017-18 year. For more than a year, The Solidary and Development Secretariat has been helping refugees who face numerous physical and psychological discomforts related to both their journey conditions and their forced adaptation to a new reality of life in a different country. In response to these individuals, the De La Salle Brothers have assembled a team of four Catholic religious Sisters, each of whom is from a different congregation: Ursuline Sisters of Gandino, the Daughters of Charity, the St. Anna Sisters and the Comboni Sisters. These Sisters, who are conversant in African languages, assist refugees with their many challenges to adapting to a new society. To assist with the many unmet needs and underserved refugees, Alleanza Solidale was established through the guidance of the Christian Brothers. This group of dedicated Sisters has both talent and experience working with refugees. Lasallian Day was held in Stevens Point In celebration of the 35th anniversary of the martyrdom of Servant of God Brother James Miller, the focus of this year s Lasallian Day in Stevens Point was The Life and Work of Brother James Miller. An afternoon event was held at Pacelli High School for the student body where they learned about Brother James. The Christian Brothers of the Midwest presented a check for $10,000 to Principal Larry Theiss to assist with student tuition. During the evening event at Pacelli, almost fifty Lasallians gathered to join the celebration of Brother James and to hear firsthand accounts of his life. Several Miller family members were in attendance at both events: brothers Ralph Miller and Bill Miller; sisters Louise and husband Rich Shafranski, Patti and husband Carl Richter; and cousins Jane Campbell and Robert Miller. (l to r) Bill Miller, Ralph Miller, Brother Larry Schatz, Louise Shafranski, Rich Shafranski, Larry Theiss
Alumni Golf Outing set for next year Special thanks to Brother Tom Hetland and Brother Charles Kelly for joining us and volunteering their time at this year s Annual Alumni Golf Outing at Old Orchard Country Club. The alumni were as always glad to see them there. Mark your calendars for next year s outing, which will be held in September of 2017. There is time to register for Lasallian Days in Memphis and Kansas City Lasallian Day Memphis will be held on October 25 th from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm at Christian Brothers High School in Heffernan Hall. This Lasallian Day will feature the Region of Africa, specifically, the Lwanga District. The following will be the presenters: Brother Dominic Ehrmantraut, Brother Tom Sullivan and Brother Getachew Nadew. This year s Lasallian Day Kansas City will be held on November 2 nd from 5:00pm 7:00pm at the St. John Francis Regis Parish. Join Brother Larry Schatz, Visitor of the Midwest District, as he gives an update on the Midwest District and shares this year s Lasallian Institute theme, Lasallians without Limits. Brothers are welcome at either or both events. To register, or for more information, contact Joanna Wagner at 630-323-3725 or jwagner@cbmidwest.org. The KabarA Challenge This year's KabarA Challenge has inspired so many to make their gift to support the Senior Brothers. As of September 30, the Challenge has raised over $100,000 in gifts to the Brothers. Thank you to the many Brothers who have supported the Challenge. The response has been overwhelming to Ms. Kabara s generous gift. Gifts to the Kabara Challenge can still be made through October 13 th. Faith & Zeal magazine is coming The latest issue of the Midwest District magazine, Faith & Zeal, is scheduled to hit mailboxes in mid-october. If you or someone you know would like to begin receiving Faith & Zeal, please contact Alex Vasiliades at avasiliades@cbmidwest.org with mailing information.