Resurrection
B U L L E T I N
RESURRECTION BULLETIN • SPRING 2015
Dear Reader,
“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter
people and hallelujah is our song.” (Pope John Paul II)
These words of Pope Saint John Paul II give us great hope
as Christians. To say that we are an Easter people is to
proclaim that we believe that the death of Jesus on the Cross
transformed all suffering and pain, and the Resurrection
ensured the promise of eternal life.
In this issue, we remember the life of Fr. Charles Fedy, CR, a
man who lived the Paschal Mystery every day, and believed
in the promise of new life. Fr. Charlie died of cancer on
January 31st. We also remember Fr. James (J.J.) Johnstone,
CR, a man of faith and a priest for 63 years, who died unexpectedly on March 15th. May they rest in peace.
This year the Congregation honours seven priests who are
celebrating significant anniversaries. Four of these priests
will be featured in this issue. Fr. Bill LaFlamme is celebrating sixty years of ordination. Fr. Peter Pigott, Fr. Harry
Reitzel and Fr. Jim Valk will mark fifty years of priesthood.
Three priests, celebrating forty years of priesthood, will be
featured in our next issue. They are Fr. Chris Buda, Fr. Ray
Hughes and Fr. George Nowak. A special celebration will be
held to honour the jubilarians in September. We congratulate all of these men and thank them for their many years of
dedicated service to the people of God.
We particularly want to highlight the amazing gift of Fr.
Walter Schnarr, CR in this issue. Fr. Walter celebrated his
78th year of priesthood on March 14th at the age of 103.
May this Easter season bring you peace, happiness and joy!
We are the Easter people. Hallelujah is our song!
IN MEMORIAM
Fr. Charles Fedy, CR
After a two year battle with cancer, Father Charles Richard
Fedy, CR died on Saturday, January 31st, at Hospice
Wellington in Guelph. He was 80 years old, in his 62nd year
of religious life and 55th year of ordained priesthood.
Fr. Fedy professed his religious vows in the Congregation
on September 8, 1953 and was ordained to the ministerial priesthood on May 28, 1960 at St. Peter’s Seminary,
London, Ontario. For the next 12 years Fr. Charlie ministered as a teacher at Scollard Hall in North Bay, Ontario
and was principal in his last year there. He then served as
Rector of St. Thomas Scholasticate, London, Ontario from
1972 to 1982.
Rev. Charlie Fedy, CR
Fr. Charlie ministered as
Associate Pastor at St. Aloysius
Parish, Kitchener, Pastor of St.
Joseph’s Parish, Hamilton; and
Pastor of St. Agatha Parish,
St Agatha for seventeen years
until his retirement in 2010.
He a ls o celebrate d Mass
and was a confessor for the
Carmelite Sisters of St. Agatha
on a regular basis.
Within the Congregation,
Fr. Charlie held a variety of leadership roles, including
Director of Formation, chairman and member of a number
of committees, Provincial Councilor, Assistant Provincial (2
terms), Rector of Resurrection House in Toronto, Assistant
Rector of Resurrection College, and Pre-Novitiate Director.
Fr. Charlie was a highly regarded retreat director and spiritual director.
Fr. Charlie’s life of faith-filled service touched the lives of
his students, his fellow religious, colleagues, parishioners,
spiritual directees, family and friends. His gifts of quiet
steadfastness, devotion and humility were personal traits
recognized by all who encountered him.
In his funeral homily for Fr. Charlie, Fr. Murray McDermott
said that for many people Fr. Charlie was the Rock upon
whom they could depend for truth, encouragement,
support, loyalty, dependability, steadfastness, and unwavering devotion to Jesus. 1
Resurrection
BULLETIN • SPRING 2015
Spiritual
BENEFI TS
Fr. Murray said that “Fr. Charlie was the Rock when it came to the teachings of
the Church and Social Justice. Fr. Charlie was the Rock when our lives were in
crisis or chaos. Fr. Charlie was the Rock who never wavered from assuring us
that we are the beloved of God and that God holds us within the palms of
his hands and that we are forgivable, redeemable and loveable.”
The Mass of the Resurrection for Fr. Charlie was celebrated at St.
Agatha Parish on February 4th. Interment took place at Mount Hope
Cemetery, Kitchener.
D
onors to the Congregation
share in the following Spiritual
Benefits:
Fr. James (J.J.) Johnstone, CR
Father James Joseph Johnstone, CR died unexpectedly of a stroke on March 15th. He was 89
years old, in his 71st year of religious life and 64th
year of ordained priesthood.
1. Daily prayers said in all the
houses of the Congregation of
the Resurrection for living and
deceased benefactors.
2. One Mass said each month in
each house of the Congregation
of the Resurrection for the living
benefactors.
3. One Mass said each month in each
house of the Congregation of the
Resurrection for the deceased
benefactors.
4. One Mass said annually in
November in each house of the
Congregation of the Resurrection
for the deceased benefactors.
“If the faithful help even one
candidate for the priesthood, they
will fully share in all the future
masses and in all the fruits of
sanctity and apostolic works that
will be his.” Pope Pius XII.
Contributions to the Congregation
may be sent to:
Congregation of the Resurrection
Provincial Office, Treasurer
Resurrection College
265 Westmount Road North
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G7
Charitable receipts for income tax
purposes will be issued to all donors.
Resurrection
B U L L E T I N • SPRING 2 0 1 5
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Fr. J.J. was born in Scotland and moved to Canada
with his family at a young age. He professed his
religious vows in the Congregation on September
8, 1944 and was ordained to the ministerial priesthood on October 21, 1951 at St. Peter’s Seminary
in London.
He began his ministry as a Catholic educator at
St. Jerome’s High School in Kitchener. After two
years, he was assigned to teach at St. John’s College, Brantford, where he spent
23 years, 3 years as principal. Fr. J.J. then moved to North Bay College (Scollard
Hall) where he taught English and Religion. During that time he also helped
at St. Rita’s Parish in North Bay. After retiring from teaching, he returned to
Brantford to St. Peter’s Residence. On weekends he celebrated the English
Masses at St. Joseph Parish in Brantford. He also filled in for the priests in our
Bermuda parishes as needed. In 2012, Fr. J.J. retired to Resurrection Manor in
Waterloo.
Rev. J.J. Johnstone, CR
Fr. J.J. was well-loved and respected by the many people with whom he came
in contact. He loved teaching and ministering to people in the parish. Fr.
J.J. enjoyed his family and many friends and made it a point to keep in touch
with them (he had hundreds of names on his Christmas card list). He was
a great conversationalist, a lover of theatre, opera, murder mysteries and the
dramatic; he had an engaging sense of humour. Fr. J.J’s dying on the “Ides of
March” is a reflection of his passion for Shakespeare. The Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated at St. Joseph's Church in Brantford
on March 19th. Interment took place at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Brantford.
A Message from the Provincial Superior to our Readers
Once again this year, Easter reminds us that on Easter Sunday, March 27, 1842,
Peter Semenenko and Jerome Kajsiewicz, co-founders of the Congregation of
the Resurrection, along with five other clerics, professed their first religious
vows in the Catacombs of St. Sebastian in Rome. They were inspired to dedicate themselves as “Brothers of the Resurrection”. They were now dead to sin
and alive with the Risen Christ.
Our Constitutions tell us: “As members of the Congregation of the
Resurrection, we give glory to God by manifesting the presence of the Risen
Christ to the world. To accomplish this end, we will strive for our own
personal sanctification by accepting Christ as our model and by living a life
of ever greater union with him. This life of union with Christ expresses itself
through our union with our brothers in community, and
will overflow into our apostolic life, which strives to bring
to completion the establishment of Christ’s kingdom.
Thus, the goal of each of us who has been called to the
Congregation of the Resurrection is to strive for his own
personal resurrection with Christ in community and for
the resurrection of society (Const. art.5).
“Convinced of God’s unconditional love for us we herald
the liberation and salvation of each person and society as
a passage from death to life in which every situation of evil
and injustice will be overcome” (Mission Statement).
The Good News of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of
our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is that it is good news
for everyone. We have all been called to live the fullness of
the Paschal Mystery in our lives. Truly, we are all an Easter
people; our lives are rooted in the Hope that comes from
knowing that Jesus has overcome sin, death and darkness.
As followers of our Risen Saviour, we are convinced that
nothing can ever separate us from the love of God made
visible through our Risen Lord.
On behalf of all my brothers of the Ontario-Kentucky
Province of the Congregation of the Resurrection, I wish
you a very blessed Easter Season. May we journey on into
our future together as fellow Resurrectionists!
Very Rev. Murray McDermott, CR
Provincial Superior
Congratulations to our
Jubilarians!
Rev. William
LaFlamme, CR
Celebrating 60 Years
of Priesthood
William Stephen LaFlamme
grew up in Kitchener, Ontario,
and attended St. Jerome’s
High School. He professed
first vows in the Congregation
o
f the Resurrection on
Rev. Bill LaFlamme, CR
September 8, 1949 and perpetual vows on September 8, 1952. He was ordained to the
priesthood on June 4, 1955. Fr. Bill’s sixty years of ministry
included teaching, formation work and pastoral ministry.
He taught at St. Jerome’s High School for nine years after
ordination, and then was assigned as Novice Master for
the Congregation of the Resurrection. He served also as
Vocation Director and Rector of St. Thomas Scholasticate.
Fr. Bill moved to Bermuda in 1971 as administrator of St.
Theresa’s Cathedral, and became Assistant Chancellor of
the Diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda in 1974. He served
as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Hamilton, Ontario and St.
Francis Parish, Kitchener, before returning to Bermuda
as Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish, Flatts. Other assignments
included Pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Burford,
Ontario; Pastor of St. Michael Parish, Paget, Bermuda;
Rector of Theresa’s Cathedral, Hamilton, Bermuda; Pastor
of Stella Maris Parish, St. George’s; Pastor of St. Anthony’s
Parish, Warwick; Associate Pastor of St. Andrew’s Parish,
Cape Coral, Florida and Administrator of St. Mary’s Parish,
Kitchener. In 2006, Fr. Bill retired to Ft. Myers, Florida,
and in 2012, moved to Resurrection Manor, Waterloo. He
continues to assist at local parishes and volunteers at the
Worth a Second Look store in Kitchener. Although the
weather isn’t as good in Waterloo as it was in Bermuda and
Florida, Fr. Bill enjoys a game of golf whenever possible.
Rev. Peter
Pigott, CR
Celebrating 50 Years
of Priesthood
Peter Francis Pigott was
born and raised in Hamilton,
Ontario and attended
C at h e d r a l Hi g h S c h o o l .
On September 8, 1956
he
professed first vows in
Rev. Peter Pigott, CR
t he C ong regat ion of t he
Resurrection and professed perpetual vows on September
8, 1961. On May 29, 1965 he was ordained to the priesthood. Fr. Peter’s first assignment was as a teacher of
special studies at St. Jerome’s College. In 1966 he earned
a Licentiate in Theology from Laval University in Quebec.
He served in parish ministry throughout his priesthood, as Associate Pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Brantford,
Associate Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish, Hamilton, Rector
of St. Theresa’s Cathedral, Hamilton, Bermuda, Associate
Pastor of St. Aloysius Parish, Kitchener, Associate Pastor of
Blessed Sacrament Parish, Beaumont, Texas and Associate
Pastor of St. Louis Parish, Waterloo. Fr. Peter moved to
Resurrection Manor in 1990, where he currently resides.
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Resurrection
BULLETIN • SPRING 2015
Rev. Harry
Reitzel, CR
Celebrating 50 Years
of Priesthood
On March 14, 1938, Henry
Aloysius Reitzel was born. He
grew up in Waterloo, Ontario
and attended St. Jerome’s High
School. On September 8, 1957,
Fr. Harry professed first vows
Rev. Harry Reitzel, CR
in the Congregation of the
Resurrection. He professed perpetual vows on September
8, 1960 and was ordained to the priesthood on May 29,
1965. For seven years, Fr. Harry taught at St. John’s College
in Brantford and then taught at Scollard Hall, North Bay
for three years. He served as Associate Pastor of St. Francis
Parish, Kitchener, Associate Pastor of St. Pius X Parish,
Brantford and Associate Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish,
Hamilton. Fr. Harry was named Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish,
Kingsbridge, Ontario in 1989 and served in this capacity until 2003, when he moved to Bermuda as Pastor of
Stella Maris Parish, St. George’s. In 2011, Fr. Harry retired
to Resurrection Manor, Waterloo. He currently assists in
parishes in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, particularly at St.
Mary’s Parish. He also enjoys tennis, swimming and a good
game of bridge with friends and fellow Resurrectionists.
Rev. James Valk, CR
Celebrating 50 Years
of Priesthood
The small town of Chesley,
Ontario was the birthplace of James Francis Valk.
After attending high school
in Chesley, he spent one
year at St. Jerome’s College
(Kingsdale) and entered the
Rev. Jim Valk, CR
novitiate of the Congregation
of the Resurrection in 1957. He professed first vows in the
Congregation on September 8, 1958. He was ordained to
the priesthood on May 29, 1965. Fr. Jim’s first assignment
was as a teacher at St. Jerome’s High School. After teaching
for four years, Fr. Jim was assigned to the Congregation’s
mission in La Paz, Bolivia. He served there from 1969-1981.
On returning to Canada, Fr. Jim ministered as Associate
Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish, Hamilton. He later served as
Pastor of Resurrection Parish, Louisville, Kentucky and
Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish, Hamilton. Fr. Jim has also
held a number of leadership roles in the Congregation,
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BULLETIN • SPRING 2015
4
as house superior and Assistant Provincial Superior.
Fr. Jim served as chaplain for both the police and fire
departments and was an active volunteer firefighter for
nine years in Louisville, Kentucky. As current superior of St. Jerome’s religious house, Fr. Jim stays busy.
He also helps out wherever needed in various parishes
throughout the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Amazing Milestones!
Fr. Walter Schnarr, CR, a
member of the OntarioKentucky Province, has
achieved two significant
and amazing milestones.
He celebrated his 103rd
birthday on December
14, 2014 and is the oldest
Resurrectionist and
oldest living priest in the
Diocese of Hamilton. On
Rev. Walter Schnarr, CR
March 14, 2015, Fr. Walter
celebrated his 78th year of ordination to the priesthood. He professed first vows in the Congregation of
the Resurrection on August 15, 1931 and was ordained
in 1937. To give you an idea of what was happening
in the world in 1937, consider these facts: in 1937,
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the
Dominions of the British Commonwealth; William
Lyon Mackenzie King was Prime Minister of Canada;
Pius XI was pope; Franklin D. Roosevelt was president of the United States; Joe Dimaggio was a star for
the New York Yankees; Charlie Chaplin’s first talkie,
“Modern Times”, was released; and the Spanish Civil
War was raging.
Fr. Walter has been well known for his love of gardening and his ability to grow the largest and tastiest
tomatoes in the K-W area.
Eve n t h o s e w h o d on’t
normally like tomatoes
enjoyed the ones that Fr.
Walter grew. Besides tomatoes, Fr. Walter also grew
the most amazing amaryllis plants. A picture of one
of those is shown here.
Unfortunately, Fr. Walter has been experiencing health
issues and is now residing at Forest Heights Long Term
Care Centre in Kitchener. We ask God’s blessing for Fr.
Walter on his birthday and the anniversary of his ordination, and pray that he will grow stronger and soon
return to good health.
St. Louis Parish, Waterloo
by Fr. Phil Reilly, CR, Pastor
In the last issue of Resurrection Bulletin, we highlighted
St. Agatha Parish, the oldest Resurrectionist mission
in North America. In this issue, we highlight St. Louis
Parish in Waterloo. This year, St. Louis Parish is celebrating the 125th Anniversary of its founding. Built on
a man-made hill on Allen Street, the Church has been
a focal point in Uptown Waterloo. In the early 1880’s,
it became evident that a Catholic church was needed in
Waterloo, Ontario. The Catholic population was continuing to grow, and eventually a delegation of Catholics from
Waterloo approached Fr. Louis Funcken, Superior of the
Canadian mission, about building a church. They were
turned down, but were persistent. When Fr. Funcken
left Canada in 1890, they asked the new Superior, Fr.
William Kloepfer, CR and he gave approval for a church
to be built. Construction began on the new church, and
it was dedicated on January 6, 1891. The first Pastor was
Fr. Theobald Spetz, CR. The Catholics of Waterloo celebrated the sacraments at St. Louis as the only Waterloo
parish until Our Lady of Lourdes was founded in 1952.
Resurrectionist priests, deacons and brothers have served
at St. Louis Parish ever since its inception.
Inside St. Louis Church, Waterloo
Since 1891, St. Louis Parish has been the focal point of
Catholic life in Waterloo. Soon after the church was built,
a school operated by the School Sisters of Notre Dame
was begun in the basement of the church. A convent was
erected in 1895 and St. Louis School was completed in
1905. The School Sisters of Notre Dame, many of them
from Waterloo, served as teachers and catechists and
music teachers in the parish, living in the convent beside
the church. Many vocations have had their roots in the
faith the parish has fostered throughout the years.
Many Resurrectionists have ministered at St. Louis over
the years. Pastors and administrators include Fathers
Spetz, Aeymans, Fischer, Mayer, Hinsperger, Freiburger,
Ruth, Gehl, Weis, Beechley, Arnold, Hauser, Liddy,
Reitzel, Uniac, Buda and MacDonald. For the last two
years, the Parish has been led by Fr. Phil Reilly, CR and
Fr. Michal Kruszewski, CR.
Rev. Phil Reilly, CR, Pastor
Rev. Michal Kruszewski, CR,
Associate Pastor
Besides Fr. Phil and Fr. Michal, the parish has a Coordinator
of Youth and Children’s Ministries. There is a Sunday
School Program and Children’s Liturgy of the Word, as well
as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, a youth
group and a youth band. The parish has a strong music
ministry, with two Sunday choirs, a Risen Life Choir and a
newly formed youth choir. St. Louis is a very active parish
socially, with several popular events held throughout the
year. It is also active spiritually, with a weekly Bible Study
program, a prayer shawl ministry, and small Christian
communities that meet regularly.
The people of St. Louis Parish are very generous with
their time and commitment to the parish and to the less
fortunate of the area. The St. Vincent de Paul Society is a
dedicated outreach ministry in the parish. The Catholic
Women’s League serves the parish in many ways, providing
support for parish functions, advocating for the poor and
vulnerable and promoting the spiritual development of the
women of the parish.
For 16 years, St. Louis participated in the Out of the
Cold Program, providing a hot meal, a bed, and a safe,
welcoming environment for the homeless of the KitchenerWaterloo area every Sunday night from November to April.
St. Louis had almost 200 dedicated volunteers – making
beds, preparing dinner, baking cakes, preparing bagged
lunches, sorting and distributing clothing, serving dinner
and visiting with guests. Other volunteers provided nursing
and foot care for the guests. All but one of the participating
churches ended their association with the program in 2014,
to allow the Region of Waterloo to coordinate efforts to end
homelessness in the area and provide greater support for
those in need.
St. Louis started with 65 families in 1890 and the parish
now has approximately 450 families. The convent is
no longer home for the Sisters, but is used for meetings
and groups in the parish. The school has been sold and
is being redeveloped into condos. After 125 years, St.
Louis Parish is still the Catholic focal point in Uptown
Waterloo. For more information, visit the parish website:
www.saintlouisparish.ca.
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BULLETIN • SPRING 2015
“Celebrating the Word” goes
“open-source”!
Clergy in Bermuda
by Murray Watson, Editor of “Celebrating the Word”
The Island of Bermuda was originally part of the
Archdiocese of Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1939, Archbishop
J.T. McNally (formerly Bishop of Hamilton, Ontario)
invited the Resurrectionists to minister to the Catholic
population in Bermuda. The Resurrectionists agreed, and
have served the Church of Bermuda for over seventy-five
years. The Church in Bermuda was made a Prefecture
Apostolic of Bermuda Islands in 1953. It was elevated to
a diocese -- Diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda -- in June,
1967. The four Bishops who have served on the Island of
Bermuda - Bishop Robert Dehler, Bishop Bernard Murphy,
Bishop Brian Hennessy, and Bishop Robert Kurtz - have
directed the spiritual life of the people of God on this 'Isle of
Devils' in the Atlantic. This sinister title for Bermuda came
from the numerous shipwrecks on the reefs that surround
the Island.
In the world of technology, “open-source” software is
usually top-notch software, designed by world-class
specialists, which they have decided to make available to
the general public—for free. The “open-source” movement
(which is gaining popularity around the world) believes in
the democratization of knowledge and information—that
learning should be freely and generously shared, and (as
much as possible) without cost.
Something similar has recently taken place in terms of
“Celebrating the Word,” the weekly small-group Bible
study-and-reflection resource that was founded by the
late Fr. Frank Ruetz, CR, and which has been creatively
continued since his death by a team of his brother
Resurrectionists. “Celebrating the Word” has become
popular in parishes and institutions across North America,
and in other parts of the world, as a way to pray with, and
share about, the Sunday Scriptures. The leadership of the
Resurrectionists has decided that CTW would continue
as an important ministry of the CR community, but that
it would now be made available without cost, through a
dedicated section of the Resurrectionist website. Now,
instead of our faithful CTW Co-ordinator Barbara Diemert
having to manually send out CTW to subscribers each
week, they are now able to download it easily (in Adobe
Acrobat/PDF or Microsoft Word formats) from the following Website at their leisure: http://resurrectionists.ca/
celebrating-the-word.
This change in distribution method does not signal, in
any way, a lessening of the Resurrectionist commitment to
this important spiritual and formational resource. On the
contrary; we hope that it will allow for greater access to
what Father Frank began and nurtured for so many years,
which has now become a ministry of the Congregation
of the Resurrection more broadly. We hope that this new
“open-source” way of providing CTW will enable many
more people to experience the spiritual richness and beauty
of the Scriptures, and to apply them to their own Christian
lives, in ways that will bear fruit in deepened prayer and
more energetic Christian witness.
If you have any questions, or would like further information, please feel free to contact Barbara (at her new
e-mail address!): [email protected] or call
1-877-242-7935.
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6
by Fr. Paul Voisin, CR
There are over one hundred and twenty-five churches on
the Island, and six of them are Catholic - Cathedral of
St. Theresa, St. Joseph's, St. Anthony's, St. Michael's, St.
Patrick's, and Stella Maris. About fifteen percent of the
people on the Island are Roman Catholics, the second
largest group after the Church of England.
Clergy working in the Diocese of Hamilton, Bermuda
The present Resurrectionists on the Island are Fr. Julio
Blazejewski, of the South American Region, who ministers
to the Portuguese Community; Fr. Vladimir Sobolewski,
of the Polish Province, who is Pastor of St. Patrick's Parish;
Fr. Paul Voisin, of the Ontario-Kentucky Province, who is
Rector of the Cathedral. Until only a decade ago all of these
Parishes were staffed by Resurrectionists. The first nonResurrectionist Pastor is Fr. Joseph Morley, a Bermudian
who was ordained in 2004, serving Stella Maris Parish.
With the shortage of Resurrectionist priests available to
serve the needs of the Catholic Community, Bishop Kurtz
has enlisted the priestly service of two Diocesan priests of
the Diocese of Newark, New Jersey - Fr. Attilio Morelli at
St. Michael's Parish and Fr. Mariusz Luksza at St. Anthony's
and St. Joseph's Parishes.
Renovation of Chapel of St. Theresa
Hamilton, Bermuda
By Fr. Paul Voisin, CR
St. Theresa's is the Cathedral of the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda. The Cathedral, of a
Spanish style, was opened in 1932 and has served as the
centre of liturgical life for the Diocese since that time.
The Patroness of the Cathedral, and the Diocese, is Saint
Theresa of Lisieux. There is a chapel dedicated to her to
the left of the Sanctuary of the Cathedral. Recently it has
been renovated with the addition of botticino marble from
Brescia, Italy - flooring and altar dressings - donated by
Angelo and Rosanna Ferragu of Verona, Italy. Included in
this generous gift was a new wooden statue of St. Theresa,
of simple beauty. It was carved out of Linden wood by
Ferdinando Perathoner from Bolzano, Italy. New Bermuda
Cedar wall sconces were made by Joseph Pacheco, a local
carpenter. He also prepared two wooden reliquaries, one
for a relic of St. Theresa of Lisieux, and the other for her
parents, Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin. As St. Theresa
is 'the Little Flower', roses
always adorn the altar of the
chapel. A wooden kneeler
and two chairs have provided
a peaceful and quiet place for
prayer, reading, and meditation. Vigil lights, on Bermuda
Cedar stands, also adorn the
chapel. Lights in the chapel
are kept on during hours that
the Cathedral is open, to draw
people to visit our patroness in Chapel of St. Theresa
her quaint chapel.
St. Theresa (Thérèse) was born in Lisieux, France on
January 2, 1873. At an early age she experienced the call
to be a Discalced Carmelite Sister, and took the name Sister
Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face. She is most
known for her 'Little Way', her simple and practical spirituality, wanting to be unknown before God and the world.
She was beatified in 1923, and canonized in 1925, by Pope
Pius XI. She was declared co-patron of the Missions with
St. Francis Xavier in 1927, and co-patron of France with
Joan of Arc in 1944. On October 19, 1997 Pope John Paul
II declared her the thirty-third 'Doctor of the Church', the
youngest person and third woman.
The parents of St. Theresa, Blessed Louis and Zélie Martins,
were Beatified in 2008. Louis was a clock maker and
jeweler, of a deep spirituality. Zélie was a talented lace
maker, and was also a woman of strong faith. Four of their
nine children died in infancy. Four of the five surviving
daughters became Carmelite Nuns. Zèlie died of breast
cancer, and this has led to an outpouring of prayers for
her intercession for those suffering from breast cancer.
Louis has become associated with intercession for those
who have lost a spouse, and those facing illness and death.
They are also looked upon as intercessors for married
couples and parents. There is
a possibility that they will be
canonized during the Synod
on the Family in Rome in
October 2015.
In the Sacristy of the Cathedral
there is also a beautiful stained
glass window, a gift from the
Kurtz and Gira families, which
depicts (from top to bottom)
the Holy Face of Jesus (as that
was St. Theresa's Religious
name), Blessed Louis, Saint
Theresa, and Blessed Zélie.
Roses cascade down both sides
of the window, as roses have
traditionally been associated
with this 'Little Flower' of God
and the Church.
Stained Glass Window in
St. Theresa’s Cathedral
Conference on Resurrectionist
Spirituality
The Polish Province of the Congregation of the Resurrection,
in conjunction with the University of Saint John Paul II,
hosted an international conference on Resurrectionist spirituality in Kraków, Poland in February. The conference was
entitled “Resurrectionists: Towards the Spiritual Rebirth of
Society.” Four of the talks were delivered by Polish scholars, one was delivered by a young Hungarian scholar, and
the remaining talks were given by Fr. Paul Sims, CR of the
USA Province and Fr. James Donohue, CR of the OntarioKentucky Province. Fr. Paul’s talk was on “Theories that
Inform Resurrectionist Leadership Practices toward the
Spiritual Rebirth of Society.” Fr. Jim’s talk was entitled “The
Eight Principles of Resurrectionist Spirituality Applied to
Undergraduate Teaching.” Here is a short excerpt from Fr.
Jim’s talk, concerning the 3rd Principle of Resurrectionist
spirituality: “Evil Attracts Us.”
“The story of the fall in Genesis 2-3 helps our undergraduates to reflect upon why it is that evil attracts us. In the
story, God gives a command: “You are free to eat from any
of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of
good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; when you
eat from it you shall die” (Gen 2:17). God has given the man
and woman the entire garden with one command. They
must not touch this tree. Sr. Mary Kate Birge, SSJ, in her
study of this text, alerts us to the fact
that “neither
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Resurrection
BULLETIN • SPRING 2015
God nor the narrator justifies the prohibition; it simply
is” (“Genesis” 18). Here, they must simply trust God. Of
course, this means that they are not lords of their lives.
The serpent is, of course, very subtle in the way that he
broaches the topic of God’s command to not eat of this tree.
Birge points out several small, but incremental, ways that
the serpent plants seeds of doubt when he asks the woman,
“Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any of the trees
in the garden?’” (Gen 3:1). Note that the serpent widens
God’s command to all the trees, changes God’s “command”
in 2:16 to a mere “say,” weakening its force, and alters the
identification of God by dropping the sacred name, YHWH
(22). We see that the woman, lured into dialogue with the
serpent, joins the serpent’s misrepresentation in three ways:
she also refers to God without the sacred name, YHWH, she
adopts the weaker “said” over “command,” and she adds a
clause that God did not use when she says, “and nor shall
you touch it” (22).
Humans are creatures, and not God, and there are some
things that remain a mystery to them. The question is about
their willingness to trust in God’s plan for them. Can they
trust that God will provide for them in God’s time and in
God’s way, or do they need to grasp on their own what ultimately would be freely given to them? The “original sin” that
this story reveals is that humans have a deep desire within
them to be masters of their destiny; they cannot trust that
God will in fact provide for them. Humans are not content
to be creatures that must trust, but rather prefer to be “like
gods.” When God created humanity, God gave humanity a
great gift—freedom—because God wants a willing partner,
one who chooses God in freedom. But unlike God, humans
are creatures, not knowing all things. As creatures they are
called to use the gift of freedom to trust that God’s plan for
humanity will be brought to fruition in God’s time and in
God’s way.
Our inability to trust is rooted in a pride that wants to see
ourselves at the center of all things. As William Mattison
puts it: “Despite being created for self-giving love, and
being given the assistance to live lives of such love, which
are indeed most fulfilling and satisfying, humanity lives
not out of self-giving love but rather for ourselves. Out of
pride we decide that we, not God, know what is truly best
and life-giving for us. And so we turn away from the fullness of life that is offered to us. This is sin” (Introducing
Moral Theology: True Happiness and the Virtues 204).
We are attracted to evil because of our pride which seeks to
make us, rather than God, the center of the Christian story.
And if we think it is all about us, it cannot, of course, be all
about God.”
Fr. Jim Donohue, CR conferring at the Resurrectionist
Spirituality Conference
The conference was attended by dignitaries of the university,
many Resurrectionist sisters and other religious, lay scholars
interested in Resurrectionist spirituality, and the 40 religious superiors and pastors of the Polish Province. Opening
remarks were given by the Provincial of the Polish Province,
Fr. Wiesław Śpiewak, CR and closing remarks were made by
Fr. James Gibson, CR, who represented the General Curia
of the Congregation of the Resurrection. The conference
was organized by Fr. Wojciech Młeczko, CR, who will be
leading the retreat for the members of the Ontario-Kentucky
Province, September 14-18, 2015.
The conference included an opening Mass, presided by the
auxiliary bishop of Kraków. All the Resurrectionists were
able to celebrate mass and evening prayer on another night
at a Benedictine Abbey that was founded in 1040 by King
Casimir the Restorer. The Resurrectionists were also able to
tour the Wieliczka Salt Mines, just outside Kraków, where
they celebrated Mass in the chapel of St. Kinga.
Editorial team for
The Resurrection Bulletin:
Fr. Phil Reilly, CR
Ms. Patti Tusch
Fr. Tim Uniac, CR
Fr. Jim Valk, CR
Fr. Paul Voisin, CR
Please check out the Ontario-Kentucky Province’s website
at www.resurrectionists.ca. Prayer requests are always
welcomed and encouraged.
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