FROM THE SUPERIOR'S DESK
Contributed by: Rev. C. Frank Phillips, C.R., Founder
Dear Friends and Benefactors,
During this season of Advent, we wait once again with joyful expectation the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. On behalf of the members of the Society of St. John Cantius, I extend to each of you and your families a blessed Christmas and joyous New Year in Our Lord.
During the past summer, Brother Dennis Kolinski and myself worked on formulating our Book of Customs—that is, our way of life as a community dedicated to the Restoration of the Sacred. Father Thomas Nelson, O.Praem., has reviewed the Book of Customs and submitted them to his Abbot, a canon lawyer, who will be able to "fine tune" them for us so that they comply closely with Canon Law. Once corrected and clarified, we can then submit the Book of Customs to Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., who will then hopefully let us adopt them as our Rule of Life.
The summer months went by rapidly. Five men were sent to Holy Apostles Seminary for Theological Studies. Among them, Brother Al is preparing to receive Deaconate in the early summer of 2002.
Early in September, I met with Bishop Basil Meeking, retired bishop of New Zealand, who now resides with Cardinal George and is involved in various archdiocesan commissions. During a short visit that I had with the Cardinal, he informed me that Bishop Meeking would be his personal liaison to assist with the further progress of the Society. Bishop Meeking visits and offers Mass at St. John's on a regular basis.
November 20th was a day both of great rejoicing and of sorrow for the Society. On that day, Brothers Brendan Gibson, Jim Isaacson and Dennis Kolinski received the ministry of Lector. In addition, Brother Dennis received the ministry of Acolyte. (Brother Jim had already received this ministry.)
Unfortunately, on the same day, after much prayer, Brother Dan Ahearn, decided to leave the community. He is still involved at St. John's and continues to add his expertise to our building maintenance, the youth program and the children's choir.
As many of you know, the Society received a wonderful gift of 96 acres of land from the Dietz family in the vicinity of Paw Paw, Michigan. On November 7th, during a meeting that I had with Bishop James Murray of Kalamazoo, he welcomed us into his Diocese and extended his blessing on our society.
Shortly before Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to be in Rome once again as a chaplain for a pilgrimage group. While there, I was able to visit many of the Stational Churches and important shrines. At all of these places of prayer, I carried all of your intentions with me.
Fr. Louis Kolenkiewicz, who stayed with us this past August, graciously invited all of our men studying out East—Brothers Brendan Gibson, Jim Isaacson, Dennis Kolinski, Joe Pietrzyk, Al Tremari and Dan Wagner—to spent the Thanksgiving break at his parish on the outskirts of Philadelphia. While there, they had the opportunity to visit the shrines of St. John Neumann, Katherine Drexel and Our Lady of Czestochowa.
God has blessed the Society over and over again. Each of you, who support us with your prayers, financial gifts, and words of encouragement are continually thanked from the bottom of all our hearts, and we are grateful for your continued support.
My continued prayer is that each of you be blessed abundantly for your continued support of the Society of St. John Cantius. (In the coming year, there may be a few more surprises in store, which will be of tremendous importance for the Society.)
I ask each of you in your kindness to pray now not only for Cardinal George, but also for Bishop Perry, Bishop Meeking and Bishop Murray, that they may continue to receive God's choicest blessings.
Pray for us that we continue to be blest with vocations, for the perseverance of our present members and for good health. We in turn continue to remember you in our daily Masses, in the choral recitation of the Divine Office and in the daily Rosary.
Christmas & Year-End Giving
Consider the gifts that God has bestowed upon you not only this year but throughout your life. Christmas and year's end is a spiritual opportunity to make a return to God for His many blessings. It is a good time to support the work of the Society of St. John Cantius and also positively impact your taxes. All gifts made on or before December 31 are tax deductible for the tax year in which your gift is made. Giving can be done in a variety of ways, all of which are tax deductible.
Cash is the easiest way to make a charitable donation simply by writing a check.
Stocks, bonds, and shares in mutual funds can be given with a deduction for the full market value at the time the gift is made. You can also save by paying no capital gains tax on the sale of the stock as you would if you sold the stock and held the cash. You can also sell stock that has declined in value, claim that loss on your tax return and then, donate the cash from the sale of the stock.
Real estate and personal property both qualify as charitable gifts that would benefit the Society.
Cash value in current or paid up life insurance policies can benefit the Society by naming it as a beneficiary.
Gifts from businesses, such as equipment, materials and service, as well as cash, also qualify.
(As in all legal matters, always consult your accountant, attorney or other financial professional.)
Please mail your year-end
contribution to:
The Society of Saint John Cantius
825 North Carpenter Street
Chicago, Illinois 60622-5405
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 60622-5499. 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 that the Society SJC has collected.
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 a Restoration of the Sacred in the Church through solemn liturgies, devotions, sacred art, sacred music, as well as instruction in Church heritage, catechetics, and Catholic culture in the context of parish ministry. The community presently includes two priests, five seminarians and four members in formation.
This page last updated 23 December 2001—Feast of St. John Cantius, patron of the Society of St. John Cantius (1970 calendar)
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