“We are here not only to continue a tradition, but also to commit ourselves to the future of our congregation in North America,” said Fr. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ, in his opening remarks at the December 6 meeting of the administrations of the US Province and Canadian Region. The two councils met for their twice-a-year meeting at the Best Western hotel near the airport of Toronto. The two councils meet to discuss the shared issues and concerns but also just to stay in contact with one another and find ways of collaboration. This time the convener was Fr. Gustave Lulendo, the first time that he hosted the event.
Among the issues discussed: internationality (living and ministering together as an international congregation), migration (Fr. Peter McKenna, SCJ, updated the councils on the work of the North American Migration Committee), the Dehon Study Center in North America (how to continue to support and enhance the work of the center, as well as the Dehonian Associates Office), the North American Theological Commission (in particular, its preparations –– in collaboration with other continental commissions –– for the July 12-17, 2020 SCJ Theological Conference in Cameroon), a commitment to continue the North American Dehonian Retreats, youth ministry (tentative plans for campus ministry in the United States, youth retreats with the Indonesian community in Toronto, and the 2022 World Youth Day in Portugal), and vocation promotion (the entities hope to seek more collaborative efforts regarding vocation development; the Canadian Region recently developed a vocation committee that has a new social media project: “DehonianWay”.

Pictured above are the participants at the meeting: Fr. Ed Kilianski, Fr. John van den Hengel, Fr. Paul Tennyson, Fr. Quang Nguyen, Fr. Jack Kurps, Fr. Gustave Lulendo, Fr. Richard Woodbury, Fr. Vien Nguyen and Fr. Yuliwan Maslim.