2006 JUBILARIANS Fr. Lawrence Lentz, CSV who looks back on his 25 years as a priest says, “Some of the most fulfilling moments of my ministry can be clustered in my classroom teaching, Fr. Lawrence Lentz, CSV presiding at Eucharist, ministering through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and often being surprised when a homily I was not satisfied with got rave reviews. The Spirit works in wonderful ways!” Fr. Lentz taught at St. Viator High School in the 70s. In the 80s, he served there as associate principal, principal, and by the time he left in 1986, he was president. After that he was parochial vicar at St. Viator Parish in Chicago. Fr. Lentz says, “I am most grateful for the education I have received, the varied pastoral experiences I have had, the professionalism of the Viatorian Community and the respect we are accorded.” From 1991 until 1999, he served as pastor of Maternity B.V.M. in Bourbonnais. He then returned to St. Viator Parish, Chicago, as pastor. In 2002, he became rector of Guardian Angel Cathedral in Las Vegas. “More than half of my religious life has been lived as a priest. A quarter of a century. Wow! Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday. Time does fly when you are having a good time and I have always enjoyed being a Viatorian and a priest. No regrets!”
Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV has spent 19 of his 25 years as a Viatorian priest serving the people of Las Vegas. “I have been blessed with different ministries: St. Viator Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV High School, Bishop Gorman High School, service to the Viatorian Community, and now St. Viator Parish. Along the way I have found good friends and good memories. God has been very good to me. Anniversaries are good times to count these blessings.” Fr. Rinn taught at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights from 1971 until 1977 when he left to begin seminary studies. Between 1981 and 1993 he served at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas where he was teacher, counselor, assistant principal, principal and finally as president of the school. He recalls, “ I remember in my early years in community when there would be an anniversary celebration and I would see the Viatorians marking different anniversaries 25 years, 50 years or whatever, and I would be thinking ‘how wise those men must be, and how old’ and now I am thinking “not so wise and not so old.’ From 1992 until 1999 Fr. Rinn served the community as assistant provincial. During 1998-1999 he was also president of St. Viator High School. In 1999 he became pastor of St. Viator Parish in Las Vegas. He says, “I am blessed beyond words, I do what I like and I like what I do.”
Fr. Simon Lefebvre, CSV celebrates two anniversaries this year 60 years as a religious in vows, and 50 years as a priest. He grew up in Canada and joined the Canadian Fr. Simon Lefebvre, CSV Province before transferring to the Chicago Province. Fr. Lefebvre is the true son of Viator (a traveler). He says, “After all these years I have fond memories of those who preceded us the Viatorian professors, pastors, and teachers.” He taught for one year at Spalding Institute in Peoria, and then he was assigned to the foreign missions in the Orient. He was chaplain and teacher at St. Viator High School in Taiwan from 1958 until 1972 and again from 1975 until 1979. Today, he remarks, “I am impressed by the role, impact, and importance of associates in our lives. They are living witnesses to what we have seen and heard and proclaimed.” In the years between 1979 until his retirement in 2004, Fr. Lefebvre served as director of the center for Religion and Life; parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima Church in Chula Vista, California; parochial vicar at St. Charles Borromeo Church in San Diego; parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament Church in San Diego; and finally pastor at St. Richard Church in Borrego Springs, California. The maintenance of his collection of more than 20,000 slides of art and literature keeps him busy as he enjoys retirement in Anguanga, California.
In the Footsteps of our Founder - New Challenges On January 10, 1830 King Charles X ratified the August 8, 1829 Decision of the Education Council approving “The Statutes of the Schools of St. Viator”. The responsiveness of the educational bureaucracy and the government to our founder’s concept of a “Normal School” pleased Fr. Querbes. However, his joy was short lived when the Lyons Archbishop forbade him to proceed with his plan. The Archbishop’s attitude shifted from “liked the plan” to “cold benevolence” to forbidding (“veto”) Fr. Querbes to implementation the Royal Decree. The Archbishop’s opposition had little to do with Fr. Querbes and everything to do with ChurchState relations. Fr. Querbes was highly esteemed by the Vicar
General and the Archepiscopal Council. In 1827, the diocesan authorities wanted to appoint him Superior of the preparatory seminary of St. Jodard. Later he was proposed as Director of the preparatory seminary at Argentiere. Fr. Querbes always disposed himself with “deepest submission to all that His Excellency would decide”. He was always permitted to remain as pastor, which he saw as a Providential sign that his life and ministry was to be centered in Vourles. In 1828, Church - State relations were tense. The Archbishop was engaged in a struggle with the university. He had refused to name his delegates to the new government “free committee for elementary education”. He unsuccessfully attempted legal approval for the Brothers of Mary. He believed if
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he were to encourage Fr. Querbes, it would contradict his standing positions with the government. Two Rhone deputies intervened. On March 24, Fr. Querbes was advised, “His Excellency has at last agreed not to oppose the execution of the ordinance which authorizes the Brothers of St. Viator.” Then came the Revolution of July, 1828 and the abdication of Charles X. The Duke of Orlean became Louis Philippe. Fr. Querbes faced new challenges: a blessing denied, a revolutionary government, a Normal school without teachers or students. Leo V. Ryan, CSV