Viator Newsletter Fall 2022

Here in the Midwest we are seeing the beginnings of fall as the leaves begin to change, and the morning air is brisk. It is a great reminder of the cycle of seasons as well as a time of reflection. As you will read in this newsletter, this year has been full of historical moments in the life of our community as we look to the past and to the events of today which will be a part of our history.

We continue to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Bourbonnais. There was a large gathering of parishioners and Viatorians on August 20th with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Ronald Hicks, the Bishop of Joliet. The leadership of the three religious communities who have served the people of Maternity - the Clerics of St. Viator, the Congregation of Notre Dame and the Sisters of the Holy Heart of Marywere present to remember and to celebrate with the Maternity BVM community.

Not too far away, at St. George, the community there celebrated its 150 years as a parish. Our community celebrated this milestone during our assembly in July. The hospitality and openness of the parishioners made everyone feel welcome and at home.

More recently, Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee celebrated its 100th year. It has its roots deep within the Viatorian Community as it began as St. Patrick High School

and has had many Viatorians serve there as teachers and administrators.

Our roots in the Bourbonnais/ Kankakee area run deep and continue to have great impact on the lives of the people in our various communities there.

Another more recent milestone takes place in the western portion of the province. Cristo Rey St. Viator College Preparatory High School marks the first year with all four grade levels present on campus. This institution holds great promise of having an extremely positive impact on the students, their families and the North Las Vegas community.

As we celebrate the past and look to the future, we can be proud of and the mission which we work to advance. Men and women in our history have laid a great foundation for us to extend. With the help of God, we will be able to continue to spread the Good News and to raise up communities where faith is lived, deepened and celebrated.

Rev. Daniel R. Hall, CSV Provincial Clerics of St. Viator, Chicago Province

Provincial: Fr. Daniel Hall, CSV

Editor: Fr. Thomas Long, CSV

Director of Communications: Eileen O’Grady Daday

Editorial Board: Eileen O’Grady Daday

Br. John Eustice, CSV

Br. Michael Gosch, CSV

Mr. Daniel Masterton

Mrs. Rebecca Skirvin

Layout and Design: Dianna Ehrenfried, Visualedge, Inc Email: news@viatorians.com

A Pilgrimage Across the Sea

It was a homecoming of sorts for Fr. Robert M. Egan, CSV, when he and Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV, led a tour in October to Ireland. Both had traveled to the Emerald Isle before, but for Fr. Egan, it was a chance to return to his roots, County Mayo, home of his mother’s family.

The visit to the shrine included a tour of the extensive grounds, including its five churches, extensive art collection – from glasswork to mosaics and sculpture – museum and gardens.

The chance to explore Ireland with the Viatorians drew parishioners from St. Viator Catholic Community in Las Vegas, St. Thomas More Catholic Community in Henderson, NV, and Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights, including Br. Rob Robertson, CSV.

The 10-day trip was something of a pilgrimage, with Fr. Egan and Fr. Rinn leading travelers to historic cathedrals in Armagh, Galway, Killarney and Dublin, as well as Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, the oldest Irish Benedictine abbey. The group visited the burial site of St. Patrick, and even attended Mass said in Gaelic at the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, in Galway.

A highlight came midway during the trip when Fr. Egan and Fr. Rinn celebrated Mass in the Apparition Chapel in the village of Knock in County Mayo. The chapel was built on the site where Mary, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared to 15 witnesses — young and old — in the tiny village in 1879.

However, this tour differed from previous visits. Their journey began in Northern Ireland and included tours of Belfast and Derry. Along the way, they visited sites of the violence, or “troubles,” between the Loyalists and the Republicans. But they also heard of the vast improvements to the country since the peace agreement was reached in 1998.

Still, visiting the site of the apparition and calling on Our Lady of Knock to bless them as pilgrims, was a highlight.

“Today, we gather to think of Mary in our life,” Fr. Rinn said in his homily. “We have the simplest prayer to her in the ‘Hail Mary,’ which when said slowly and thoughtfully can make all the difference in the world.”

For Fr. Egan, the tour was his fifth visit to his ancestral homeland. Yet, coming to Knock, where the apparition occurred, and has drawn two popes to visit, including Pope Francis in 2018, remained as powerful as ever.

“We’ve come to this holy space, celebrating our faith and praying for all our intercessions that we remember at this Mass,” Fr. Egan said at the start of the Mass.

“As pilgrims, seeking Mary’s intercession,” Fr. Egan said, “we pray that we have open hearts and open ears, and may know the power of God’s grace.”

(L-R) Br. Rob Robertson, Fr. Richard Rinn and Fr. Robert M. Egan

Fr. Robert M. Egan and Fr. Richard Rinn celebrate Mass in the Apparition Chapel.

Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, County Mayo

As we reflect on big milestones, and look forward to future potential, we thought we’d revisit a foundational question: what does our baptism mean?

Baptism with oil and water makes the baptized person as priest, prophet, and king, sharing in these offices of Jesus as well as in Jesus’ death and resurrection! The baptized is a beloved child of God who joins an immense community of love, giving and receiving God’s love in relationship.

So how do we respond? Here’s a light refresher, to help us live out this universal baptismal call with renewed understanding.

State of Life: Each of us is called to a particular state of life. At first, we are all single, either for a period of time or for life. From there, some discern God’s invitation to marriage and family life, becoming spouses and parents; others discern God’s invitation to religious life and/or ordination.

Particular Vocations: Within those states of life, our God-given gifts and passions strive to meet the needs of our communities and our world. It could mean a profession like teaching, pastoral ministry, health-care, law, etc.; it could also mean living out a vocation alongside one’s day-job, such as volunteer service, community activism and organizing, contributing to one’s faith community, etc.

Vocational Expressions: Within our vocations, our personal gifts and passions often ignite specific actions that reflect the unique personalities we each bring. A teacher may have a distinct way they formulate and teach a lesson; a doctor or nurse may have a distinct way of assessing and supporting a patient; a community organizer may have a distinct way of engaging neighbors. These are beautiful and positive demonstrations of flourishing vocational discernment that is moving to action to love and serve others.

Br. John Eustice met with young people at Maternity BVM Parish to plan a youth-led liturgy.

Is God Inviting You to be a Viatorian?

How Can You be a Companion to Others as they Discern?

Vocation Ministry is focused foundationally on identifying those men who, in responding to their baptism, consider God’s invitation to Viatorian religious life. We hope members of our communities will encourage, affirm, and invite men to consider this, and refer them to Br. John Eustice, CSV, for intentional accompaniment.

Our hope is that by engaging with the Viatorian Community, sustaining a rich life of prayer, and seeking to respond to God’s invitations helps people live out their baptismal call most fully and richly.

But more broadly, we also strive to help others: men who may have an invitation to diocesan priesthood or other religious communities: women who feel called to religious life; children and teens who can utilize vocational discernment as they grow and learn; and adults, both single and married, seeking to serve God by serving others and the Church.

We believe our Viatorian future, grounded in strategic planning and goals, can help us continue to do this faithfully and effectively, together with and for everyone across our communities.

A.I was invited to become an associate by Br. John Eustice and Fr. Dan Lydon after working at Saint Viator High School for two years. Prior to working at the high school, I was a youth minister at parishes in Montana, Colorado and Nebraska, along with teaching at other Catholic schools in Nebraska and Chicago. I have worked with other religious communities throughout my career, but I feel the Viatorians are the most inclusive of lay partners in their community. I felt called to become a part of the Viatorian community as an associate because I am committed to Catholic education for young people and I want to help them see the importance of God in their lives.

Viator?

A.I started working during the 2014-2015 school year as a theology teacher, teaching freshmen and sophomore classes. I continued teaching those before adding senior ethics. It was then that I began working with Rita King on adult faith formation for faculty and staff. I was the cocoordinator with Rita for a year before she retired. In the middle of that year, Br. John Eustice became the Vice President of Identity and Mission, and I continued working with him on adult faith formation. When Br. John announced he was leaving, and Fr. Dan Lydon was appointed as the next president, I was appointed to my current position as the Assistant to the President for Mission and Director of Campus Ministry.

Q . What does this new role entail?

A.My role includes coordinating our Adult Faith formation including Viatorian formation for new faculty and staff, parents, collaborating with our Diversity & Solidarity team, taking a lead role in the Service & Song summer camp, and any other things Fr. Dan asks me to help with here at Saint Viator. I am also teaching one section of senior ethics.

Q . What’s the best part of this new role?

A.

The best part is working with our whole high school community, from the students to the teachers to the a dministration. As Director of Campus Ministry, I get to work with our campus ministers on our all-school liturgies, retreats and service outings with our students. I also have the opportunity to work with the administrative team to help continue advancing our strong Catholic identity and Viatorian mission in all that we do.

A.

As an associate, I enjoy being in community with other lay people, brothers and priests who truly care about the faith journey and religious education of young people in our church today. The support and encouragement from the Viatorians makes me see my new role as worthwhile and rewarding. I am able to share the Viatorian charism with my students in the classroom, student leaders on retreat, with faculty and staff when we meet during personal development time, administration members through our collaboration, and all who are a part of the Saint Viator family. To explain the Viatorian charism, I like to use this quote from Fr. Querbes about disinterested zeal: “Love that is more intense, more alive, more ardent; it is yours. Zeal is nothing less than divine love set in motion… [ It is tenderness, compassion, humility.”

Q. How did you come to decide to become an associate?

Q . What has been your career progression at Saint

Q . How have you enjoyed partnering with the Viatorians?

Associate Ann Perez has a long history in youth ministry and Catholic education, but the religious community she decided to join as a lay person was the Viatorian Community. Here, she describes why.

Viator House of Hospitality reached its fifth anniversary this year, and despite all that is going on in the world today, this Viatorian ministry provides reasons to be joyful.

Take a look at the numbers: In all, Viator House has been home to 97 men from 22 nations since it opened Jan. 17, 2017, as an alternative to detention for young immigrant men awaiting asylum hearings. Currently, 25 young men live at Viator House, coming from 10 countries.

The home’s staff provides each resident with an array of services, from housing, food and clothing, to education, case management, spiritual support, advocacy and referrals and volunteer experiences in a safe interfaith environment. The house accomplishes all of this with the help of more than 70 volunteers and more than 550 donors, who helped the year-end campaign raise 30% more than last year.

While the home has drawn national attention and served as a model for other communities, the Viatorians who run it count the number of young men they have welcomed over those years as their biggest success.

“So much pain, confusion and suffering have filled our nation and world since last year,” Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, Executive Director, said to supporters, “but in the midst of it, because of you, we still offer peace and calm, hope and healing.”

Fr. Brost works closely with Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, Director of Programs and Housing, whom he credits with having the original vision to begin this ministry of accompaniment.

“We’re just grateful for the ability to provide hospitality to young people in such need,” Br. Gosch says simply.

Viator House, located in the Chicagoland area, is an international, interfaith community that includes a dedicated staff. Take a deeper look into the numbers:

• 70 plus volunteers who tutor, drive, mentor, advise and staff the house.

• 20 faith communities and two civic organizations who formally partner with the organization.

• 557 donors who show boundless generosity. In fact, those donors contributed $45,000 to the end-of-the year campaign last year.

• 20 young men have moved from Viator House into transitional apartments since 2020

Since opening in 2017, all of these young men have attended school and/or worked, with many doing both.

“We have helped five begin college careers, and have reunited more than 15 with family members in the U.S.,” Fr. Brost says. “And we have watched in admiration as they find jobs, work hard and send thousands of dollars to family members in Asia, Africa and Central America who need medical care, money for school or emergency assistance.”

Find out more about Viator House of Hospitality, including its missions, ways to volunteer and opportunity to support it financially, by visiting: viatorhouseofhospitality.com

Viator House of Hospitality residents and staff enjoy a special meal to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

Cristo Rey St. Viator: A School that Works

As the school has grown so has its involvement with the Viatorian Community. For the last two years, the sophomore class has held its retreat at St. Viator Catholic Community. Its pastor, Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV, welcomed them and also worked to present the new school with a statue of its patron, St. Viator.

This past summer, a delegation of CRSV students attended the Viatorian Youth Congress, and the experience made an impression on these young people, as they have become more involved with Campus Ministry.

Viatorians realized a dream, more than five years in the making, when Cristo Rey St. Viator College Prep in North Las Vegas began the current school year. Cheers erupted on the first day as the school’s first graduating class — who began with the school back in 2019 — started their first day of senior year. Fr. Thomas von Behren, CSV, President, led the applause as seniors walked through the hallway on their way to their first day of work.

At the school’s opening Mass, Emilia, Alan and Job, who attended VYC in July, joined with their classmate, Stephanie, in interpreting the gospel reading.

“They shared their reflections on the gospel in which Peter walked toward Jesus on the water,” says a proud Fr. von Behren. “Each student reflected from a different point of view, Jesus, Peter, the other disciples in the boat, and as an observer serving as narrator.”

The school has become a dream of the Viatorians since their early endorsement of Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, which opened in 2004. They continue to support the Waukegan, IL school and remain committed to the Cristo Rey mission, educating young people of limited economic means to become men and women of faith, purpose and service.

“We’re so proud of our senior class,” school officials said on their Facebook page. “They’ve come so far since we began our journey here at Cristo Rey St. Viator, and we’re excited — and emotional — to see them have the first day of their last year of high school!”

The start of this new school year also ushers in a new era: it realizes the Viatorians’ goal of having all four classes (freshmen — seniors) enrolled in the first four years of the school.

The school has grown exponentially since builders broke ground in September, 2018. Cristo Rey St. Viator now serves 265 students — including 81% who would be the first in their families to attend college — who work one day at a week at more than 60 corporate work study locations.

“Through a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, integrated with a relevant work study experience,” Fr. von Behren says, “students graduate ready to succeed in college and in life.”

Associate Deborah Perez gives a tie to a freshman at the beginning of the year.

VYC delegates share their reflections on the gospel.

Fr. Thomas von Behren with two of the seniors

Viatorian Community Responds to Migrants Arriving on Buses

The news was filled with the transporting of immigrants, primarily from Venezuela, to northern cities and juxtaposing that with the local responses. Following the Viatorian mission to reach out to those who are wrongly considered of little importance, Viatorians immediately sprang into action.

The Viatorian Community is an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation: publicly expressing its commitment to reach out to individuals and to advocate for immigrant justice. One example is the collection of new and gently used clothing that is being donated by members of the community and neighboring St. James Parish in Arlington Heights.

Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, is a member of the Sanctuary Working Group (SWG) under the sponsorship of the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN). The group advocates for immigrant justice, both for those in and out of detention. Its accomplishments include finding housing for the undocumented and newly arrived immigrants coupled with individual support. Members of the Saint Viator High School residence donated $5,000 to the Sanctuary Working Group to assist with housing and personal needs.

Br. E. Jhobany Orduz, CSV, and Fr. Thomas Long, CSV, have volunteered at a welcoming center where the buses arrive. The greeters welcome them, where they are put on a list and then go to a series of stations to register their name, apply for a Chicago ID, talk about their legal status and meet with representatives from Catholic Charities to meet their immediate needs.

Fr. Brost, along with students from Saint Viator High School and participants at Viator House of Hospitality assembled 95 hygiene kits in late October. The kits will be distributed to arriving migrants.

Residents

The Archdiocese of Chicago has formed an Asylum Seekers Advisory Group, of which Br. Gosch is a member. Along with Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, Br. Gosch is also a member of the Asylum Seekers Working Group. The group noted that more than 3,600 asylum seekers, including women and children, have arrived since August 31, 2022. The immediate needs are housing, employment, counseling and childcare. The group is working withthe Archdiocese to address the crisis and to devise a compassionate response.

The Scriptures have numerous references to the equality of all people and of the need to join together to help each other. When that is done, life flourishes.

Beside working in collaboration with other agencies, the Viatorians have recently funded two Venezuelans living in a home. Previously, they have funded hotel stays for others in a local hotel.

of Viator House of Hospitality worked alongside Saint Viator High School students to pack bags for migrants.

They assembled 95 bags at the Viatorian Province Center.

Colegio San Viator Goes All Out to Celebrate Its Patron

Celebrating the feast of St. Viator took many forms at parishes and schools around the world, but one that stood out was in Tunja, Colombia. After postponing events for two years during the pandemic, Viatorians at Colegio San Viator used the feast day for some of its holiest events of the year, conferring sacraments.

catechists who worked withmembers of the school’s pastoral team to prepare these children and young people for the sacraments.

The feast day celebration also included with an outdoor Mass the rest of the school community, which took place on the campus.

Colegio San Viator in Tunja celebrated its fifth anniversary last year, after Viatorians took over the school from a different religious community. Set amid the Eastern range of the Colombian Andes, the school features all the qualities of a Viatorian education, namely one that is faith-based, co-educational, bilingual and pastoral, with professed Viatorians on its faculty and staff.

“It is our custom to celebrate these sacraments at the school on the feast of St. Viator,” says Fr. Pedro Herrera, CSV, Vice Rector, “partly because the school year is coming to an end and catechesis has been conducted since the beginning of the year.”

The feast day started with the sacrament of confirmation. Archbishop Gabriel Villa conferred the sacrament on 37 students from the colegio’s upper grades. The day also included 90 children receiving their first communion. Both ceremonies took place in the chapel of the Archdiocesan curia of Tunja, which is close to the school.

Br John Avellaneda, CSV, Br. Juan Ramirez, CSV, and Br. Diego Carajal, CSV were among the

Students compete in an online quiz about Viatorian history.

The Viatorian charism can be felt throughout the school, starting with Fr. Herrera. He attended Colegio San Viator in Bogotá and was the first graduate of the school to join the Viatorians. Joining him in the administration is Fr. Fredy Contreras, CSV, who serves as Rector of the school, with more Viatorians serving on its faculty and its pastoral team.

What’s more, the colegio is on its way to achieving full recognition as an International Baccalaureate School, setting it apart from other private schools in the Boyacá region of central Colombia.

Images of St. Viator and the Venerable Fr. Louis Querbes, are prominent throughout the school, and Viatorians continually work to reinforce the Viatorian identity with students and faculty.

As an example, as part of the recreational activities on the feast day, students competed in an online contest on Viatorian culture, in which teachers and members of the school administration also participated. It was all part of a worldwide effort to celebrate the patron, St. Viator, and learn what makes a Viatorian education –and parish life – different.

(L-R) Fr. Fredy Contreras, Fr. Pedro Herrera and Br. John Avellaneda

Br. Juan David Ramirez grades competitors.

St. George Parish Celebrates 150 Years of Family and Faith

St.George Parish in Bourbonnais wrapped up its yearlong celebrations of its 150th anniversary in a festive way, with its 75th annual Summerfest. The popular summer event epitomizes what Viatorians are committed to in their parishes: building up communities where faith is lived, deepened and celebrated.

At this rural parish, that means good, old fashioned, summertime fun. Children enjoyed going down the inflatable slides and riding in the tractor-pulled barrel train, while adults enjoyed live music, perusing the unique items offered in the “country store,” and relaxing amid the parish’s expansive gardens.

Volunteers grilled more than 1,300 pieces of chicken at Summerfest.

But the real success was measured at the grill, after families devoured more than 1,300 pieces of barbequed chicken.

“I’m always impressed to see the way that the St. George community comes together to make this annual event such a special celebration in the cornfields,” says Fr. Daniel Belanger, CSV, Pastor.

The day started when members of the Bishop McNamara High School football team turned out to set up for the event. Many parishioners worked in assembly line fashion to fill picnic suppers that would go along with the barbequed chicken, while others sold tickets and raffle chances throughout the day.

This milestone edition of Summerfest was the final celebration of the parish’s yearlong celebration of its 150th anniversary. The current church was built in 1872, of stone found in nearby quarries. The first Viatorian to lead the parish was Fr. Auguste J. Tardif, CSV, beginning in the early 1900s, and Viatorians have led the rural parish nearly ever since.

The vibrant congregation has many active ministries, from Family Faith Formation and Pastoral Care, to its active Garden Club, whose collective green thumb has transformed the church campus into sacred space.

St. George also has many active Viatorian associates taking in leadership roles in the parish, working to ensure the Viatorian identity is advanced.

“In 2022, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the present church,” Fr. Belanger adds. “We look to our ancestors in gratitude for their perseverance to ensure the parish of St. George flourished and endured. We are willing to meet the challenges ahead to provide the same faith opportunities for future generations.”

St. George Church

Summerfest wouldn’t be complete without a tractor pull.

A Milestone Anniversary for Maternity BVM Parish

Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church is considered the cradle of the Viatorian Community. It was at this Bourbonnais church that Viatorians from Montreal first arrived in the U.S. back in 1865.

Viatorians have led the parish ever since, and this year they are joining with parishioners in celebrating its historic milestone: the church’s 175th anniversary.

“In 1865, the seeds of the Viatorian mission were planted in the United States when Fr. Beaudoin and Brothers Bernard and Martell arrived in Bourbonnais,” said Fr. Jason Nesbit, CSV, Pastor.

Fr. Nesbit, as well as Fr. Moses Mesh, CSV, Associate Pastor, and their parishioners chose to open the historic year with a celebration concert. It took place in April, on the same day that Fr. Rene Courjault came from Vincennes, Indiana, after being appointed by the Bishop of Chicago to establish a parish church in Bourbonnais.

The concert featured selections performed by the parish’s adult choir, praise band, its youth ensemble, its Mustard Seeds Children’s Choir, an area wide festival hand bell choir, and individual soloists.

Another highlight of the anniversary year was an outdoor Mass on Aug. 20, which was celebrated by Bishop Ronald Hicks, with Viatorians and diocesan priests concelebrating. They reflected on the parish’s founding in 1847 and 18 years later, at the end of the Civil War, when the first Viatorians arrived from Montreal to serve the parish.

Months of preparations led up to the outdoor Mass, including a major project to tuckpoint the church and grotto, as well as repairs

Parishioners carry in candles at the outdoor Mass.

throughout the church grounds, and even the restoration of the statues of St. Bernadette and the Blessed Virgin and the 100-yearold grotto itself.

“It was a beautiful celebration with the people of God of Maternity BVM Parish, the Congregation of Notre Dame, Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary sisters, Viatorians, diocesan clergy and Bishop Hicks,” said Bishop Christopher Glancy, CSV.

Parishioners sat in lawn chairs, as they soaked up all of the beauty of the special Mass, and all set in the outdoor, sacred space.

“It was a beautiful day to celebrate our strong faith community at MBVM,” parishioner Phyllis Dwyer said.

All the anniversary activities are meant to honor the past and recommit the parish community to its active mission of living out the faith.

“Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a special place,” Fr. Nesbit added. “In this 175th anniversary, we not only remember the memories of the past, but we renew our commitment of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with the community.

The grotto is more than 100 years old at Maternity BVM Parish.

“We invite all to encounter Christ in a very real way,” he added, “through the celebration of the Sacrament and living out our mission of being Missionary Disciples who radiate the light of love of Christ to all.”

From the Archives: Viatorians Respond to the Deaf

In March 1943, Provincial Richard French had an offer to consider. The Archdiocese of New York needed religious to help staff a school for the deaf in the Bronx. Would the Viatorians be interested?

Even though Viatorians in the U.S. had no real experience with educating deaf students, Fr. French had many reasons to say yes. The Viatorians in Canada ran the well-known Montreal School for the Deaf, established in 1852. Fr. Lucien Pagé, who was director of the school from 1936 to 1947, was a leader in deaf education. The Canadian Viatorians had even established an oblate order for deaf men in 1927. Closer to home, Fr. Thomas McCormick had been chaplain for the Ephphetha School for the Deaf in Chicago since 1932. If the U.S. Viatorians wanted to follow their Canadian brothers into this field of ministry, now was the perfect time.

The school the Viatorians would go to, had a long history of its own. St. Joseph School for the Deaf was established by the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary in 1869. It educated grade school and high school aged deaf boys and girls, offering them preparation for the New York State Regents Examinations as well as vocational training in fields such as printing, woodworking, and commercial art. It had a library, classrooms, spaces outfitted for trade instruction, and athletic facilities. Since many students boarded at the school during the week and some stayed over the summer, the school needed men who could manage the older male students inside and outside the classroom. In addition, schools for the deaf across the country were short of teachers because of the Depression and World War II. The fact that the Viatorians had no special training in deaf education was, they were assured, not a problem, and the closeness of the school to Fordham University made it attractive to send Viatorians just out of the novitiate who needed to go to college. The Provincial Council agreed, though Fr. McCormick issued a prophetic warning: “The Sisters who conduct the school in New York are not favorable to Fr. Pagé’s method of teaching, and would not be pleased if we attempted to develop experts along the same lines.” Nevertheless, a group of 11 Viatorians was sent to St. Joseph in the summer of 1943.

As Fr. McCormick predicted, almost immediately upon their arrival the Viatorians ran into a larger debate about deaf education that raged for most of the first half of the 20th century. Teachers at St. Joseph were advocates of oral education, which encouraged deaf students to express themselves by speaking and forbade the use of sign language. The Montreal School for the Deaf and Ephphetha School for the Deaf, by contrast, taught using a combination of speech, writing and signing. Fr. French learned of the difficulties in navigating the distinction when the

Fr. Thomas J. McCormick with the Ephphetha School for the Deaf First Communion Class, 1941.

St. Joseph School for the Deaf Baseball Team, circa 1945. Viatorians not only taught in the classrooms, but supervised students in the dormitories, during study times, and in athletic programs.

director of the school, Hanna Miller, wrote to him in November 1943 emphatically rejecting Fr. Daniel Higgins, CSSR, as a presenter for a staff workshop. “In his sermons and talks he uses signs exclusively – never utters a word . . . and his facial expressions are to the extreme.” Fr. Higgins, a well-known advocate of using sign language to advance religious education among deaf people, defended his stance in his own letter to Fr. French. “I have spoken and signed or signed to the children in almost all state schools west of the New England and East Coast states, but there are now three Catholic schools for the deaf in which no one is allowed to use the Signs for religious instruction, although the children can be taught evil by their school mates and by others young and old by means of Sign Language.”

The Viatorians also found that it was not so easy to teach deaf students without proper training. Fr. Francis T. Williams, who led the Viatorian group at St. Joseph, stated in a July 1945 letter to Fr. French that “We pioneers have put in two of the toughest years that we never want

to experience again.” He emphasized to Fr. French the importance of training future Viatorians coming to St. Joseph in sign language and methods for teaching deaf students. Fr. French had been weighing an offer from the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary to purchase the school, and Williams’ letters seem to have been the deciding factor. After consulting the Provincial Council, Fr. French declined the Sisters’ offer, stating that “there are clashes of policies and too many problems to be straightened out.” Despite this, the Viatorians stayed on for nearly three more years. In early 1948, the Sisters asked to terminate the Viatorians’ contract at the end of the academic year, citing decreased enrollment.

While the Viatorians’ ministry at St. Joseph School for the Deaf did not turn into an expanded ministry to the deaf, it left its mark on the Viatorians who taught there. In an article for the Viatorians’ newsletter, The Lector, published in February 1945, Fr. John Lane emphasized that deaf children are not intellectually disabled and stated that the goal of educating a deaf student is to enable him “to create a useful place for himself in the world, to become a useful, self-reliant and self-supporting citizen.” Fr. Williams, who left the school in 1946, went on to write his PhD thesis on scientific methods of teaching deaf students. In the end, time would bear out the wisdom of the Viatorians’ belief in Pagé’s and Higgins’s methods; signing has come to be recognized as an integral part of Deaf culture and a preferred method of communication. Even though their ministry to the deaf lasted only five years, the Viatorians at St. Joseph School for the Deaf carried out their mission to embrace those “accounted of little importance,” and withdrew from the field when they realized they could not do the work to the highest standards.

Fr. Patrick Hayes (left) and Brother Michael J. (Joe) O’Brien (right), two of the Viatorians who served at St. Joseph School for the Deaf, 1945.

Fr. John Lane with First Communion Class, St. Joseph School for the Deaf, 1944

Bishop McNamara Catholic School Celebrates 100 Years

Under Michelle Barrie’s leadership, every high school student participated in some type of service in the community, making service a priority among all of the festive homecoming activities. Over the course of three afternoons, students worked in teams to help out at nearly 20 different organizations, churches and agencies.

“Homecoming is a big community event,” Michelle says, “and this was an extension of that community feeling, only we concentrated on helping others.”

One local example was theteam of girls who reported to Maternity BVM Parish as their

The Bishop McNamara Catholic School community gathered in August at the site where it all started: St. Patrick Church in Kankakee.

In a Mass celebrated by Bishop Ronald Hicks and concelebrated by nearly one dozen priests — including Viatorians — the liturgy heralded the school for its commitment to having faithfully educated young people for 100 years in the Bradley/Bourbonnais/Kankakee region, and its excitement for the years ahead.

“What a joy and honor it has been to celebrate these 100 years through this Eucharist,” Bishop Hicks said. “As we remember the past, we celebrate the present and look forward to the future.”

The school’s roots date back to 1922, when the high school opened in the former St. Patrick’s School. Run by the Sisters of Loretto originally, the Viatorians became involved in 1931 when they accepted an assignment to serve at St. Patrick Parish.

Viatorians would serve as teachers, coaches and administrators for more than 50 years, with Fr. Erwin Savela, CSV, serving as principal until 1988. Fr. John Peeters, CSV, continues to serve as executive pastor on its board of governors, while Associates Ken and Michelle Barrie coordinate the Office of Catholic Ministry within the school.

That Viatorian involvement continues to make a difference within the school, as evidenced during homecoming week:

During Homecoming Week, students completed service at Maternity BVM Parish.

work site. They dusted tables, pews, statue bases, windowsills, and side altars as well as baseboards in the office area. Parish officials were thrilled with their enthusiasm and elbow grease: “In 45 minutes an untold amount of dust was taken up!”

Over their many decades of involvement with the school, Viatorians have touched the lives of countless students and their families, and that was evident at its opening Mass. The packed church signaled the beginning of a yearlong celebration of Bishop McNamara’s 100 years of Irish tradition, built on a strong foundation and looking forward to a bright future.

Viatorians and diocesan priests concelebrated the anniversary Mass with Bishop Ronald Hicks.

Fr. John Eck, CSV (1936 – 2022)

A longtime Viatorian, who had a heart for people on the margins, especially students who needed an alternative education and those struggling with substance abuse, has passed away. Fr. John Eck, CSV, died Oct. 4 after a long illness. He was 85.

Fr. Eck was a native of Springfield, IL and he first met the Viatorians while studying at Cathedral Boys High School. Within a year of graduating, he joined the Viatorian Community and professed his first vows in 1955. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1963.

During his early years of ministry, Fr. Eck taught for three years at Saint Viator High School before moving to teach at Alleman Catholic High School in Rock Island, IL, from 1963 to 1978. It was there that he inspired one young student to become a Viatorian, Bishop Christopher Glancy, CSV, who shared their relationship in his homily at Fr. Eck’s funeral.

“I first knew John as a counselor and priest at Alleman High School,” Bishop Glancy said. “He brought the Teens Encounter

Christ (TEC) retreat to the Rock Island area. By going to these TEC retreats I came to know him when I was in high school.

“He was insightful, inspiring and well-grounded in the Catholic tradition,” he said. “He was one who inspired me to become a Viatorian.”

Bishop Glancy explained that what Fr. Eck liked about the TEC retreats was that they were built on the Paschal Mystery, the death and resurrection of Christ.

“An essential part of TEC is the celebration of Eucharist,” he said, “and John loved presiding at Mass with young people, helping them to come to know Christ in the breaking of the bread.”

In the late 1970s through the mid-1980s Fr. Eck served the Viatorian Community as formation director and as a member of the Provincial Council.

“At Alleman he worked with young people lost in addiction,” Bishop Glancy said. “In Chicago, even as he did formation work, he began to work with youth who were in gangs and trying to get an education at Prologue Alternative High School.”

From there, Fr. Eck went into pastoral ministry, including serving as associate pastor at St Joseph Church, in Springfield and at St. Viator Parish in Chicago before being named pastor at St. Patrick’s in Springfield and later at St. Viator Parish from 2005-2009.

He retired from active ministry in 2009 and moved to St. Patrick Parish in Kankakee, where he lived with a few of his Viatorian brothers. There he continued to say Mass at St. Patrick and in surrounding Kankakee County communities.

“His homilies often left us feeling a bit uncomfortable,” Bishop Glancy said. “But by breaking open the word and looking at the reality of our times, he challenged us to let the grace of Christ transform our lives, our society and our world.”

He will be missed.

Fr. John Eck, second from left, at his 50th jubilee Mass.

Fr. John Eck, CSV

Around the Province...

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Fr. Jason Nesbit points to ongoing tuckpointing.

Fr. Jason Nesbit, CSV, launched a major capital campaign last spring to preserve the historic Maternity BVM Parish in Bourbonnais. He described significant deterioration taking place around the parish grounds and the need for tuckpointing the church, grotto and repairs to the steeple, among other projects. Work began in July, during its 175th anniversary year, and in October Fr. Nesbit began meeting with parishioners in small group receptions to explain the work. The theme of the campaign is: Remember, Rebuild, Renew 175.

Fr. John Palmer, CSV, moved this fall into the retirement wing of the Province Center. He is a world class musician, having studied at multiple international conservatories and performed on piano and organ around the world. He also taught privately and served as a professor of music for more than 30 years at Benedictine University in Lisle. Music has been his ministry and within weeks of moving in he added a keyboard to his suite. Welcome, Fr. Palmer.

Parishioners of St. Patrick Parish in Kankakee threw an open house celebration on Sept. 25 for Fr. Donald Wehnert, CSV, in honor of his 90th birthday. Fr. Wehnert celebrated 70 years of religious life last year, and the last 25 have been at St. Pat’s. Now retired, he continues to celebrate Mass each week as well as at a local nursing home. Over the years he has accompanied families through all of the joys and sorrows of life and he was thrilled to see so many of them turn out. Instead

of presents, Fr. Wehnert requested donations to the St. Patrick Parish Scholarship Fund, intended to help students afford Catholic education.

Fr. Patrick Render, CSV, was the main celebrant at the 50th reunion Mass for the members of theclass of 1970 from Sacred Heart of Mary and Saint Viator high schools. Though postponed for two years due to the pandemic, the timing worked out in their favor. Alumni celebrated not only their milestone reunion but their 70th birthdays as well. The Mass took place in the Alumni Memorial Chapel at Saint Viator High School and Fr. Daniel Lydon, CSV, a 1973 alumnus and current president, concelebrated the Mass. “Life is wonderful – and it is sacred,” Fr.Render said during his homily. “We remember – and we give thanks.”

Viatorians continue to embrace the internationality of their community by welcoming confreres from around the world to live and minister with them. Fr. Jean Didier Sohotode, CSV, arrived in October. He is a native of Benin in Africa, and a member of the Foundation of Ivory Coast. He has ministered in France and will be attending Harper College in Palatine to study English, starting in January. Upon completion, he will begin an academic degree at Catholic Theological Union in the fall of 2023.

Fr. Donald Wehnert meets with parishioners.

Fr. Patrick Render, CSV

Fr. Jean Didier Sohotode, CSV