Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ Named Next Provincial of Chicago-Detroit Province

MER with Fr. Brian G. Paulson, SJ  taken at the IVC Chicago
2013 "Evening of Gratitude" Reception

Sending my heartfelt congratulations to Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ who was recently named the next Provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province.  Fr. Paulson will begin his new leadership role in July 2014, succeeding Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ who will become president of the U.S. Jesuit Conference.  By the way, Fr. Kesicki, SJ gave a wonderful Invocation at the 115th Commencement exercises at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, California on May 24, 2013 (click here to view on YouTube)

“As I finish my term as provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province, I couldn’t be happier that Fr. General has named Fr. Paulson to be the next provincial,” said Fr. Kesicki. “He has the proven capacity and the gifts to care for the Jesuits and the ministries of our province. … I look forward to working with him in my new role as president of the Jesuit Conference.”

Fr. Paulson, SJ is well known here within the Chicago Sacred Heart community serving as the presider for many masses for both Sacred Heart alums and current students at Josephinum Academy and Sacred Heart Schools - Chicago. On occasion those fortunate may find him as presider for the Sunday evening mass at Holy Family Parish.  Holy Family Parish is the very same parish where the Society of the Sacred Heart had established in 1858 a parish school, as well as boarding school.  The Sacred Heart boarding school eventually relocated in 1904 to Lake Forest, IL and today is known as Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.  

Fr. Paulson served as president of Saint Ignatius College Prep from 1999-2010 and he currently serves as rector of the Loyola University Jesuit Community in Chicago.  

“I am deeply humbled to accept this call of Fr. General to lead and serve my brother Jesuits as provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province,” says Fr. Paulson. “In my 32 years as a Jesuit, I have been richly blessed with Jesuit and lay friends, along with tremendous opportunities for ministry, all of which I treasure.”

To read further information and details of this good news about Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ, please go to the Jesuits website - www.jesuits.org or click here. 

A Warm Welcome to the 2013-2015 AASH Board of Directors

Outgoing and Incoming AASH Board of Directors ~ Omaha, NE

A warm welcome to the incoming 2013-2015 AASH Board of Directors who begin their term for the new biennium June 1st and a big thank you to the outgoing 2011-2013 AASH Board! 

Top Photo (L-R):  2011-2013 AASH Board Members; Maria Cristina Garcia; Mary Lococo Forsyth; Barbara Cliff Price. Seated Front Row: Sara Burchell Kestner, Alice Burns, Maureen Ryan, Nancy Agnew, Karen Patterson. Not pictured: Wendy Buckland

2013-2015 AASH Board (L-R): Jodie Thorne; Roselie Bellanca Posselius; Mary Forsyth; Seated: Joey Yao; Rhonda Meegan; Alice Burns; Maureen Ryan; Gary Tom. Not pictured: Kathleen Feeney

2013-2015

AASH Board of Directors

President: Alice J. Burns, Prince Street 1966, Manhattanville 1970

  

Vice President: Mary Lococo Forsyth , El Cajon 1963, Lone Mt., San Francisco 1967

Corresponding Secretary: Joey Yao, Hardey Prep 1986

Recording Secretary: Kathleen Feeney, Convent of the Sacred Heart Greenwich 1988

Treasurer: Gary S. Tom, Stuart Hall for Boys 1976

Central Regional Director: Roselie Bellanca Posselius, Grosse Pointe Academy 1973, Bloomfield Hills 1977

Eastern Regional Director: Rhonda Raffi Meegan, Newton Country Day 1971, Newton College 1975

Southern Regional Director: Jodie Hannaman Thorne , Duchesne Academy Houston1985

Western Regional Director: Caitie O’Shea, Lone Mt., San Francisco 1967

Past President: Maureen Elizabeth Ryan, Barat College 1981

Mark your calendars:

AMASC XV World Congress, November 6-9, 2014 in Scottsdale, AZ - click here for details.

40th Biennial AASH Conference April 9-12, 2015 to be hosted in Boston, MA 

Mass at Sacred Heart Schools Chicago with Francis Cardinal George

His Eminence  Francis CardinalGeorge, Archbishop of Chicago

Last month while having coffee with Nat Wilburn, Headmaster at Sacred Heart Schools Chicago he mentioned that Francis Cardinal  George would be coming to the school in the New Year to celebrate  the Feast of the Epiphany(*) with the students and I would be welcome to join them for mass.   

So this afternoon I returned to the school and witnessed the gym filled with over 700 students, faculty, staff, a few board members, RSCJ and guests that gathered to attend the Epiphany Mass celebrated by His Eminence Francis Cardinal  George, Archbishop of Chicago.   

The Cardinal and I greeted one another in the hallway as I hung my coat.  We first met in May 2000 when I served as a member of the Barat College Board of Trustees and the Cardinal received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the Commencement Exercises.  We last saw one another in 2008 when the Cardinal was being interviewed by Chicago History Museum President Gary T. Johnson as part of the Catholic Chicago exhibit.   (To view the interview click here)

As many know,  the Cardinal was undergoing chemo therapy for a recurrence of cancer discovered last August. He told the students how last year the doctors had advised against being near kids and how happy he was to be at Sacred Heart and celebrate this special feast day with them.  

I sat in the back and was impressed with the attentive behavior of the young girls and boys as the Cardinal delivered his homily and spoke of the Three Wise Men bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  He also spoke of the importance of truth and love and from my perspective left us all with a very uplifting message.

Afterwards as the students headed back to their classrooms many of the adults walked over to the beautiful Driehaus Center for refreshments and an opportunity to meet His Eminence.  I especially enjoyed visiting with Liz Hartigan Connelly, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Sacred Heart Schools Chicago and board member Maureen Sippel as well as many of the wonderful administrators and staff.

It was a special afternoon and I am grateful to have been invited.  And, to our dear Francis Cardinal George,  I will pray that your health continues to improve and I wish you many blessings this New Year!

(*) Note: The actual Feast of the Epiphany was on January 6, 2013