Viatorian Community

Fall 2013

Volume 18, No. 3

St. Viator Parish: Celebrating 125 Years of Faith

Back on New Years Eve, Fr. Charles Bolser, CSV, launched the 125th anniversary year for St. Viator
Parish in Chicago and the 110th anniversary of its school saying simply: Life is exciting here
these days.
That excitement continued, right up until this month, when Cardinal Francis George came to
celebrate Mass with parishioners.
Our history and mission have been inextricably linked with St. Viator Parish since its beginnings,
says Fr. Thomas von Behren, CSV, provincial.
During the anniversary year, parishioners reflected on the 19th century beginnings of the parish
when Archbishop Patrick Augustine Feehan of the Archdiocese of Chicago turned to the Viatorians
to build a chapel on the citys rural Northwest side to meet the needs of Catholic families moving
into the area.
The parish that started in 1888 grew quickly, leading the Viatorians to move to its present location
on Addison Street, a little more than four miles west of Wrigley Field. They laid the cornerstone of
the present church in 1928.
Fr. Thomas McCormick, CSV, the parishs second pastor, started St. Viator School in 1902 which
the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet staffed for over 100 years. His vision continues to drive the
school today, current administrators say, of setting high standards and expectations for students.
continued on page 3

(Photo: Jim Dippold)

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Br. Leo V. Ryan, CSV, Awarded Honorary Doctorate

In remarks made at a dinner the night before the graduation,
Ray Whittington, dean of the Driehaus College of Business
credited Br. Ryan with helping to transform the business college
into a nationally ranked and internationally known institution.
His leadership and dedication laid the foundation for the
college to become the pillar of academic excellence that it is
today, Whittington said.
He pointed to key programs created by Br. Ryan, including the
School of Accountacy, the Institute for Business Ethics, the
Kellstadt Marketing Research Center and the first endowed
Ray Whittington, dean of the Driehaus College of Business performs the hooding professorships in entrepreneurship and finance.
ceremony for Br. Leo Ryan, while Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, CM, president of University officials also credited Br. Ryan with adding
DePaul University, left, looks on. (Photo by Darryl Hammond)
faculty and new graduate programs in association management,
At DePaul Universitys graduation in June, officials acknowledged business ethics, entrepreneurship, international business and
the impact of Br. Leo V. Ryan, CSV, on the growth of their busi- management information systems, which helped to elevate the
ness college and its role in creating ethical business leaders.
business college.
DePauls president, the Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, CM, Finally, they pointed to Br. Ryans formation of the College of
awarded Br. Ryan a Doctor of Humane Letters Honorary Commerce Advisory Council, saying that it fostered channels
Degree, a first for a former faculty member.
of communication between DePaul and Chicago businesses,
Joining Br. Ryan as honorary degree recipients were Thomas industries and various professions.
Pritzker, executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, These vital links, Whittington said, have enhanced the
and CEO and president of The Pritzker Organization; and universitys ability to contribute meaningfully to the citys
Frank Ptak, a DePaul graduate who is president and CEO business future.
of The Marmon Group, a Chicago-based manufacturing and
Br. Ryan is an international expert in business ethics,
service conglomerate.
entrepreneurship and the Polish economic and political
Br. Ryan served from 1980-1988 as dean of DePaul transformation, Whittington said. He has traveled to 190
Universitys College of Commerce known today as the countries and all seven continents, and today, at the age of 86, he
Driehaus College of Business before continuing to serve remains an active scholar.
as a professor of management until 1999.
Eileen OGrady Daday

Br. Daniel Lydon, CSV, Professes Final Vows

After more than 20 years of working alongside the Viatorians as
a Spanish teacher and administrator including three as coordinator of vocation ministry Br. Daniel Lydon, CSV, heeded
his own advice.
He professed perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience
to God and the Clerics of St. Viator in the presence of
Fr. Thomas von Behren, CSV, provincial, and friends, relatives
and fellow Viatorians.
His profession came exactly 40 years after he graduated from
Saint Viator High School and 20 years after he returned to
his alma mater, where he taught Spanish before joining the
administration as an assistant principal.
As recently as two years ago, Br. Lydon counseled young men
discerning their call to religious life while teaching freshman
and junior sections of theology at Saint Viator High School.
In 2010, Br. Lydon professed his first vows as a Viatorian and
he has not looked back. Currently, he resides at St. Viator
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Parish in Chicago,
where he helps in
various ministries,
including with the
Spanish
speaking
parishioners. He also
continues his studies
at Chicago Theological Union in preparation for ordination
to the priesthood.

Fr. Thomas von Behren blesses Br. Daniel Lydon

during his vow ceremony.

Dan, as you stand

here today, know
that your call is a sacred one, originating in the heart of God,
resonating throughout our Viatorian community, said Fr. von
Behren. That call found in whispers of others and in the
heart of God now is to be lived out in service to the people
of God.
Eileen OGrady Daday

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Colombian Viatorian Ordained a Deacon

Vocations continue to grow in Bogot, Colombia, where the
Viatorians have served for more than 50 years. Last summer,
Br. Gustavo Lopez, CSV, was ordained a deacon, which is the
final, formal step before ordination to the priesthood.
The latest ordination took place at San Juan Mara Vianney
Parish in Bogot, by Bishop Juan Vicente Crdoba V. S.J.,
Archbishop of the Diocese of Fontibn.
The community has been blessed by a steady stream of
vocations over the past several years, says Fr. Thomas von
Behren, CSV, provincial, and Gustavos ordination is a visible
sign of that new life.
Potentially, there are more ordination and vow ceremonies
coming up in Bogot, with two men in the novitiate and one
pre-novice.
Br. Gustavos introduction to the Viatorians came when he
volunteered with a youth group in his hometown of Libano,
where Viatorians lived and ministered. Although Br. Gustavo
had previously earned a degree in computer engineering and
had worked in the banking industry, the Viatorians made an
impression.
What I noticed during my discernment was that they were
dedicated to working with young people, said Br. Gustavo, in
education and parish work, as catechists and lectors, which is
their strength in ministry.

Br. Gustavo Lopez, right, during his ordination as a deacon

Br. Gustavo entered the novitiate in 2002 and professed

his temporary vows one year later. He currently serves as
director of campus ministry at Colegio Liceo Hermano Miguel
LaSalle, in Bogot.
On weekends, he helps in pastoral work at San Juan Maria
Vianney. As a result of his diaconal ordination, Br. Gustavo
can proclaim the Gospel and preach, celebrate the sacraments
of baptism and marriage as well as preside at wakes and funerals.
If all goes as planned, Br. Gustavo will be ordained a priest in
one year.
Eileen OGrady Daday

St. Viator Parish ...

(continued from Page 1)

Were proud to be celebrating our 110th year of academia, said

Kathleen Kowalski, principal.
Earlier this year, Fr. Bolser and parish leaders launched the
the Generations of Faith capital campaign with a goal of
raising $1 million for campus upgrades and repairs. To date,
theyve collected $867,000 from gifts and pledges, including a
$150,000 pledge from the Clerics of St. Viator.
Fr. Bolser, its pastor for the last four years, reflected on the
parishs milestone anniversary in a series of articles published
in its weekly bulletin. One of its enduring legacies, he said, is
the parishs outreach to immigrants.

(Photo: Jim Dippold)

The parish has always been vibrant and exciting, says

Fr. Thomas Long, CSV, a former associate pastor. It still is.

Generations of faith have moved in and out of our community,

Fr. Bolser said, but through it all, we have been a parish
community of immigrants.

Like families before them, Fr. Bolser says, they settled in the
neighborhood and came to St. Viator, where they received the
sacraments and celebrated life in many forms and traditions.

Today, the church welcomes immigrants from Vietnam, the

Philippines, India, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador,
Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and throughout
Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.

In 1888, a seed was planted, Fr. Bolser said. While that seed
has grown a little older perhaps, it continues to grow and give
shelter and life, feeding one generation after another.
Eileen OGrady Daday
2

Carrying The Mission Forward: Viatorians Host Fourth Annual Yo

Liturgies throughout the week were organized by the young
adults themselves and included Liturgy of the Hours and a
celebration of the Eucharist every day.
Anthony Gugino, of St. Viator Parish in Las Vegas, co-led the
retreat with Samantha Ropski, a 2011 graduate of Saint Viator
High School and recent participant on the Belize Immersion
Program.
Leading VYC was extremely humbling, said Anthony, who
has attended the congress every year. Seeing it grow from
2010 to now has made me understand and appreciate my
connection to the Viatorian Community.
Delegates said learning new styles of prayer and making
lasting friendships were among their highlights, as well as the
workshops that provided new and innovative ways to develop
a prosperous prayer life.

Young adult leaders pose in front of the wall where delegates left their mark.

What started in 2010 as a way to bring together teens from

different Viatorian sites has evolved into a congress that
offers formation, social justice and leadership training to young
people who attend.
This time around, young representatives came out in full force.
They came from places like Las Vegas and Henderson, NV, as
well as Chicago, Kankakee and Waukegan, IL, for a week-long
congress that focused on what it means to be Viatorian.
With one voice delegates, young adult leaders and other
ministers numbering more than 80 eager and enthusiastic leaders of the Catholic faith engaged in conversation
about Fr. Querbes mission of service to the Holy Altar and
bringing justice to the world. This week-long Viatorian Youth
Congress (VYC) united the participants together through
communal prayer, thought-provoking workshops and small
group sessions.

www.viatorians.com
CSV News Fall 2013***.indd 4

Br. John Eustice, CSV, spoke at one workshop on The

Importance of Listening to Gods Word, while Fr. Jason
Nesbit, CSV, guided delegates through the process of writing

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ual Youth Congress

reflections to be shared
with the community in
the workshop entitled
Homily Preparation.
In the anonymous surveys
completed by delegates
at the end, one teen said
the emphasis on prayer
was the highlight of the week, adding, I have never prayed so
much in such a short period of time.
The VYC concluded with a final celebration of the Eucharist
where delegates received a medallion from the community embracing the words Carry the Mission Forward.

Midway through the week, delegates assembled with the

rest of the Viatorian Community at the Province Center in
Arlington Heights. There they interviewed nearly 20 Viatorians,
including associates, brothers and priests. Personal stories
were shared about how Viatorians founded the community,
which the teens found inspiring.

As the Viatorians look to the future, innovative and vibrant

youth are at the forefront.
Photos by Jim Dippold

t A teen choir formed to accompany daily Masses

D.J. Horstmann

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Q&A

Br. Michael Gosch, CSV

Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, recently wrapped up eight years as assistant provincial, but his load hasnt lightened. In July, he
was appointed Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation Coordinator for the Viatorian Province of Chicago.
He graduated from Saint Viator High School in 1974 and professed his vows as a Viatorian in 1978. He returned to his
alma mater to teach English before earning his masters degree in social work. Br. Gosch now works part-time as a social
worker at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, while communting to his new office at St. Viator Parish in Chicago.
We caught up with him recently and asked him to explain his new role and how it will impact the Viatorian Community.

Q.
A.

Your new job has a rather big title, but in practical terms, what does it mean?

Ill be working to specifically address issues of justice, peace and the environment. When I was the assistant
provincial, the provincial council focused on promoting comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform,
ending U.S. sponsored torture at home and abroad, and working for systemic change that causes hunger, especially among
children. I will continue to work on these issues while addressing new issues.

Q.
A.

Can you give some specific examples?

Much of my time is spent working on immigration reform. My position grew out of my work with the Interfaith Committee for Detained Immigrants, where Ive been able to provide pastoral care to detained immigrants in
McHenry County Jail, and participate in vigils as immigrants are placed on buses and driven to the airport in Rockford for
deportation. I have also monitored hearings in Immigration Court and coordinate a post-detention accompaniment network
that provides direct service to immigrants released from detention who have no way of returning home or nowhere to live.
Several Viatorians have joined me in this ministry.

Q.
A.

How did this job come about?

The Viatorians have always been concerned about issues of justice. Our
province was founded by immigrants for immigrants. We have had men
involved in labor movements, homes for abandoned youth, alternative
education, schools for the deaf, etc. for years. I am simply helping to
coordinate efforts on a province level.

Q.

What about you personally? What makes you so passionate about

social justice?

A.

There are many reasons, however, a few stand out. From an early
age, I was taught by my mother to care for those less fortunate. As a young
widow with six children, she found time to help others in need. It became
an expectation in our family. My 10 years as a caseworker at the Howard
Area Community Center in Chicago brought me face to face with women
and men trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty. I accompanied individuals
and families who were affected by homelessness, drugs, gangs, incarceration,
racism, joblessness and lack of access to quality health care and education.
Lastly, my students at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep have helped me
see firsthand the effects our current immigration policy has on hardworking
families. Once you meet others whose lives have been touched by these
issues and you allow their experiences to touch your heart
it becomes impossible to walk away.

www.viatorians.com
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In the Footsteps
of Our Founder...
Beginnings of the New Congregation
Once the decisions about the location of the novitiate and the naming of
Br. Liauthaud as novice master were resolved, Fr. Louis Querbes was positioned
to begin his administrative role as superior general. During the annual retreat,
the retreat master had allocated seven sessions to Fr. Querbes. Those sessions
permitted Fr. Querbes to explain the changes in the statutes proposed by Rome
and the new obligations imposed on the conferees.
Fr. Querbes recommended especially the exact observance of the vow of
poverty and a quarterly account of conscience. A later superior general, Pierre
Robert, noted that early catechist correspondence reveals that poverty was
better understood and better observed, and that the account of conscience
without difficulty became habitual with all. (From This Root, p. 181)

Gracious God,
be forever blest for
your gift in
Fr. Louis Querbes,
dedicated pastor in the
education of youth,
and in the service of
sacred liturgy,
and founder of the
Viatorian Community.

Before Papal approbation, the formation of the members had been combined in
the normal school and novitiate. As requests from pastors increased and with Fr.
Querbess zeal to respond, training was often abbreviated. Canon Law and the
Decrees of the Council of Trent imposed a one-year novitiate before first vows.
The catechists at the annual retreat were invited to renew their vows in
conformity to the Statutes approved by the Holy See. After the retreat and the
renewal of vows, the brothers went back to their schools energized and spiritually
fortified. History records Brother Pierre Blein, so inspired, founded a school at
Amplepuis where he fulfilled a long and fruitful career of forty-seven years
and an exemplary religious life. (ibid.)
Fr. Querbes closed the house of aspirants in Poyet and transferred the young men
to Vourles near the novitiate. Seventeen Poyet aspirants formed the novitiate of
the new Congregation of Parochial Clerics of St. Viator. Robert wrote that, Fr.
Querbes witnessed their progress in spirituality and he experienced the sweetest
consolation. (Robert, p. 184)
After the farewell audience of Fr. Querbes with Pope Gregory XVI, he
left Rome without waiting for the printing of the Apostolic Brief, Cum
Coelisti, approving the congregation. The brief was dated May 31, 1839 and
was sent on June 11 to Father de Villefort. He paid the chancery fees, which
the Pope had reduced by half out of respect for the poverty of Fr. Querbes.
A delegation from Lyons was in Rome for the canonization of St. Alphonsus
Liguori. Fr. Querbes requested that the brief be entrusted to Pauline
Jaricot, founder of the Propagation of Faith, whose family had a summer
home in Vourles.
Pauline Jaricot, in 1838, told Fr. Querbes when leaving for Rome: The good
God anticipates your wishes. Fr. Querbes acknowledged the brief and wrote
Pope Gregory plans for the extension of the society and the program for the
novices, noting the kindness showed by the Holy Father in taking our poverty
into account. He requested a further Apostolic blessing in these words My
Your Holiness deign once more to grant to this little seed, which has not yet
produce fruit, but only branches and flowers, your Apostolic Blessing. (ibid.)
Br. Leo V. Ryan, CSV
7

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Viatorians Advance Their Mission Through Grants

donations we receive and as a

consequence, this is what that
partnership has enabled us to do.

Members of a Witness for Peace delegation to Colombia listened to widows whose husbands were killed by paramilitary forces.

Among the development grants,

awards ranged from ones that
supported the Peacebuilders
program at Catholic Theological
Union in Chicago, to scholarships
for the Life Teen program at St.
Thomas More Catholic Community in Henderson, NV, and the
music ministry program for teens
at St. Viator Parish in Chicago.

Every year members of the Provincial Council meet to approve

grant requests to schools and parishes where Viatorians minister,
as well as to social service agencies whose missions they support.
The grants fall into four categories: formation and education
development, support for Viatorian missions in Belize and
Colombia, institutional grants at Viatorian schools and parishes; and social justice grants where Viatorians are involved or directly serve the needy and marginalized.
These funds come from our mission appeals, general contributions, and our own portfolios, says Fr. Larry Lentz, CSV,
assistant provincial. We try to be good stewards with the

Day laborers asserting their right to work and to be respected

Grants to Belize covered housing, literacy and social services

to the marginalized. The largest award went to an educational
scholarship fund, to help students from needy families.
Institutional grants were approved for faith formation programs
in Belize, Colombia, Chicago, Bourbonnais, Las Vegas and
Waukegan as well as young adult ministry formation in Henderson and tuition assistance at Saint Viator High School.
Finally, the largest amount of grant money was awarded to social justice causes. They ranged from helping immigrant day
laborers served by the Latino Union in Chicago, to a homeless
lunch program in Las Vegas, and the Marjorie Kovler Center in
Chicago which supports survivors of torture.

Extreme poverty in Belize and makeshift dwellings out of scraps, led Viatorians
to make emergency housing assistance grants.

www.viatorians.com
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Viatorian Envoy Visits Afghanistan

start in the Bamyan province
when a disillusioned non-governmental organization doctor
from Singapore, Hakim Young,
partnered with a collective of
young people, the majority
being from the Hazara ethnic
background.

Viatorian envoy Chris Eagan (left) and Faiz connect during a visit with the
Afghan Peace Volunteers.

The group formed due to a shared interest in the

revolutionary task of grassroots peace building, and they
immediately began their mission by facilitating community
empowerment projects.

The Viatorian Community is one of 30 religious congregations

that support the 8th Day Center for Justice in Chicago. Chris Eagan,
one of its staff members, represents the Viatorians and Our Lady
of Victory Missionary Sisters in areas of social justice, equality and
human dignity.

Since its humble beginnings, the Afghan Peace Volunteers

have expanded and moved to Kabul and crafted an
intentional community where all ethnicities live under one
roof and make communal decisions this alone is a radical
form of resistance.

He traveled last summer with a group of activists to

Afghanistan where he met with a group who call themselves the Afghan Peace Volunteers. We asked Chris to briefly
describe his trip for this newsletter. Here is his report.

What makes the Afghan Peace Volunteers unique is their

desire for reconciliation and not revenge.
Faiz is a member of this live-in community. He is the
only Tajik living in the house. After we were first welcomed
into the community, we were then encouraged to join in
community discussions. It was in these lengthy community
forums that I came to see the true bravery of these young men
and women.
It was there that Faiz would admit to feeling bullied in the
past due to his ethnicity. Many shared their hopelessness for
the country, while others wrestled with how to reconcile their
faith tradition with the modernity being imposed upon them
by foreigners.
I too have worked at an intentional community and, while
not facing a war, I found I could relate to these feelings. I
have questioned how to live out my Catholicism in a country
which values capitalism so highly. I could relate to taking these
accusations personally.

The sprawling city of Kabul, with its three million inhabitants,

looks every bit the capital of a country ravaged by over three
decades of war. Even with billions in promised reconstruction aid, public structures are lagging way behind the needs
of the vastly impoverished nation. Additionally, ethnic
tensions have heightened to the point that Afghans fear civil
war almost as much as the ongoing conflict with the Taliban.

Despite having vastly different stories, Faiz and I found we

were nearly identical in our yearning for justice. It reminded
me that Viatorians sent me on a peace delegation to Kabul,
not to solve Afghanistans problems, but to catch courage
from a brotherhood of peace builders and to construct olive
branches of hope across oceans and among nations.

It is amidst this backdrop of despair that the Afghan Peace

Volunteers go about their peace building. They got their

Christopher Eagan
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www.viatorians.com
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Working in Solidarity Against Torture

Viatorians worldwide oppose all forms of torture, viewing it as
it is: a horrendous crime against humanity and the ultimate act
of disrespect and degradation.

While the Kolver Center responds to the survivors in a

caring and professional manner, torture survivor Mario
Venegas works to change societal norms that permit and even
encourage torture.
Born and raised in Chile, he was a university student
during the September 11, 1973 coup during which Augusto
Pinochet overthrew the elected president, Salvador Allende.
Immediately, the army began rounding up dissidences and
they came for Mario in 1974. They ordered him to go with
them for questioning saying it would only be a few minutes; it
turned out to be two and a half years.

Members of the Chicago Province work with other religious

communities to make the world torture-free and they also
partner with organizations like the Marjorie Kovler Center in
Chicago, whose mission is to support victims and advocate for
an end to torture worldwide.
Last year at this time, the Kovler Center received a social
justice grant from the Viatorians, enough to cover the expenses
to support a survivor for an entire year.
The survivors often carry their wounds for years. According
to officials with the Kovler Center, many suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder which is manifested by anxiety,
distrust, depression, flashbacks, intrusive memories related to
the traumatic event and memory problems often
coupled with a range of physical symptoms.

The first few months were especially difficult. Not only did
he endure the intense physical pain, but his family did not
know his whereabouts. Furthermore, for the slightest reason
he would be put into solitary confinement.
He personally experienced the American connection with the
Chilean coup in that two of his worst tormentors are graduates
from the School of the Americas.
The military finally expelled him and after graduate school in
England, he and his family moved to the United States.
His experiences of pain and exile left him with a strong desire
to work for human rights and see that the perpetrators be
brought to justice. Yet, his tormentors, 40 years later, are still
freely walking the streets. Furthermore, the military built special
detention centers that resemble luxury hotels to house their
members who may be tried and convicted.

Mary Lynn Everson, the executive director, said that

one purpose of the torturer is to isolate the victim
from family and community; hence, the widespread
use of solitary confinement.
The center provides a nurturing alternative, beginning with a friendly physical environment and
extending to working with a dedicated staff member who utilizes a cadre of volunteers to walk with
the person toward recovery. A few of the many
services that volunteers provide include being
interpreters, companions, therapists and offering
immigration legal help. The agency serves about 350
people from 59 countries per year.

Mario Venegas distributes literature about torture to a sometimes unreceptive crowd.

The Kolver Center has provided resources that Viatorians

have used in their workshops and schools and Viatorians
worked with them to help Chicago be declared a torture-free
city. These people are working to make the earth a torture-free
world.

Mario works in a variety of ways to promote justice. He works

with a number of human rights organizations, including the
Viatorians, in presenting education workshops on torture and
how to advocate against it.
Fr. Thomas Long, CSV

www.viatorians.com

10

From the Archives.Ask and You Shall Receive

Thanks to readers of the Viator newsletter, new photographs
have been donated to the archives. Its an interesting story
and a small world.
In the Winter 2013 edition of this newsletter, the From the
Archives article about the scrapbook of Fr. Thomas Fitzpatrick,
CSV, requested readers to look around for Viatorian materials in
the hopes of preserving more historical works for posterity.
Mary Ann and Mike Cahill
from suburban Buffalo Grove,
parents of three Saint Viator
High School alums, noticed
the article and responded.
Mary Ann Cahill remembers Fr. Fitzpatrick as being
a very close family friend. It
turns out she was familiar
with many Viatorians, because she is the great-niece
of Fr. John P. OMahoney,
CSV, a former provincial
from 1929-1939.

Br. Joseph Simeon Boisvert, CSV,

(1861-1931) drew
up plans and
supervised
the
construction
of
the gymnasium.
The structure was
considered to be
a work of art with its pleasing lines and massive strength that
resembled a sturdy, Romanesque cathedral. Some 25 years later,
he watched his finest work devoured by flames. Br. Bosivert also
led the construction of the Marsile and Roy halls on campus
and designed the majestic St. Marys Church in Beaverville, IL.

Donors Mary Ann and Mike Cahill

Mary Ann contacted the archives, sharing the news that she
wanted to donate some photographs that show the ruins of the
1926 fire that destroyed the gymnasium at St. Viator College in
Bourbonnais. She found them in the scrapbook of her mother,
Loretta Houlihan Drew, niece of Fr. OMahoney.
Prior to the Cahills visit, further research
was conducted on the 1926 fire using the
St. Viator College newspapers housed here
in the archives. The stone gymnasium,
which also included the kitchen, dining hall,
auditorium, bowling alleys, pool rooms and
music rooms, was destroyed by fire in the
early morning of Jan. 6, 1926. From 3-7
a.m., fire departments from Bourbonnais,
Bradley and Kankakee, as well as faculty
and students fought successfully to prevent
the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.

Scrapbook page of gymnasium ruins from 1926 fire

These photos made a great find and addition to the historical records of the Viatorian Community. Mary Ann and Mike brought
other photographs from her mothers book and also the scrapbook
of her Aunt Marie Houlihan, her mothers sister. Not only did
they donate the photos of the gymnasium ruins, they donated
more prints and digital images of Viatorian priests and other
campus buildings.
The Viatorian Community Archives is grateful to the Cahills for
these historical photographs. They are in our prayers as part of
the extended Viatorian family.
SoAsk, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock,
and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Fr. John P. OMahoney, CSV, provincial from 1929-1939, and great uncle of
Mary Ann Cahill

Built in 1901, it was this very building - the only building - that
survived the earlier fire of 1906 that destroyed the entire campus.

Joan Sweeney,
Viatorian Associate and Archivist

V
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Viatorian Shares His Love of Physics

I really believe in what they do there, he says, so to be able
to parlay all of my experience feels good. Its satisfying and
energizing.
Cristo Rey St. Martin officials are energized too. Beginning
this year, they are able to offer AP Physics, bringing their
total up to seven AP courses, thanks in part to Fr. Miltons
consulting work.
We have been recognized nationally for the number of
AP courses we offer determined by the size of our school
and the percentage of low income students we serve, says
Principal Mike Odiotti. Fr. Johns support and expertise has
been instrumental in getting us there.
For the last two years, Fr. Milton has traveled to the school
every week to work with physics teacher, Kumkum Ghosh.
Together, they review new materials for her course work and
plan lab experiments for students.
He spent much of the summer reviewing the AP Physics
textbook, making sure they had the necessary equipment for
Fr. John Milton, CSV, helps Cristor Rey St. Martin physics teacher Kumkum Ghosh the labs that students need to conduct before taking the exam.
(photo by Jim Dippold)

Fr. John Milton, CSV, experienced a eureka moment last

summer when he unexpectedly came upon a gift from DePaul
Universitys physics department: six oscilloscopes.
The lab instruments track voltage and sound waves and
display them in a graph on a screen for students to see and
measure.
Theyre fairly new, Fr. Milton says, and in very good
working condition.
Fr. Milton knew immediately where he could put them to
good use: Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, the high school
in Waukegan, IL where he has been consulting since retiring.
They offer a lot of applications that we can use, Fr. Milton
says, and they will be good additions in our electricity lab.
Fr. Milton spent more than 40 years teaching physics,
including 20 at Saint Viator High School and another 24 at
DePaul before he retired in 2010.

When Fr. Milton wasnt at school, he was beating the bushes

for used equipment and ways to purchase more instruments to
add more labs to the curriculum.
Im always looking for physics apps, he adds, and
simulations of experiments on YouTube.
All of which comes as good news for Ms. Ghosh.
Fr. John encourages me ever so patiently, she says, and he
quietly helps me wherever I need it.
Her students, she adds, love him.
If he is around to help, she says, they would much rather ask
him questions than ask me.
Preston Kendall, president of Cristo Rey St. Martin, says Fr.
Miltons love of teaching and of lifelong learning is contagious.
His work here models a faith that is lived, deepened, and
celebrated, Kendall says, pointing to one of the Viatorians
core values. His experience, expertise and goodness are a
highly valued addition to our school community.

In volunteering at Cristo Rey St. Martin, he finds himself just

as passionate about sharing his love of physics with students as
he did at the beginning of his career.
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12731_CSV News Fall_r2.indd 12

Eileen OGrady Daday

12

10/23/13 1:46 PM

Drawn by the People of Pembroke, Author Returns

During his research, he learned of ways state leaders tried to
resurrect Pembrokes economy, including former Gov. George
Ryans doomed efforts to build a womens prison and former
Gov. Rod Blagojevichs short-lived roads project
Its a paradox, he says, that this inimitable small town
survived in spite of every expectation otherwise.
Barons latest visit came in July. It turned out to be the 10th
mission trip, led by the Barries, and one in which teens worked
on a variety of projects for residents. They ranged from
building a new deck and shed at one familys home to painting
a bus for a childrens day camp.
Its such a powerful experience, said Avery Jones, 16, of
Bradley. The people here have so little, but they have such big
hearts. Theyre so appreciative for everything we do.
David Baron, right, describes the research he conducted in writing his book on
the people of Pembroke.

A week spent on a mission trip in Pembroke Township

described by the New York Times as one of the poorest
counties in the country still drives David Baron.
Though he went on to attend the University of Notre Dame
and Harvard Law School, the week he spent as a teenager
serving the needs of the people in the area stayed with him, so
much so that he now is writing a book.

As with all of their trips, the teens returned each night from
their work sites to the church, where they listened to reflections from some of the young adult leaders and participated in
prayer sessions.
On the day of Barons visit, he presented the evenings talk
in the sanctuary of Sacred Heart Church, where he had been
so moved as a teen. He described returning to the area and
researching its migration pattern as well as its strong faith.

Viatorian Associates Ken and Michelle Barrie have been

taking teens to Pembroke since 1999 in their roles as youth
ministers at St. Patrick Church in Kankakee. They call their
service the Hearts of Hope Mission, after the historic Sacred
Heart Church that anchors the area.
Weve tried to take the kids to other places, like serving in
Mexico, Michelle Barrie says, but they want to come back
here. They have a heart for this place and the people.
Thats what haunts Baron.
I was on the first Hearts of Hope mission trip, Baron says,
and it was a conversion experience. It left a profound impact
on me.
The former Kankakee native now works as an attorney with a
large law firm in Chicago. Over the last year, he has returned
to Pembroke multiple times to research his book and discover
why the area affected him so deeply.
Mostly, he says, it was finding poverty so pervasive less than
20 miles from his home and yet the people remain resilient.

Teens on the Hearts of Hope mission trip do clean-up work in a residents yard.

For the first time, I glimpsed real poverty, he told them.

Yet I also discovered a community possessing a wealth of
grace and confidence, and I left with an unexpected sense of
contentment and purpose.
Eileen OGrady Daday
13

www.viatorians.com

Around the Province...

This issue of Around the Province offers updates on the latest assignments of Viatorians
and highlights their ministries around the country.

Fr. Lawrence Lentz, CSV,

completed 11 years in Las Vegas, serving most recently as an
associate pastor at St. Thomas
More Catholic Community in
suburban Henderson. He arrived
at the Province Center in September to start his new role as
assistant provincial of the ChicaFr. Lawrence Lentz, CSV
go Province. Fr. Lentz is a former
principal of Saint Viator High School, who also served as pastor
at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Bourbonnais
and as pastor at St. Viator Parish in Chicago. Before those assignments, he was an English teacher. He returned to his roots
at the Province Center where among his duties he will be overseeing
the communications efforts and association. Welcome back!
At the same time, Fr. Mick Egan, CSV, arrived in Henderson
to begin his assignment as associate pastor at St. Thomas More.
Fr. Egan now helps Fr. Patrick Render, CSV, pastor, as they
minister to the more than 6,200 families at the busy parish.
Fr. Egan leaves behind the students and families at Saint Viator
High School where he just finished serving the last eight years
as its president.

Viatorians and Sisters of the Living Word pray together for immigration reform.

The Viatorian Community is actively

participating in the Ministry of Accompaniment for released detained
immigrants. Besides the immediate
interventions such as meeting people
soon after they have been released,
going with them to the bus or train
station to return home and sharing a Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, and
meal, some have nowhere to go. The Fr. Thomas von Behren, CSV,
Viatorians have opened their home to talk with a recent immigrant
residing at a Viatorian residence.
two released immigrants one from
Rwanda and the other from Nigeria. The Viatorian guests are
two of 18 people temporarily staying in peoples homes until the
central residence is opened.
Br. Patrick Drohan, CSV,
recently celebrated 50 years of
religious life and his 70th
birthday at the one place
where he has carried out his
ministry all those 50 years:
Villa Desiderata Retreat Center
in McHenry, IL. Recently, the
Br. Patrick Drohan acknowledging community hosted a dinner and
the gratitude of the Villa Desiderata
reception at the Villa in his honor
community
during which they presented a plaque
expressing their appreciation for all he has done. Br. Drohan
manages the Villa and coordinates the retreats, including its many
12-step retreats for those recovering from addictions.
Fr. Daniel Belanger, CSV, and his
parishioners at St. George Parish,
outside Bourbonnais, celebrated a new
religious image in the church: a stained
glass window featuring the image of the
parishs patron saint, St. George. In
appreciation for an abundant crop last fall,
parish members raised $45,000 for the
new window. It was installed in August.
This gift will be a reminder, says Viatorian Associate David Suprenant, that
the St. George spirit will be passed on to
our children.

On the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and

the I Have a Dream speech, the Clerics of St. Viator and the
Sisters of the Living Word collaborated on a different social
justice event: a prayer service for comprehensive and
compassionate immigration reform. It was one of the first
social justice events organized by Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, in
his role as Coordinator of Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation.
Its interesting that we gather on this historic day, said
Fr. Thomas von Behren, CSV, provincial of the Viatorian
Province of Chicago. This is one more dream we share. The
event filled the chapel and drew at least one Congressional staff Viatorians, led by Fr. Daniel Hall, CSV, returned to the garden
member. Michael Trajkovich, a constituent advocate for Illinois again this summer to recommit themselves to growing fresh fruits
Rep. Peter Roskam, attended the service and thanked organizers and vegetables for the hungry. By Sept. 1, their small community
afterwards for holding it. Im here to listen, Trajkovich said, garden on the grounds of the Viatorian Province Center, proand bring these stories back to the Congressman.
duced more than 1,100 pounds of nutritious vegetables, which
www.viatorians.com
14
CSV News Fall 2013***.indd 14

10/17/13 7:04 PM

were donated to nearby Wheeling Township

Food Pantry and the more than 400 families
per month it serves. Viatorian Associate Joan
Sweeney also contributed more than 100 arrangements of flowers, cut from the garden, to
cheer seniors served by the township.
Br. James Lewnard, CSV, and summer intern
D.J. Horstmann led a second retreat with their
Note the Way music ministry at St. Viator Parish in Chicago. They met with 14 of the parishs Fr. Dan Hall, CSV,
coordinated the Viatorian
youth group members and spent the afternoon community garden
teaching them about music and liturgical planning. Note the Way ministry was launched last spring with a grant
from the Viatorians to support music and liturgical efforts at the different parishes and schools. They also met with the director of the
Office for Divine Worship of the Chicago Archdiocese who booked
their Note the Way ministry to play at a catechetical conference this
month.

Photos by Jim Dippold

Faculty and staff members at Saint Viator High

School presented Fr. John Van Weil, CSV, with
a watch and gift card at a send-off party in May.
He retired after a 25-year career teaching honors
and AP level chemistry at the school. Thanks for
the many kind words of support and appreciation,
he told them. Saint Viator High School is a
Fr. John Van Weil, CSV special place because of all of you. It has been a
privilege to be a part of it for 25 years.
Viatorian Associate Ayonie Briceno was
named Teacher of the Year for Corozal
District in Belize for her work at Our Lady of
Guadalupe School. She is an active teacher
in our community, says Fr. Moses Mesh,
CSV. She teaches catechesis and helps with
extra-curriculars. She is there to offer whatever additional help children need.
Viatorian Associate Ayonie
Briceno
Province Center residents threw a party to
congratulate Fr. George Auger, CSV, on his next assignment as
chaplain for the Little Sisters of the Poor at St. Joseph Home for
the Elderly in Palatine, IL. For the last few years, Fr. Auger has
served as director of the retirement wing at the Province Center.
He now serves as spiritual director to the sisters and their residents,
especially to those in their skilled nursing facility, anointing the sick
and accompanying them in their last hours of life.

Email: news@viatorians.com
Website: www.viatorians.com
Provincial:
Fr. Thomas R. von Behren, CSV

Editor:
Fr. Thomas E. Long, CSV
Director of Communications:
Eileen OGrady Daday

15
CSV News Fall 2013***.indd 15

Editorial Board:
Fr. Thomas R. von Behren, CSV
Br. Donald P. Houde, CSV
Fr. Lawrence D. Lentz, CSV
Br. Leo V. Ryan, CSV
Eileen OGrady Daday

Barton Hisgen
Joan Sweeney
Layout and Design:
Dianna Ehrenfried
Visualedge, Inc.

www.viatorians.com
10/17/13 7:04 PM

 lerics of St. Viator

C
1212 E. Euclid Avenue
Arlington Heights, IL 60004-5799
Newsletter Fall 2013

NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE

PAID
PERMIT NO. 7160
PALATINE P&DC, IL

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

INSIDE

Provincial Perspective
Dear Friends,
As we enter the season of Thanksgiving and
gratitude, I want to express my sincere appreciation to you as partners in our Viatorian Mission.
I am keenly aware that you are bombarded with
requests from various good and praiseworthy
organizations, seeking your financial support
during the months of November and December.
As I write this column for our newsletter, I simply
want to thank you for your prayers and interest
in the Viatorian Community. Over the years,
we have been abundantly blessed by having
friends like you. In the various cities where we
have served and in the cities where we continue
to minister, countless friends and benefactors
connect with Viatorians, both young and old,
enriching our lives and our community.
That is why today I simply want to thank you
for standing with the Viatorian Community over
these many years. Whether it is in Springfield or
Peoria, Kankakee or Bourbonnais, Rock Island or
Chicago, Arlington Heights or Las Vegas, and
everywhere in between, many of you with Viatorian
roots continue to identify yourselves as part of the
Viatorian family.

Page 1
St. Viator Parish: Celebrating
125 Years of Faith

Throughout the years, it

has been our privilege to
be with you and so many
other wonderful people,
ministering in the name
of Christ and his Church.
We have shared many key moments in life
new birth at baptisms, growth in faith at confirmation, life commitments at weddings, sickness
and suffering at the anointing of the sick in nursing homes and hospitals, and yes, the passing from
this life to new life at funerals.Today, Viatorians
continue to be present at these and other key moments in the lives of those we serve. We stand
with the immigrant, the abandoned, the less fortunate, and those accounted of little importance
by some.
As you gather around the Thanksgiving table or
around the Christmas tree, I simply ask that you
please offer a small prayer for our community
and perhaps for a special Viatorian who might
have touched your life by sharing the presence
of Christ through perhaps a word of encouragement, a blessing, a homily, or a lesson plan.
Yes, this is the season of Thanksgiving and gratitude, and we are grateful for you and your support
of the Viatorian Community.
I close with the words of our Founder, Servant of
God Louis Querbes: Adored and Loved Be Jesus.
In St. Viator and Fr. Querbes,

Parishioners form a combined choir at St. Viator Parish to celebrate

their 125th anniversary.

CSV News Fall 2013***.indd 16

Thomas R. von Behren, CSV

Provincial Province of Chicago

Page 2
Br. Leo V. Ryan, CSV,
Awarded Honorary Doctorate
Br. Daniel Lydon Professes
Final Vows
Page 3
Colombian Viatorian
Ordained a Deacon
Page 4
Carrying The Mission
Forward: Viatorians Host
Fourth Annual Youth Congress
Page 6
Q & A with
Br. Michael Gosch, CSV
Page 7
In the Footsteps of Our
Founder...
Page 8
Viatorians Advance Their
Mission Through Grants
Page 9
Viatorian Envoy Visits
Afghanistan
Page 10
Working in Solidarity
Against Torture
Page 11
From the Archives.
Ask and You Shall Receive
Page 12
Viatorian Shares His Love
of Physics
Page 13
Drawn by the People of
Pembroke, Author Returns
Page 14
Around the Province...

10/17/13 7:04 PM