QUESTION:As a young seminarian, how did you envision yourself serving as a Dehonian priest?įR. But I continue to feel the same initial call to put myself at the service of others, to the congregation and the Church, through the spirituality and charism of our founder.įr. There have been the ups and downs, and the joys and sorrows that are found in any journey. It was with a Canadian Dehonian that I began my vocational journey in Congo. I wanted to be and serve like these valiant missionaries. The testimony of the SCJ priests that I have known and their pastoral commitment to the poor have always fascinated and inspired me. It was not until I began my vocational discernment at the age of 16 that I learned the difference. For me, there were simply priests, and all had the same mission: to evangelize and take care of the parishes. But I must admit that, as a child, I did not know the difference between diocesan and religious priests. In 1988, I went to study in Kisangani and unknowingly found myself again at an SCJ parish (St.
GUSTAVE:I knew the Priests of the Sacred Heart from a young age in Kinshasa they ministered at my home parish of St. QUESTION: How did you first learn about the Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians)? When did you begin to feel your vocational call?įR.
The following answers are paraphrased from the original French. Gustave did a Q&A in which he reflected on his vocational call, his path to studies in North America (including ESL at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology), his growing role in the Canadian Region as well as international experiences through theological conferences and commissions, as well as at the 2018 General Chapter. He also represents the growing impact of the southern hemisphere in not only the worldwide congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, but in the Church itself.Ī few days before assuming his new role, Fr. Gustave, 45, symbolizes today’s increasingly multicolored tapestry of immigrants. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fr. John, 79, represents the face of immigration in the mid-20th century: his family came to Canada from the Netherlands. John van den Hengel, SCJ, who continues to serves on the Regional Council.Ī generation apart, both are immigrants to Canada both are naturalized citizens. Gustave Lulendo, SCJ, was installed as regional superior of Canada. We congratulate you this day, but we also thank you, Paulin.”įr. So we hope that even when he might go back to the Congo, he will continue to abide with us in the power of Jesus. For however difficult it is, he brought with him the word of the Letter of John of today: he taught us his faith in the name of Jesus but also his central commandment: Love one another just as he has commanded us.
He has now completed the studies for which he came to Canada (that is the reason for asking him to preside today.) But he completed more than his studies in these past three years. Now he is part of our vine he brought his life-force with him and mixed it with ours and he has enriched us with his care, his joy, his smile and laughter, and his picking up on things that us older guys find more and more difficult to do. His has been the kind of process that the Gospel talks about – the slow, at times painful, but also joyful becoming part and parcel of our lives together. It has been fascinating to watch how from being a stranger to us – except through the bond that we have as members of the same Congregation – to entering fully into our community.
Paulin has been a moment of growth and joy for us. Paulin’s stay to the Sunday Gospel of the true vine: “Fr. Paulin presided at the Eucharist with its zoom extension to the Dehon Sunday Community. On Sunday the Ottawa community celebrated the completion of the program of studies of Fr.