QUARTERLY NEWSL.ETTER OF THE CLER IC S OF SAI NT VIATOR Volumel, Number 1

New CSV Presence: Springfield's Southeast Side _____ _ It was the vision of Father Louis

Ouerbes, founder of the Clerics

of St. Viator, to offer the gilt of a

good education, built upon a

foundation of Christian values, to

those children most in need of it.

His vision found new expression

in the Summer of 1994, when

the Chicago Province, at the

invitation of Bishop Daniel Ryan

of Springfield, illinois, accepted

the administration of St. Patrick's

Parish on th~ southeast side of Springfield Father john Eck, then

ministering in Springfield

as an assistant pastor at St.

joseph's parish, and chaplain of St. John's Hospital, and already

known in that city for his

commitment to social justice,

was appointed the first Viatorian

pastor. In addition to parish and

chaplaincy work, john comes to

this appointment with a

background in high school

teaching and counseling,

experience at several levels of

our formation program, and

nearly ten years of teaching and

counseling at the Prologue

School, an alternative school,

founded by Franciscan Sisters,

serving Chicago's racially,

cultural ly and economically

diverse uptown neighborhood.

In Springfield, john is active with

the Social Concerns Committee

of the Springfield Diocese, and

its task force on racism.

Saint Patrick's Church

originally served a large seg­

mental Springfield's Irish and

German population, but the past

fifty years has seen the southeast

section of the city become, for

the most part, a racially

segregated and economically

deprived black neighborhood.

Today, only two hundred and

thirty families are registered,

nearly all of whom are white.

The grade school, staffed by the

Springfield Dominican Sisters

(whose services are freely

contributed), is attended by

eighty-two children, about 70%

of them black, and few of them

Catholic. Some of the children

have left the public school

system because of discipline

problems, or because they

needed more individual attention

than was available there; others

have opted for the values­

oriented education offered by

St. Patrick's.

Working together with his

newly-formed parish council,

john has articulated a mission

statement which describes the

primary goal of the parish as

one of EVANGELIZATION The

parish family seeks to reach out

to those hurt members who have

left the church, offering them

love and reconciliation; it

reaches out to the unchurched of

the community, offering the

continued on page 3

s pr i ng 1995

I \

F A I T H

Letter from the ProvindaJ __ _ March 1995

Dear Friends of the Viatorians,

Greetings and welcome to this second issue of VIATOR. It is a pleasure and a privilege to share some of our Viatorian story with you I hope that you find this quarterly newsletter a useful way to stay in touch with our Community.

As I said in the first issue of VIATOR, we strive to remain true to a common mission and vision to proclaim the Gospel by faith and actions. This issue continues to tell that story, featuring new efforts at evangelization in the Springfield region. You will also see a special feature on Father Phil Clifford, a Senior Viatorian who spent many years of ministry in Las Vegas, Kankakee, Springfield and the Chicago area. I hope you enjoy this story of a truly dedicated Viatorian.

Our initial efforts at reaching the thousands of you who have been touched by the Viatorians have been very well received. Many of you responded and asked for further information on the Community and on individual Viatorians. We would like to hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to write.

Finally, please know that you remain in the prayers of all the Viatorians. As I have often said, you are and always will be our partners in faith Through this newsletter, we hope to keep you involved in that partnership. Thank you for the support and encouragement that you give to our Viatorian community.

Sincerely,

~ ;11. t,&lN! , csv

Robert M. Egan, CSV Provincial

Keeping in Touch ____ _

Father Phil Clifford, entered the Viatorian Community

from his home in Park Ridge,

Illinois in 1936. After finishing

his novitiate in Lemont, Illinois,

Phil took first vows in 1937.

Phil attended St. Viator College,

and often reminds us he is the

youngest living Viatorian to have

this distinction. Upon completion

of his theological studies, at

Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis,

Missouri, he was ordained a

priest on june 2, 1945, in

Chicago. Phil

then began his

Phil was appointed Provincial

Treasurer of the Viatorians in

1968. He served the community

in this capacity until 197 4. As

Treasurer, Father Clifford was

responsible for the financial

concerns of the Province. After

serving as Treasurer, Phil was

then appointed Assistant to the

Provincial, Father Ken Morris.

He served in this post from

197 4 to 1980, and from

1980-1985 Phil was the

Director of the Retirement Wing.

long and fruitful

ministry that took

him all over the

United States

'Wheft,:twQtkqi,

He sums up

his life by saying

"When I worked, I

worked, when I

loafed, I loafed

and when I got

sick, I got sick."

~.· ' "'''·:· . ti:

I-workecli*s Wh. m I . '' He '

Phil's first

assignment was

as Assistant

Pastor at St.

loaf~d, I <loafed

Patrick Church in

Kankakee,

and when I got sick, I got sick"

Phil keeps

busy these days

keeping in touch

with his many

Illinois. He began

his teaching career at Cathedral

Boys' High School in

Springfield, Illinois in the fall of 1945. His next assignment

brought about a third "career

change" when he became

Chaplain at Manteno State

Hospital in 1950. Phil returned

to the classroom at Stepinac

High School in White Plains,

New York, then Spalding

Institute in Peoria, Illinois and

finally Bishop Gorman High

· School in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Phil also served as Treasurer of Bishop Gorman High School

where he was recently honored

at the Knight of the Gael 40th

anniversary dinner for his many

years of service to the Gorman

community. Although Phil has

had some difficult illnesses he

reports that he always enjoyed

his ministry in the many parishes,

schools and hospitals where he

served.

friends, either by

correspondence

or "Ma Bell." He enjoys hearing

from his many former students

and parishioners. Phil can be

reached at 1212 East Euclid,

Arlington Heights, Illinois

60004.

Brother Dale Barth, who was stationed at St. Viator

High School from 1967-1990

(Brother Barth wore many hats

Religion Teacher, Bookstore

Manager, Yearbook Moderator,

Assistant Dean, Building

Manager and Bingo

Coordinator) is currently working

in the Treasurer's office at the

Province Center in Arlington

Heights, Illinois Recently, he

was named Administrator of all

Province properties. The "Bear"

continues to stay in touch with

many Viator alumni and their

families. Dale can be reached at

121 2 East Euclid Street,

Arlington Heights, Illinois

60004.

Father Pat Hayes, a long time Chaplain, at

Shapiro Development Center in

Kankakee, Illinois and Associate

Pastor at St. Viator Parish in

Chicago, as well as St. Viator

Parish in Las Vegas, is currently

retired and living at the Viatorian

Retirement Residence in Las

Vegas, Nevada When not

helping out at Guardian Angel

Cathedral in Las Vegas, Pat can

be found recording numerous

events with his trusty video

camera. Father Hayes' address

is 4219 Pinecrest Circle East,

Las Vegas, Nevada 891 21 .

Brother Don Houde is currently the Director of

Administrative Affairs for the

Office of Catholic Education,

Archdiocese of Chicago where

he has been since 1979.

Administration is nothing new to

Don. He began his ministry in

the classroom; he taught English

at Spalding Institute in Peoria,

Illinois, Ampleforth College in

England, and Griffin High

School in Springfield, Illinois.

Father Phil Clifford

He started a career in school

administration as assistant

principal of Alleman High

School in Rock Island, Illinois;

after one year in that post, he

became principal of Spalding

Institute in Peoria. From 1972 to

1979 he was principal of St.

Viator High School in Arlington

Heights, Illinois. Don can be

reached at the Archdiocese of

Chicago, Office of Catholic

Education, 155 , E. Superior

Street, Chicago, Illinois 6061 1 .

Father Michael Ranahan former Provincial Treasurer,

Associate Pastor at Maternity

B. VM. Church in Bourbonnais,

Illinois, Pastor of St. Viator

Church in Chicago and

Chaplain at St. Francis Convent

in Springfield, currently resides

at the Viatorian Province Center.

Mike is recovering from recent

open heart surgery. Father

Ranahan can be reached at

1 21 2 East Euclid Street,

Arlington Heights, Illinois

60004

If there is a Viatorian you

would like to hear from please

call us or drop us a note and let

us know. •

New CSV Presence (Cont) ____________ _ support of a concerned family; it

reaches out to every child in the

community, offering them the

hope of a good primary education in a Christian context

- an education emphasizing the value of each person.

Realizing the effective presence

of other Christian churches in the

community, St Patrick's parish

seeks to establish and strengthen

ecumenical bonds between and

among them. Once o month, for

example, a minister from one of the local churches hosts a

service at the school for the

children and staff

The future of St Patrick's

parish, says John Eck, lies in its

ability to become

and remain a vital

part of an

integrated community. It must

lead its people to a stronger faith,

and a vision of

Christian life with service at its

center. It must, in

short, strive to live out its mission

statement The parish has the

support of the Springfield

Diocese in its work, having received from it for the 1994-95

school year, and for the first

time, a donation of $100,000,

which has enabled the parish to

keep the school operating within

its budget Needless to say, John has the support of his Viatorian

colleagues in this new and

important work. •

Vocation News-------------------The Vialorian Vocation Office

has been busy in the promotion

of greater vocation awareness

for the People of God at the

parishes and schools where we

serve. Sacred Heart-Griffin High

vocational choices. This is one

way that young people are challenged to consider how they

will live their call to follow

Christ Father Glancy, the

Viatorian Vocation Director, has School in

Springfield, Illinois held a Vocation

Day in November

A panel of adults

committed to living their faith met with

each of the senior

classes. Members

of the panel

included: a

Springfield

Dominican Sisler,

-----------... participated in similar programs

... young people are challenged to

consider how they will live their call to follow Christ.

at St. Viator

High School ir

Arlington

Heights, Illinois

and Bishop

Gorman High

School in Las Vegas, Nevad,J .

Working with

Vocation

a married couple, a diocesan

priest, a single lay person and Father Chris Glancy, CSV Bishop Daniel Ryan was also

present for the first class period.

Students had the opportunity to ask panel members about their

Directors from

other communities and diocese

he is also promoting vocation through retreats for high school

and college youth, discernmert

programs for young adults ano a

Scripture reflection series for

Spanish-speaking young people

in the Chicago area. Father jim

Crilly, Brother Greg Jones and

Brother jim Lewnard collaborate

with Father Glancy on a Vocation Advisory Committee for

the Viatoriam; Together, they are

working to invite and encourage

men to join the Viatorians in

serving the People of God.

Maybe you know someone who

would make a good Vialorian

Brother or priest If you do,

encourage that person and let us

know •

f.--- Address Change ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------send To: i

! Name Clerics of St. Viator

!,',, Address Development Office i,,

121 2 Euclid St. · Arlington Heights, ! Telephone IL 60004

! If you would like any information on the Clerics of Saint Viator or if you hove any special I comments , please write them here or on a separate sheet. Thank you.

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