September 2008

News for Brothers on Prescription Drug Subsidy

Those Brothers who are receiving the prescription drug subsidy award by way of reduced prescription costs are reminded that Social Security may be sending them a form which MUST be completed in order to continue receiving the subsidy. Please do NOT ignore or discard this form. It only takes a minute to complete the form, and Brother Joe Saurbierin the District Finance Office can assist Brothers over the phone.

Here is the last call for Stimulus Payment

Brothers over the age of 65 are reminded that if they have not yet filed for the government’s Economic Stimulus Payment, the deadline is October 15, 2008.

Any Brother who needs assistance completing the 1040A form should contact Brother Joe Saurbier in the District Finance Office. He can assist with completing the form over the phone in a matter of a couple of minutes.

Thank you to Brother Stephen Markham

Sincere thanks to Brother Stephen Markham for his many contributions to the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program (LTIP) over the past two years. In fact, Brother Stephen left the La Salle Pastorate last year to work full-time with the LTIP students, giving up a ministry he loved as much as he did his contact with the young men. Some health issues that require more rest, proper attention to diet and exercise, and less travel have resulted in his return to the Pastorate in a reducedwork role and concluding his involvement with LTIP. He maintains personal contact with many of the eleven students who have returned to their campuses to complete their degrees, but he will no longer be traveling with them.

Brother Larry Schatz will lead this meeting

The top twenty-five Brothers nominated for leadership positions at the recent retreat of the De La Salle East District (future name of the current Districts of Baltimore, LI-NE, and New York)will participate in a gathering to address leadership issues in the new District. Brother Larry Schatz will facilitate the meeting. The final balloting will take place late in the fall and the names will be sent to Brother Superior for his appointment.

Auxiliary Visitor will make some community visits

Auxiliary Visitor,Brother Larry Schatz, will make some of the community visits this year, as have other AVs in the past. Brother Larry’s assignments include all the Miguel schools/communities, as well as Totino-Grace, Lambert Hall, Bishop Kelley, La Salle-Cincinnati, and La Salle Institute-Wildwood.

Mission Implementation Committee will meet

The Mission Congress Implementation Committee is charged with developing a strategic plan for the Midwest District to be formally presented to both the District Council and the Mission and Ministry Councils in June 2009. In the next few months committee members will be holding forums throughout the district. The discussion questions based on the 13 proposals passed by the Mission Congress are in their final form. The committee meets in Winona on September 27th.

Welcome to the Burr Ridge Office

Betty McClelland has joined the Midwest District Provincial Office to assist in the Office of Mission and Formation. She will be working two days a week--on Tuesday and Wednesday. Email: , Phone Ext. 225. Welcome to the office, Betty!

Interfaith Memorial Service will be at ResurrectionCenter

An inter-faith memorial service (not a mass) will take place at 3:00 pm on Sunday, September 21st at the Resurrection Medical Center Chapel to remember those who have died since January. Brothers and friends are welcome to attend this memorial. Those who plan to attend are asked to contact Karen Cornforth at (773) 792-6336 by September 17th to give the name of the deceased person and the number of those who will attend. Brother Martin Grimm will be among those remembered at this service.

Are you ready for a change?

The staff at the Provincial Office has started a new program called, "Are You Ready for a Change?" Cheryl Garrigan and Brother Kevin Convey brought in books about health, nutrition, and exercise for the shelves in the lunch room. In early August the staffmet at LewisUniversity and talked about working as a caring community with the Brothers. The staff washroom has a scale so each person can weigh in one day a week and keep track of his or her individual weight. Staff members support each other in the quest for a healthy lifestyle by not bringing in sugary foods. The staff of the Provincial Office has decided to set an example for the Brothers and Lasallians of the Midwest District.

New Housing plans developing in the Twin Cities

Donna Drinan, who worked with the Midwest District on the planning and building of the new homes in Chicago, is now helping to develop a plan to study housing in the Twin Cities: what the future needs might be, how to accommodate Brothers of all ages economically, time appropriately, with flexibility, and always with the hope of each Brother “integrating within his own person these constitutive dimensions of his vocation: consecration to God as a lay religious, apostolic ministry of education, especially of the poor, and community life” (Rule, Art. 10).

Note these upcoming dates

September 12 – Midwest District Council Meeting in Burr Ridge

September 16 – Brother Jeffrey Gros will be honored at Memphis Theological Seminary

September 21-22 – Mission and Ministry Council Meeting at Totino-Grace

September 24-25 – Midwest District hosts the Religious Education Board in Twin Cities

September 26 – Inauguration of Brother William Mann at SMUMN

September 27 – Tony Elfering and Brendan Kelly will be welcomed by the Baltimore District to Jeremy House

Welcome to the Midwest District

The members of the Midwest District are pleased to welcome Brother Christopher Soosai Arockiam from the Delegation of India. He is a graduate student at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona: 700 TerraceHeights, Box 1512; (507) 457-1946. His email is . In a recent surprise he had an appendectomy on August 28thand is now recovering. Welcome Brother Christopher!!

Congratulations to

  • Tina Bonacci who was elected the Chair of the Council of Young Lasallians.

Directory Changes

  • Brother Peter Hannon: Christian Brothers College High School, 1855 De La Salle Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141. Phone: (314) 985-6024. Cell: (708) 417-8186. Email:
  • Brother Henry Baldwin: Email -
  • Brother Raphael Erler:1111 Sugar Loaf Rd., Winona, MN55987. Phone: (507) 474-7168.

Rest in Peace

  • Brother Kevin Stanislaus Mackey, 93, died at ResurrectionMedicalCenter in Chicago on August 22nd. A De La Salle Christian Brother for 75 years, he was born Bartley Vincent Mackey in Chicago, the son of Thomas and Eleanor (O’Connor) Mackey. He attended St. George H.S. in Evanston and later graduated from La Salle Institute in Glencoe, MO. He entered the novitiate of the Brothers in 1933, professed his first vows in 1934 and his perpetual vows in 1940. Brother Kevin earned his B.A. degree in 1937 from Saint Mary’s College in Winona, MN, and his M.A. from St. LouisUniversity in 1946. During his years as an educator he taught in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Jefferson City, MO, Muskegon, MI, and in Boys Town, NE, and St. Paul, MN, where he served as assistant principal and principal from 1952 to 1962. Then he moved to St. Mel H.S. and De La Salle Institute in Chicago, LewisUniversity in Romeoville, IL, and Providence H.S. in New Lenox, IL. In 1980 he started teaching at Driscoll Catholic H.S. in Addison, IL, until his retirement in 1989. For the past few month he was a resident at ResurrectionMedicalCenter in Chicago. Survivors include his brother William Mackey of Chicago and the Christian Brothers of the Midwest District. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Philip the ApostleChurch on August 26th. Interment was at ResurrectionCemetery in Romeoville, IL.
  • Brother Leo (Isidore Conrad) Gilskey, 91, died on September 6, 2008 at ResurrectionLifeCenter in Chicago. A De La Salle Christian Brother for 73 years, he was born in Hilger, Montana, the son of Isidore and Marybelle (Kerrigan) Gilskey. For one year he attended St.GeorgeHigh School in Evanston, IL, and then transferred to La SalleHigh School in Glencoe, MO.

In 1934 he entered the novitiate of the Christian Brothers and made his final vows at Beaver, Island, MI in 1941. He earned a B.A. from St. Mary’s College in Winona, MN, in 1938. His professional career included high school teaching positions in Texas, Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana and Illinois. In Chicago he served at various times as principal at Old St. Patrick High School, St.MelHigh School, and De La Salle Institute and was superintendent of Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, IN. He earned an M.A. from Loyola University Chicago in 1950 and pursued graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, St. LouisUniversity and the Institut Catholique in Paris. From 1972 to 1975 he was the Superintendent of Education for the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan. He served at different times as the Academic Vice President at LewisUniversity in Romeoville, IL, and the Academic Dean at St. John Seminary in Plymouth, MI. He worked in the Development Office of the Christian Brothers from 1978 until his retirement in 1988. From 1968 to 1972 he was Vice-Chair of the Catholic School Board of the Archdiocese of Chicago and was Chairman of the Advisory Board of St. John’s Provincial Seminary from 1972 to 1975. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of Lewis University from 1960 to 1977. Four sisters survive him: Mrs. John Hahn of Westchester, IL, and Mrs. Rita McIntyre of Ottawa, IL; Mrs. Marybelle O’Leary of East Dennis, MA; and Mrs. Loretta Clark of Lowell, IN. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, November 8that 11:00 am Sancta Alberta Chapel at LewisUniversity.

  • Norman O. Sanders,AFSC, 77, long time lawyer in Kansas City for the Brothers and the Diocese died on August 11th from complications following open heart surgery. A 1949 graduate of De La Salle Military H.S., he became an Affiliated Member in 1972. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on August 14th at Christ the KingChurch.
  • Patricia Imburgia, sister of Brother James McDonald, died on August 13th of cancer. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on August 18th at St. Francis of AssisiChurch in Orland Park, IL.

Health Updates

  • Brother MauriceAnglim is doing well at ResurrectionLifeCenter. He goes to physical therapy daily for exercise.
  • Brother Richard Brady continues his healing at Resurrection Nursing & Rehab facility in Park Ridge, IL.
  • Brother Jim Rozakhad cataract surgery on September 4th.
  • BrotherJoel Baumeyerhad minor bladder surgery on September 4th.
  • BrotherWalter Schreiner will have colon surgery on September 25th.
  • BrotherEdward Salgado will have a hip replacement on October 5th.
  • Brother Richard Geimer had carpal tunnel surgery on his wrist on August 28th and is doing well.
  • Brother Michael Kadow had surgery at All Saints Hospital in Racine, WI, on September 10th for a pre-cancerous growth in his colon. He noted that he is in no immediate danger.
  • Brother Larry Zeman continues with a new chemotherapy for cancer treatment. He was in the hospital for heart arrhythmia and has been placed on a new medication.