Jules Chevalier Bicentenary celebrations, Melbourne.

Our bicentenary celebration took place in the parish church of St Thomas, Blackburn, which the MSC serve.

We celebrated on the day itself, the Friday 10 o’clock mass followed by refreshments. It was a combined celebration for members of the parish, for the MSC in Melbourne,

for Elizabeth Taylor and the OLSH sisters, for Sister Tess Veenker, MSC Sisters Provincial, Laity of the Chevalier Family, Margaret O’Loughlin and Lee Toll.

Mark Hanns MSC presided at the Eucharist.

Lee Toll offered her homily reflection

communicating the experience of the January gathering of the Laity of the Chevalier Family in Cebu, Philippines, memories of Jules Chevalier, the Internationality of the gathering – illustrated with many slides by Lee as were the parts of the mass and the hymns, concluding the celebration with what has become our Chevalier anthem, James Maher’s Woman of the Sacred Heart, illustrated with a wonderful collection of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Heart images.

And, a significant part of the refreshments, a birthday cake – and the cutting of the cake, in the photo above: Sister Relida OLSH, Lee Toll, Michael Sims MSC, Elizabeth Taylor OLSH, Mark Hanns MSC - and glimpsed, Margaret O'Loughlin and Philip Malone MSC.

Appreciation to Trieu and Hoa for photos

And a welcoming greeting from the Bishop of Darwin, Charles Gauci:

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Fr Jules Chevalier MSC, the founder of OLSH and MSC.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart - Australia and Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart congregations have given so much to our Diocese. So many of them have poured blood, sweat, and tears in the service of God and God’s people. The first 3 bishops and most of the priests and sisters in our Diocese have served here for many years because of this man’s inspiration and vision.

We thank God for them all and for him. In what they have given to us, we are forever grateful.

+Charles