Current News

Tuesday, 20 February 2024 22:08

General Council, Chris Chaplin MSC

General Council, Chris Chaplin MSC Over the coming weeks we will be posting thumbnail sketches of each of the five men appointed to our General Council.   Chris Chaplin MSC Chris has served a six year term as a General Assistant to Superior General, Abzalon Alvaredo Tovar MSC. Abzalon has…
MSC pioneers in Aboriginal ministry, Menindee-Wilcannia, NSW. Some weeks ago we posted Pat Austin MSC’s parish supply in Balranald. He mentioned MSCs in the 1930s and 1940s in the Broken Hill diocese.  We Googled and found a summary which turned out to have been written by Martin Wilson MSC in…
From our Cameroun MSC confrere, Jonas Mouchi Hassan. Many will remember Jonas from his time studying in Sydney in 2017 and his visit to the NT. He returned to Formation Ministry in the French African MSC Union. He has worked in Congo in recent years. Jonas at Wadeye He recently…
Friday, 16 February 2024 23:04

2023, the MSC year that was…

2023, the MSC year that was… Each year we post the overview of the province requested by the General Administration – an opportunity to look back at some of the highlights of the year.  For a weekend read... On the world stage, 2023 was a very sad year – wars…
Thursday, 15 February 2024 22:47

Albert Yelds MSC, Mission Letters – a Podcast

Albert Yelds MSC, Mission Letters – a Podcast Recently, the MSC Mission Office received a donation of a cache of letters written by the late Albert Yelds MSC. Albert died last year at the age of 98, the doyen of the Australian Province, someone who was ill when young and…
 200th Anniversary of the birth of Fr Jules Chevalier MSC - one month to go Stephen Hackett writes: You would be aware that the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of our Founder, Jules Chevalier, occurs on Friday 15 March this year. The Provincial Council discussed the anniversary at its last…
Lent – the Gospel practice of prayer, fasting, charity. Jesus warns us against displaying our Lenten observance. We go into our inner rooms, our inner selves, deepen our inner love of God and neighbours wherever they are. You might like and appreciate the challenges proposed by the Reverend Benjamin Cremer…
Monday, 12 February 2024 22:44

Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day – Pre-Lent

Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day – Pre-Lent In many cultures, religious and secular (who perpetuate the day without realising the origins), the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is a day of celebration before Lent. While not offering any pancake recipes, we thought we would offer a post which would provide a pre-Lenten smile…
Qui Thion Bui MSC, Graduation, Safeguarding Course, Rome In recent years, Tim Brennan MSC has been responsible for Safeguarding issues in the congregation. He has encouraged members from around the world to attend courses in Rome as background for their work in their provinces, unions and regions. Qui Thion Bui…
Saturday, 10 February 2024 09:40

Kenji Konda MSC, Ordination

Kenji Konda MSC, Ordination This is a very happy weekend for the Australian province, the ordination of our confrere, Kenji. And, these years, it is a rare occasion. Kenji was ordained in Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Randwick, where he served on the parish council, by Bishop Terry…
Thursday, 08 February 2024 22:41

Chevalier Institute, 2024.

Chevalier Institute, 2024. The new brochure for Chevalier Institute is available in hard copy or online.   Bob Irwin MSC writes: the Chevalier Institute was founded 21 years ago to support Lay adult faith formation in the Chevalier Family’s Spirituality of the Heart. Why called an INSTITUTE? Because it is…
MSC Vietnam, January News, Graduation, Diaconate, Year-End Party On Saturday, January 20th, 2024, the Dominican Center of Study joyfully held a celebration of Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron of the Center. It awarded bachelor's degrees in Sacred Theology to students graduating in 2023. The MSC Community in Viet Nam had a…
Tuesday, 06 February 2024 22:13

RIP, Fr Kevin Bates SM

RIP, Fr Kevin Bates SM Funeral, February 7th. Marists and many others throughout the world mourn the death on Jan 31 of their confrere, spiritual guide and friend, Fr Kevin Bates SM (77). After months of failing health, Fr Kevin's last moments were spent at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, where he…
The Laity of the Chevalier Family, Final Report Day 9: The last day of the Assembly is here! We started with a peaceful meditation prayer from the USA and then we sang and danced the Assembly song with gusto for the last time. We came so far from the tentative…
Some Significant February Days for the Chevalier Family Paul Mea MSC, See February 10th NOTE: this is an amplified version of Significant Days, combining the list made originally by Cor Novum, Issoudun, now with the addition of dates from Father Jan Bovenmars MSC’s book, Jules Chevalier, Daily Readings. His book…
A Retreat opportunity, St Mary's Towers, Douglas Park WALKING WITH JESUS IN LOVE AND PRAYER THROUGH HIS PASSION, DEATH AND RESURRECTION   Easter Guided Retreat (This will be a Silent Retreat)                                                                 BEGINS: 6PM TUESDAY 26 MARCH, CONCLUDES: EASTER SUNDAY 31 MARCH                                  COST: $850 all inclusive   Wednesday of…
Friday, 02 February 2024 22:21

5th General Councillor named, Gene Pejo MSC

5th General Councillor named, Gene Pejo MSC The Superior General has confirmed the appointment of a fifth General Councillor, as anticipated and agreed to at the General Chapter of 2023 and foreseen in MSC Constitutions and Statutes No. S 205. For the six-year term 2023-2029, the fifth General Councillor is…
First Friday Reflection. A different look at ‘Reparation’, Repairing a broken world. ‘Reparation’ seen as ‘repairing the damaged, the mutilated, the de-reverenced’. Gerardine Doherty OLSH. We used the word ‘reparation’ in a sense of penance and mortification. How can it be understood more challengingly now? I believe that the quality…
Wednesday, 31 January 2024 22:14

RIP, Sister Benedict Cooke MSC

RIP, Sister Benedict Cooke MSC “Give me only your Love, and your Grace, that’s enough for me! Your love and your grace, are enough for me!” Sr. M Benedict:                            Mary Theresa Cooke Born:                                           14.08.1930 Carlton, Vic. Australia First Profession:                           03.02.1952 Mary’s Mount, Balwyn Entered Eternal Life:                   25.01.2024 Balwyn, Vic. Australia…
Tuesday, 30 January 2024 22:13

A note from Pat Austin MSC, Parish Supply.

A note from Pat Austen MSC, Parish Supply. Pat has written from Balranald Parish, Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, where he is currently on Parish supply. In fact, he has spent several years there in recent times. We can see the vast size of the diocese In the early 1900s the first…
The Laity of the Chevalier Family, Days 6,7,8. Day 6: The day started with beautiful contemplative prayer sessions from the European delegates. Next, Fr Hans Kwakman MSC, the current Spiritual Companion of the Laity of the Chevalier Family, provided a deep theological analysis of Laudato Si, Laudate Deum, and Fratelli…
Update on the student's house building in Thu Duc, Vietnam With thanks to Trieu at present in Vietnam for these vivid night photos – of building, equipment and onlookers Last night, they concreted the roof of the building. Here are some photos of the work that they did.
Friday, 26 January 2024 22:46

Laity of the Chevalier Family, Days 4 and 5

Laity of the Chevalier Family, Days 4 and 5 Re-election of Alison McKenzie, Secretary General   Day 4: The day started with the morning prayer, prepared by the Korean delegation. The keynote speaker of the day was Boni Dano. His lecture entailed why choose the Spirituality of the Heart? It…
Australia Day, What do we think? But, importantly, why do we think it? By Joe Horner In view of the 2023 Referendum on The Voice and its defeat, worth reflection. For some, the Australia Day public holiday on 26 January has become synonymous with clothing and accessories adorned with the…
The Laity of the Chevalier Family, Gathering, Days 2 and 3   Day 2: This morning we visited four local parishes - San Roque Parish (Cordova), Our Lady of Fatima Parish (Pusok), Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish (Babar), and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish (Marigondon). We were…
Overcome the ‘culture of superiority’ in the Church - Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle The ‘culture of superiority’ among people, and even within the church, is one of the hindrances to synodality,” Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said. Speaking before a group of Filipino bishops, the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization…
Opening of the International Gathering of the Laity of the Chevalier Family. January 21st Report Arrival at the Don Bosco Retreat Centre at 5.15 a.m. and then chaos started. But let me tell you, it was a happy chaos. Looking at the faces of people arriving, full of expectations, happy…
Thanks to Michael Fallon MSC, Publications and audiovisual Archive Kensington This post on the site is a tribute to Michael Fallon MSC. When Paul Stenhouse was dying in 2019, he asked Michael to take care of his books on the contents of his office on the first floor. When Michael…
Weekend story for the record:  Foot-slogging for the Sacred Heart.  THE MSC DREAM HOMES AND THE CROYDON AUXILIARY        A Walk down Memory Lane A story sent by Malcolm Fyfe (and the editor of this site will vouch for it). Few Australian Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) would be aware…
Thursday, 18 January 2024 21:56

RIP, Kathlyn Moynihan (YTU)

RIP, Kathlyn Moynihan       (YTU)   Sad news of the death of Kath Moynihan, highly respected and well-loved. Her funeral at St Francis Xavier’s parish, Box Hill, January 18th. So many staff and students at the Yarra Theological Union from the mid-1970s for several decades will have happy memories of Kath…
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