Some Significant June Days for the Chevalier Family, 2023

Feast of the Sacred Heart, 16th June

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 was published in 1993 – so, more recent just from all around the congregation and the Chevalier family would be most welcome.

16 new Significant Days have been added.

1 June, 1940

Mother M Electa, MSC, promises to build a chapel in honour of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, in Hiltrup, Germany, to seek protection for the Congregation and its works during World War II.

3 June, 1874

Fathers Chevalier, Vandel and Jouët renew their profession before Pope Pius IX.

4 June, 1980

Father Jose Maria Gran Cirera, MSC, of the Spanish Province, is assassinated in Chajul, Guatemala.

Now the feast day of the Martyrs of Quiche.

5 June, 1900

Archibald Shaw, first Australian-born MSC priest, ordained in Sydney.

5 June, 1944

During World War II, New Guinea Missionary Sisters were imprisoned in Ramale Camp, New Britain, in PNG.

5 June, 1986

Canonical erection of the first MSC house in Seoul, Korea.

6 June, 1846

Jean-Marie Vandel is ordained a priest at Fribourg, Switzerland, at the age of 37 years.

6 June, 1914

Father Hubert Linckens begins prolonged visitation of the Australian MSC province: 1914-1921.

6 June, 1980

Erection of the MSC novitiate in Manoku, Abemama, Kiribati.

7 June, 1861

The Vicar General of Bourges blesses the first part of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Issoudun. In the window near the altar of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, is a stained-glass representation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, her first image. This same stained-glass window is today located above Our Lady's Chapel entrance door, situated inside the Basilica.

9 June, 1983

(And 40 years later, Bonaventura, Abzalon and Marife)

The three Generalates, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart meet together for the first time. The first meeting took place at the MSC Generalate, Via Asmara in Rome.

10 June, 1854

Father Charles Piperon, a significant early member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is ordained priest for the Diocese of Bourges.

10 June, 1855

Authorized to take the title of Missionary of the Sacred Heart, the young Chevalier ceases his functions as curate in Issoudun. He takes up the role of parish priest of Issoudun more than 20 years later in 1872.

12 June, 1874

On the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius IX signs the decree of Approbation of the MSC Society. Father Chevalier also offers Pius IX a petition, asking him to consecrate the whole Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

12 June, 1885

Watertown USA: first profession of Pierre L’Esperance, the first MSC from the New World.

12 June, 1970

The first mission in Peru, entrusted to the North German MSC Province since 1938, becomes a Region.

13 June, 1891

Rome: the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars issues a decree regarding the “sanationes”. It prescribes also that the General Assistants must reside with the General; Father Jouet, therefore, is no longer Assistant but remains General Procurator.

13 June, 1946

The Vicariate of Papua is divided into the Vicariate of Port Moresby and the Prefecture of Samarai. Father A. Sorin (France) is appointed Vicar of Port Moresby and Administrator Prefect of Samarai

.

14 June, 1851

Father Chevalier and eleven other seminarians are ordained priests in the cathedral of Bourges by Cardinal Dupont.

14 June, 1937

Louis Vangeke, MSC, is ordained the very first priest for the Papua New Guinean Catholic Church. In 1970, he became Auxiliary Bishop of Port Moresby, PNG, and then Bishop of Bereina, PNG, until his retirement in 1979. He died in 1982.

15 June, 1851

Father Chevalier celebrated his first Mass in a small chapel (no longer in existence) in the garden of the major seminary in Bourges.

16 June, 1868

First General Assembly of the Third Order of the Sacred Heart in Montluçon. Father Guyot is its General Director, in the name of father Chevalier. It is a Third Order for women without vows and is associated with the MSC congregation from 1865 to 1874.

16 June, 1950

(Fr Bryson is the tall one beside Fr Harry Reid in uniform, with the first Australian MSC to Japan)

Father Archibald Bryson (Australia) concluded negotiations for the establishment of the MSC mission in Nagoya and is now in charge of the Japan Mission.

17 June, 1851

Father Chevalier receives his first appointment: curate in the parish of Ivoy-le-Pré. He remains in this parish for 7 months before taking his second appointment in Châtillon-sur-Indre.

18 June, 1971

Erection of Curitiba- PR, Brazil, as MSC Region, entrusted to the Belgian Province.

18 June, 1982

The MSC residence at Suva, Fiji, ready since January is blessed by Bishop Paul Mea MSC.

18 June, 1986

Canonical erection of the Union of Francophone Africa (UAF). It is placed directly under the superior general.

19 June, 1885

Father Henry Verius and the brothers Salvatore Gasbarra and Nicola Marconi (Italy) leave Thursday Island for Yule Island, on board ship of Ed Mosby.

19 June, 1940

At 8:30am, Issoudun is bombed: 100 people died and many are wounded. The historic presbytery from which Father Founder was evicted in 1907, is destroyed.

20 June, 1882

Father Navarre is appointed Superior of the little group making its way to the mission of Melanesia.

22 June, 1938

The first two MSC appointed to Peru, Fathers B.Sievers and J.Petermeyer, leave from Hiltrup for Lima.

23 June, 1919

The German MSC are forced to leave the Apostolic Vicariate of the Marshall Islands.

24 June, 1915

During the First World War, Missionary Sisters in New Britain (PNG) are imprisoned.

24 June, 1946

Canonical erection of the Spanish MSC Province.

26 June, 1859

Laying of the first stone of the new sanctuary of the Sacred Heart in Issoudun by Monsignor Caillaud, Vicar General of Bourges.

26 June, 1984

Sister Klara Sietman, MSC, is elected as 6th Superior General of the MSC Sisters.

28 June, 1928

Father Arthur Lanctin, MSC, 2nd Superior General of the MSC, 1901-1905, dies in Issoudun.

30 June, 1850

Jules Chevalier is ordained to the Sub-Diaconate, in the Chapel of the major seminary in Bourges.

30 June, 1887

The first MSC arrive at Quito, Ecuador. This mission will end in 1894.