Some Significant July Days for the Chevalier Family, 2023
Fr Leon Bourjade MSC, World War I Air Ace
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.
27 new Significant Days have been added for July.
July seems to have been a mission establishing month: MSC in Yule Island, PNG; MSC in Bangalore, India; MSC in Canada; MSC Sisters in Peru.
It is also a month of memories of murdered MSCs, in Indonesia during World War II, of Peter To Rot in New Britain and in Central America of Faustino Villneuva.
1 July, 1885
Father Verjus, Brothers Salvator Gasbarra and Nicolaus Marconi arrive in Yule Island. The mission in Papua begins!!
1 July, 1920
Father Linckens returns to Rome from Sydney where he has been since 1914 because of the war.
1 July, 1948
The first Belgian MSC team arrives in Rio de Janeiro to start a new MSC region in Brazil.
2 July, 1985
Opening of the first MSC House in India. the original house was rented from the Holy Cross Fathers, in Bangalore.
MSC India
2 July, 1970
Fr. Des Moore appointed second Bishop of Sideia, consecrated in Port Moresby.
3 July, 1986
Fr. Ted Collins consecrated Bishop of Darwin in Darwin.
4 July, 1885
Fr Verjus celebrates the first Eucharist on Yule Island and 48 years later in 1933 Monsignor de Boismenu consecrates a chapel built on the site of the first Eucharist.
5 July, 1941
Unveiling of the statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Miribel, France. The statue is 33 meters high!
5 July, 1957
Erection of Kavieng (PNG) as a distinct Vicariate, entrusted to the province of the USA. Bishop Alfred Stemper is the first Vicar Apostolic.
7 July, 1945
The death of Peter To Rot, Martyr and Catechist in PNG. He was beatified, 17 December, 1995.
10 July, 1980
Father Faustino Villanueva, MSC, from the Spanish MSC Province, is assassinated in Joyabaj, Guatemala.
11 July, 1946
The body of Marie Louise Hartzer is transferred from Thuin, Belgium to the Mother House of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Issoudun.
11 July, 1966
The Apostolic Vicariate of the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) becomes the Diocese of Tarawa. Bishop Pierre Guichet as its first Bishop.
13 July, 1878
The church of St James, Via della Sapienza, Rome, is sold by auction to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
13 July, 1881
Pope Leo the 13th blesses the banner of the Sacred Heart for the mission of Melanesia and Micronesia.
14 July, 1859
Father Jules Chevalier visits the Curé d'Ars, Jean-Marie Vianney. The Curé confirms Chevalier in his mission as founder! Two days after their visit, Father Chevalier and Piperon start a novena with the Curé d'Ars, who died shortly after on 4 August, 1859.
14 July, 1865
The Abbe Jean Vandel visits Issoudun for the first time.
14 July, 1950
Erection of the MSC region in Japan, entrusted to the Australian province
16 July, 1859
Frs Chevalier and Piperon start a novena together with the Cure d’Ars who died shortly after, on August 4.
16 July, 1959
The Vicariate of Port Moresby is divided into the Vicariate of Yule Island, entrusted to the French MSC province, and the Vicariate of Port Moresby, entrusted to the Australian MSC province.
17 July, 1874
The church in Issoudun is erected as a Minor Basilica: the Basilica of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
17 July, 1902
Mission Cross Ceremony for the first 12 MSC sisters, Mission House, Hiltrup, Germany.
18 July, 1900
The General Council decides to open the first MSC House in Canada, at Québec, for the French scholastics who would otherwise have to do military service for three years.
19 July, 1876
Father Chevalier buries his mother in Richelieu.
19 July, 1947
The first missionary group of MSC Sisters leave Germany to begin a mission in Peru.
20 July, 1874
Decree of approbation of the MSC Institute.
20 July, 1926
Monsignor Couppé, MSC, founder of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, a local congregation in Papua New Guinea, dies at Douglas Park in Australia.
21 July, 1873
The MSC General Council decides to send Fr. Chapell to Toronto
21 July, 1896
Fr. H. Linckens, MSC, is appointed Provincial of the newly-erected German MSC Province.
21 July, 1982
Father Eugene Cuskelly, MSC, former Superior General, is ordained auxiliary bishop of Brisbane, in Australia.
22 July, 1939
Canonical erection of the Canadian MSC province and of the MSC province of the United States.
22 July, 1970
Erection of Switzerland as MSC Section.
22 July, 1970
Pinheiro, Brazil, entrusted to the Italian MSC since 1946, is erected as a Section.
24 July, 1828
Jean Charles Piperon, one of Father Chevalier's faithful founding companions, was born about 50 kilometres from Issoudun, at Vierzon, France.
24 July, 1891
Decree of the definitive approbation of the MSC Constitutions
25 July, 1947
Fr Herman Vermeiren MSC appointed Vicar Apostolic of Coquilhatville, Zaire, ordained Bishop.
25 July, 1952
Erection of the Irish province.
26 July, 1921
Leon Bourjade MSC, French aviation hero, is ordained priest.
26 July, 1946
The first team of MSC missionaries from the US depart to PNG to help rebuild the mission severely damaged during World War II.
28 July, 1897
Erection of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) distinct from the Apostolic Vicariate of Micronesia, entrusted to the MSC since 1881. Msgr Leray MSC is the first Apostolic Vicar.
29 July, 1902
Departure of the first five MSC sisters from Germany for the Marshall Islands.
30 July, 1942
Monsignor Aerts and 12 Dutch MSC confreres are killed at Langgur, Indonesia, during World War II.
31 July, 1873
Father J.B. Chappel and Brother H. Dechâtre leave France for the very first MSC overseas mission: the mission in Canada! In 1875, they establish the first MSC residence in the USA, at Watertown, New York State. Former MSC Superior General, (2005-2017), Father Mark McDonald, MSC, was born and grew up in Watertown!
31 July, 1878
Father Chevalier signs the purchase deed of the Church of St James of the Spaniards, Piazza Navona, Rome. Today it is known as the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
