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 meeting in 2023 and decided that we should relate with the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, and Laity of the Chevalier Family to mark the occasion. Meeting with Sr Philippa Murphy FDNSC, Sr Tess Veenker MSC and Mr Fred Stubenrauch, we agreed that joint celebrations involving all branches of the Chevalier Family would be desirable wherever this is possible.
An extended form of Evening Prayer is being prepared and will be made available in early February. Each local community will be encouraged to celebrate this Evening Prayer at a suitable venue on Friday 15 March.
As well, to ensure senior members of the three congregations can participate in the celebrations, there will be morning Mass that day in Sydney and Melbourne. Invitations to these celebrations will be sent out next month.
The Melbourne Mass on March 15th in Melbourne will be the 10.00 am Mass at St Thomas, Blackburn, where we will all gather. (Note, the Novitiate begins at Blackburn on the evening of the 15th.)
