Some Significant November Days for the Chevalier Family 2024

So many of this month’s dates concern MSC mission foundations.

And, the beginning of the Novena to Our Lady for the founding of the congregation, November 30th

1 November, 1880

Abbe Rene-Marie Lannuzel celebrates the first Mass in the colony of Port-Breton, PNG.

1 November, 1883

Henry Verjus is ordained priest in Rome.  

1 November 1885

First edition of Belgian Animals (French and Dutch version).

1 November, 1902

Arrival of the first MSC Sisters in Vunapope , New, Pomerania, PNG. 

1 November, 1955

The first Mass is celebrated in the new MSC Generalate at Via Asmara 11, Rome.  xxxxx

1 November, 1956

Father Alex Smulders MSC is appointed Provincial Administrator in the Philippines.

1 November, 1981

Erection of the MSC District in Cameroun, entrusted to the French Province.

2 November, 1964

Father Karl Maria Weber was killed in the diocese of Ikela. (Zaïre at that time, now Democratic Republic of Congo). In this period of upheaval, 13 Sisters, 7 Fathers and 2 Brothers were abducted by the rebels.

2 November, 1988

Of 57 Spanish MSC who died since the beginning of the Province, 19 were killed, which is exactly one third.

4 November, 1979

The first 2 Japanese MSC, Makino Makoto and Sadami Takayama, make their first profession. The first FDNSC, Akie, made her perpetual profession 17 March 2012.  

5 November, 1880

The MSC Community is expelled from Issoudun and the doors of the Basilica are sealed. Father Piperon and the novices at the time find a new home in "Huize Gerra" Haaren, The Netherlands. They arrive 12 November, 1880.

5 November, 1880

First MSC foundation in Barcelona, Spain.

5 November, 1953

Bishop Alain de Boismenu dies at Kubuna, Papua New Guinea.

6 November, 1855

Birth of Father P. Barral at Moutiers, Savoie. He was among those who began the MSC House at Salzburg, Austria, founded the Missionary Society of Bethlehem and Switzerland, and the Poor Missionary Sisters of Bethlehem.

6 November, 1891

First visit to the Marshall Islands: Father Bontemps and Brother C.Weber, missionaries in the Gilbert Islands, visit the island of Jaluit.   Map  bothxxxx

6 November, 1898

First Belgian MSC Brother, Jan Lasters, leaves Issoudun for Gilbert Islands Mission (Kiribati).

6. November 1936

Celebration of the MSC martyrs of Canet del Mar.

8 November, 1880

Father Piperon and his novices leave for the Netherlands and find a home in “Huize Gerra”, Haaren.

8 November, 1934

The International Scholastic it in Rome leaves Via Torino and establish its itself in Via Aventina 3. 

8 November, 1953

In the Issoudun Basilica, the first four MSC sent into Senegal. Father Theophile Cadoux MSC, France, is their Superior.

9 November, 1944

55 Dutch MSC are evacuated by the American army from Berg en Dal to Tilburg.

9 November, 1975

Father Leslie Rumble MSC, Australia, famous radio priest and apologist, dies in Sydney. 

10 November, 1910

Father Joseph Stettner MSC, Germany, arrives in the USA and establishes the house in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

10 November, 1939

Surigao, Philippines, where the MSC worked since 1908, becomes a diocese.

10 November, 1959.

The Vicariate of Coquilhatville, Zaire, becomes an Archdiocese. Msgr H. Vermeiren MSC appointed Archbishop. In 1966 the name was changed to the Archdiocese of Mbandaka; in 1975 to the Archdiocese of Mbandaka-Bikoro.

11 November, 1855

Abbe Crozat blesses a new bell for the Chapel of the two MSC fathers in Issoudun.

11 November, 1949

Death of Father Christian Jansen at Boppard, Germany. He was Superior General from 1932-1947. 

11 November, 1956

Eastern Papua Mission (Sideia) entrusted to the Australian MSC, becomes a Vicariate.

11 November, 1961

Father Josef Weigel MSC, Austria, appointed first Bishop of Ikela, Zaire, ordained at Regensburg, Germany.

12 November, 1969

Father Eugene J. Cuskelly is elected Superior General of the MSCs (1969-1981). Cuskelly is the author of Jules Chevalier Man With a Mission, and today he is well appreciated for his response to Vatican II for all congregations to return to their roots and charism. He re-discovered the person of Jules Chevalier for the Chevalier Family and, with his council, introduced the now globally-used-expression "Spirituality of the Heart".  

13 November, 1881

The municipal council of Issoudun ask the Minister to depose the “Cure Chevalier” who is “Jesuit, expelled an enemy of the government.”

13 November, 1892

Bishop Henri Verjus died in his birth-place in Oleggio, Italy. He was ordained on 1 November, 1883, and in the short period of time between his ordination and death, he established the mission on Yule Island, PNG, and was ordained Bishop at a very young age. 

14 November, 1869

Father Chevalier arrives in Rome for the fourth time “to save Our Lady of the Sacred Heart”, who had just been crowned at Issoudun, but some objections against the devotion had been made.

14 November, 1893

“Henceforth the Lay Brothers will no longer take a religious name; they are to be called by their family and baptismal name.” (MSC General Council).

14 November, 1922

The Vicariate of New Pomerania, PNG, is now called the Vicariate of Rabaul.

14 November, 1923

The FDNSC Generalate, Mother Gertrude and assistants, return to Issoudun after an exile of 17 years in Belgium.

15 November, 1884

Dedication of the first sanctuary in Thursday Island to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. 

15 November, 1885

First MSC Mass celebrated in the Church at Randwick, Australia.

15 November, 1966

Erection of Ecclesiastical Provinces in New Guinea:

• in Irian Barat, Indonesia: The Ecclesiastical Province of Merauke: Metropolitan Archbishop, Msgr H.Tillemans MSC.
• In Papua New Guinea: the Ecclesiastical Province of Port Moresby: Metropolitan Archbishop, Msgr Virgil Copas MSC; Bishop of Bereina, Msgr E. Klein MSC; Bishop of Sideai, Msgr F.J.Doyle MSC.
• The Ecclesiastical Province of Rabaul: Archbishop: Msgr J. Hoehne MSC; Bishop of Kavieng: A. Stemper MSC.
• Also the Ecclesiastical province of Madang with numerous suffragans of other societies, especially of the SVD.

16 November, 1875

Father Jouet leaves Issoudun to go to Rome.

16 November, 1878

Pope Leo XIII decides the church of St James of the Spaniards in Rome will be dedicated to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

16 November, 1969

First General Conference of the MSC, in Rome. This new structure was created by the General Chapter of 1969.

16 November, 1972

The Apostolic Prelature of Louis Trichardt, South Africa, becomes the diocese of Louis Trichardt-Tzaneen. In 1987, its name was changed to Diocese of Tzaneen.

17 November, 1919

Return of MSC’s Sisters from the Marshall Islands to Hiltrup.

18 November, 1934

The new International Scholasticate at Via Aventina is blessed by Cardinal E. Pacelli, later Pope Pius XII, Cardinal Protector of the MSC Society.  

19 November, 1884

Marseille: Father Henry Verjus embarks for Papua.

19 November, 1919

Erection of the Apostolic Prelature of Celebes, Sulawesi, Indonesia, Entrusted to the Dutch MSC Province.

19 November, 2016

John Ribat MSC, Archbishop of Port Moresby, named a Cardinal.

20 November, 1920

The first 6 novices of the Handmaids of the Lord, founded by Monsignor de Boismenu, make their vows at Kubuna, Papua New Guinea.

20 November, 1921

Arrival of Marie Therese Noblet in Yule Island; she succeeds Sister Marie Bernadette Koopman FDNSC, as Superior of the Handmaids.

21 November, 1875

Father Victor Jouët arrived in Rome, where he remained until he died in 1912.
He was first buried in a family tomb in Marseille, France. In 2003 his remains were transferred to the Crypt in Issoudun, where he now rests with Father Chevalier and other early founding members. 

21 November, 1957

Erection of the Prelature of Caraveli, Peru, with Father F. Kaiser MSC, Germany, as first Prelate.

21 November, 1986

Pope John Paul II spends the night of the MSC House in Suva, Fiji.

22 November, 1808

Birth of Jean-Marie Vandel at Nernier, Savoie, France.

22 November, 1962

Canonical erection of de Boismenu College, Bomana, PNG. 

23 November, 1892

An example of a flourishing novitiate of Brothers: “on the recommendation of Father Grinsven, Director of the novitiate at Antwerp, four Brothers are accepted for their first profession and six Brothers postulants for the taking of the habit.” (MSC General Council)

24 November, 1897

Father E. Bontemps, MSC, founder of the mission in the Gilbert Islands, today known as Kiribati, died on the island of Nonouti, Kiribati.

25 November, 1908

The first MSC arrive in Manila, Philippines, to start Surigao mission, entrusted to the Dutch MSC

26 November, 1928

Father Joseph Winkleman, Germany, is killed at Malongki, China.

26 November, 1937

The MSC except a Vicariate of eight parishes in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines.

28 November, 1869

From November 28 to December 4, Father Chevalier is in Naples for a second visit to the Third Order founded by Blessed Catarina Volpicelli.

28 November, 1903

Arrival of the first MSC in the Ki Islands, Indonesia

29 November, 1932

The first four MSC Sisters depart Germany for China!

30 November, 1854  

Father Chevalier and Father Maugenest begin their novena to Our Lady. This novena begins a most remarkable story of faith, courage and passion ~
A passion for the Heart of Christ!
A passion for the heart of humanity!
A passion for mission to the ends of the earth!