Some Significant December Days for the Chevalier Family
1 December, 1862
In a letter to Father Leblanc SJ, Father Chevalier starts a first round of discussions regarding the nature of his Society.
1 December, 1911
Canonical erection of the first MSC house founded by the German Fathers in the USA, Sparta (Wisconsin).
2 December, 1937
The Mission of Shiehtsien (now written Shiquian), China, entrusted to the North German Province, becomes an Apostolic Prefecture
3 December, 1892
Departure of the first Belgian MSC, Father Joseph Karsseleers, to the New Guinea mission.
3 December, 1923
Approval of the MSC Constitutions as revised by the General Chapter at 1920.
3 December, 1926
A part of the diocese of Batavia (Jakarta), in central Java is entrusted to the Dutch MSC Province.
3 December, 1970
Father Louis Vangeke, MSC, the first priest of PNG, appointed auxiliary of Port Moresby, is ordained Bishop by Pope Paul VI, in Sydney, Australia.
4 December, 1925
First foundation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Zaire.
4 December, 1946
First foundation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in England, Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight.
4 December, 1949
First foundation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Spain.
5 December, 1829
Birth of Emile Sebastian Maugenest , in Culan, France.
6 December, 1829
Father G. Crozat is appointed parish priest of St Cyr, Issoudun.
7 December, 1881
The church at Piazza Navona, Rome, is consecrated by Cardinal Monaco La Valetta, Protector of the MSC Congregation.
7 December, 1891
Father Pierre Marie Treand arrives in Sydney
7 December, 1907
The Congregation of Bishops and Regulars approves the MSC Constitutions, “newly revised and in some points reformed” by the General Chapter of 1907.
7 December, 1963
Msgr Friedrich Kaiser MSC (North Germany) Prelatus Nullius Caravelli, Peru, since 1957, is ordained Bishop at Dulmen, Germany.
8 December, 1854
Father Chevalier and Father Maugenest end their novena to the Blessed Virgin. It was planned to conclude on the day that Pius IX proclaimed Mary’s Immaculate Conception. Father Chevalier always considered this day as the foundation day of the MSC Congregation, and it continues to be so today.
8 December, 1865
Beginning of the Annals of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in France.
8 December, 19 1872
Erection of the Association of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Saint Andrew at the Quirinal, Rome.
8 December, 1880
Erection of the first MSC House in Spain, at Barcelona.
8 December, 1889
Father Emile Merg MSC publishes the first edition of Australian Annals of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
8 December, 1904
Brother Robert South MSC hands over the keys of newly-named St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park, Australia, to Father Jules Vandel, first Novice Master.
8 December, 1905
Erection of the Australian MSC Province.
8 December, 1908
The first eight MSC fathers arrive at Surigao, Philippines.
8 December, 1953
Direction of the Brazilian Problems of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Sister Marie Edmonde, Belgium, is the first Provincial.
8 December, 1956
The Missionaries of Christ (MC) are founded by Father C. Moser, MSC, in Germany. This is a community of religious missionary women, and it continues to exist today in six countries ~ Germany, Austria, Siberia, Congo (RDC), Brazil and South Africa.
8 December, 1962
Bishop Virgil Copas MSC blesses de Boismenu College, Bomana, Port Moresby, PNG.
8 December, 1964
Erection of the PNG Province of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Mother Flavia O’Sullivan, the first Provincial.
8 December, 1969
Erection of Nicaragua as a community of the Central American MSC Region.
8 December, 1982
On the occasion of the centenary of her entrance into the novitiate and nomination as FDNSC Superior, the body of Mother Marie-Louise Hartzer is transferred to the Crypt in the Basilica in Issoudun.
8 December, 1984
Approval of the MSC Constitutions as rewritten by the General Chapter of 1981 in the light of Vatican Council II.
9 December, 1884
Bourbon Island: Father Verjus rejoins Father Couppe and the other missionaries, the three Italian Brothers and the five Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
9 December, 1954
Profession of the first Peruvian MSC Sisters in Lima, Peru
10 December, 1873
Father Chevalier preaches on the vigil of the coronation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Sittard, Netherlands.
10 December, 1937
Msgr Buchholz MSC, North Germany, is appointed Apostolic Prefect of Shiquian, China..
11 December, 1978
Father Gaspar Garcia Laviana, of the MSC Spanish Province, is killed in Nicaragua.
12 December, 1980
Erection of an MSC novitiate at Ofcolaco, Northern Transvaal, South Africa.
13 December, 1985
Father Paul Marx, MSC, France, appointed Coadjutor of Kerima, PNG, is ordained by Bishop at Moveave, PNG. His motto: “Cor Pauli, Cor Christi”.
15 December, 1907
Archbishop Kelly blesses foundation stone of additions to the Kensington convent of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
15 December, 1938
Father Joseph Lebeau, Belgium, is appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Vicariate of the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati.
16 December, 1875
The first three MSC Scholastics arrive in Rome. They find lodgings in the Procure of the Trappists with Father Jouet.
17 December, 1853
E.S. Maugenest, 'co-founder' with Father Chevalier of the MSC Congregation, was ordained priest at Saint-Sulpice, Paris. Maugenest left the MSC Congregation on 31 December, 1871, after being parish priest in St Cyr for 10 years. He entered the novitiate of the Dominican Fathers and ended his days as a Dominican. He and Chevalier always remained good friends.\
18 December, 1890
Six members are elected for the MSC General Chapter of 1891: Msgr Couppe, Vicar Apostolic of New Pomeranian; Father Treand, Superior of Glastonbury; L. Hartzer, Superior of Salzburg; Father Reyn, Superior of Antwerp; Father Ramot, Superior of Watertown and Father Klotz, Superior of Tilburg.
18 December, 1890
The MSC General Council accepts Father Ramot’s proposal to erect an MSC House in Germany. It is decided to authorise Father Linckens to carry out this plan.
19 December, 1883
Second departure for Melanesia: Fathers Ferdinand Hartzer, L. Vatan and B. Guillard, and brother Brother G.De Santis, leave Marseilles. Father Jouet is present the farewell.
20 December, 1898
A government employee visits Father de Boismenu at Waima, Papua, and tells him again to leave. He answers that he is resolved to stay there.
21 December, 1891
Arrival of the first Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in New Britain, PNG.
21 December, 1952
Four Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart receive their mission cross at Ballybay, Ireland, being sent to their first foundation in South Africa, Miss Sena, in the Northern Transvaal.
22 December, 1902
Erection of the Apostolic Prefecture of Dutch New Guinea, Irian Jaya, first residents at Langgur, first MSC foundation in Indonesia.
23 December, 1929
The Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith entrusts Eastern Papua to the Australian MSC Province.
24 December, 1894
Father Hubert Linckens is appointed Procurator for the South-Seas-Mission and he is commissioned to make preparations for the foundation of a Mission House in Germany.
25 December, 1856
First (private) vows of Father Chevalier and Father Maugenest.
25 December, 1904
Father Founder puts this date on his Spiritual Testament for the MSC Congregation.
25 December
John Lee and John Graham first MSC professed at Kensington, Australia.
25 December, 1987
Eastern Papua Mission hands over the pastoral care of the Trobriand Islands, PNG, to the PIME Fathers.
26 December, 1881
Rome: Brother Henri Verjus obtains permission from his superior, Father Jouet, to visit hospitals, to buy some books about the missions and some tools for painting and sculpture. All this is done in preparation for the missions.
27 December, 1870
The birth of Alain G. de Boismenu in Saint-Malo, France. He was Vicar Apostolic of PNG from 1922-1946 and later Titular Archbishop. His cause has been put forward for beatification.
27, 1962
The mission of the Irish MSC in South Africa becomes the Apostolic Premature of Louis Trichard.
28 December, 1864
At four o'clock in the morning Father Victor Jouët arrived in Issoudun for the first time and discovers the statue of all Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. "... I fall at the feet of your enchanting image, and I stand up as your missionary for life. In one second, what a grace!"
29 December, 1948
First Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart foundation in Cameroon, at Ngowayang.
30 December, 1888
Father L.Couppe arrives in New Pomerania, PNG.
30 December, 1897
Sydney: Father de Boismenu says farewell to Fathers Jules Vandel, Lynch, Gsell and leaves for Papua aboard the Titus.
31 December, 1871
Father Maugenest leaves Issoudun to enter the novitiate of the Dominican Fathers.