TO END ALL WAR: OPPENHEIMER & THE ATOMIC BOMB

US, 2023, 87 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Christopher Cassel

This Documentary, made by NBC television, was released at the same time as Christopher Nolan’s epic Oppenheimer. As might be expected, they are complementary. And, response to the two films indicates that there is an audience who prefers documentary rather than dramatisation while the majority of audiences prefer for the dramatisation.

Needless to say, both films have their values in looking at the character of J.Robert Oppenheimer and his presiding over the Manhattan Project. Those who watch the documentary first may well be interested to look at how it has been dramatised with the skills of Christopher Nolan. On the other hand, as with this reviewer, Oppenheimer was seen first and this documentary serves as something the equivalent of a discussion after the film, raising different points of view, raising a great deal of factual material, discussion of the issues, about World War II, the building of the bomb, German desire to build the bomb, the moral issues, the role of President Truman and the war with Japan, this documentary showing sequences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with some of the survivors.

In Oppenheimer, there is a pursuit of the scientist by the anti-Communist movements post-World War II, fostered by the fact that Oppenheimer spoke out about the limits of nuclear weapons. And, while both films feature his crises and dilemmas, there is always the question of how he saw the creation of the bomb, the dropping of the bomb and the consequences, moral issues.

While the film has value in itself, a comparatively brief running time, just under half the running time of Oppenheimer, it can better be appreciated by watching it in connection with Christopher Nolan’s film. It can be noted that Christopher Nolan himself appears half a dozen times throughout the documentary making comments about Oppenheimer himself, the Manhattan Project and Oppenheimer’s own conscience and consciousness concerning the bomb.

CRA President, Fr Peter Jones OSA.

The forthcoming launch of Our Stories , Our Lives, Our Mission at the 2023 National Assembly is a significant exercise in sharing something of who we are as religious in Australia and that we are doing so together, writes CRA President Fr Peter Jones OSA. 

The resource, attentively prepared under the oversight of the team at the CRA Office, represents a humble yet confident celebration of the gift we seek to offer the broader Church and Australian society. Its use among young people will hopefully deepen appreciation of the particular shapes and colours we offer in the larger mosaic which is the community of Christ’s disciples in our place and our time. 

Each part of the title has meaning. 

Our… it is wonderful that we have worked on this together. One of the joys for myself in the present responsibilities I have with CRA is the appreciation of how we work together. Differences of charism, experience, perspective … yet we need each other in our common witness to the religious vocation. Anyone reading this resource will sense a unity of purpose in the midst of a diversity of gifts. 

Stories…. none of us live in the abstract but through what happens in encounters, events and experiences. We share stories of our strength and weakness, sin and grace, our fears and hopes. All of that is part of who we are. Our stories are grounded in place and time. 

Lives… the stories have meaning because of the lives behind them and our way of life as religious. Relationship is key to our influence and the stories are grounded in people’s  connection with religious over time. The resource will help us as we share what is important to us both personally and communally. 

Mission… this resource is anything but an inward looking exercise. Mission links us with the whole. Our vocation humbly and courageously offers a gift to others. We in turn are constantly nourished, enriched and transformed through the grace of all with whom we share mission.  

This resource is as much an account of what we have received as well as given. Our stories are not just about us but about many who are part of our common journey. 

I commend this wonderfully prepared resource to you and those whom you serve.

Here is the entry for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart

Some Significant Days for the Chevalier Family, August 2023

Baining Martyrs

 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.

34 new Significant Days have been added for August

See August 1^st, 14^th, 27^th, 30^th, Mother Marie Louise Hartzer

1 August, 1879

The Italian Annals of OLSH are from now on published in Rome instead of Osimo, Italy.

1 August, 1887

The first four FDNSC Sisters arrive at Yule Island, PNG

1 August, 1967

The Irish MSC and their first project in Venezuelan, the parish of Our Lady of Coronato in Maracaibo

3 August, 1899

First community of MSC Sisters is established in Hiltrup, Germany: two Sisters of Divine Providence and one MSC candidate. Sister Servatia, one of the Divine Providence Sisters, is appointed first Superior General of the MSC Sisters, Hiltrup.

3 August, 1950

Fr L. Koppert MSC dies in Rome. He had been in charge of the International MSC Scholastic that since 1924.

4 August, 1859

The saintly Curé d\'Ars, Jean-Marie Vianney, dies, shortly after the visit of Father Chevalier on 14 July, 1859.

5 August, 1951

Inauguration of the new parish of Our Lady of Fatima in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

5 August, 1982

MSC Sisters open a Novitiate in Bangalore, India.

6 August, 1930

Fr John Doyle MSC, Australia, arrives in Sideia/Samarai, Eastern Papua. He will later become the first Bishop of Sideia

6 August, 1986

The Canonical Erection of the UAF (Union of French-speaking Africa) on June 18 becomes effective. Father Karl Hofer is the first superior.

6 August, 1988

St Pauls National seminary for Late Vocations, founded at Kensington in 1968, has its 200^th ordination to the priesthood.

10 August, 1928

Fr Karl Laufer MSC, German province, is ordained a priest at Paderborn. He gained fame as missionary and anthropologist in New Britain, PNG.

11 August, 1905

MSC General Chapter at Louvain, in Belgium. Decisions taken were:  to revise the Constitutions of Father Founder, to move the Generalate to Rome, and to drop the \'fourth\' vow. This \'Vow of Stability\' could be taken by individual members to stay in the congregation until death, and also included being willing to be sent on mission anywhere in the world by the Pope or religious superior.

11 August, 1908.

Arrival of the first eight MSC sisters from Germany in the US.

12 August, 1855

After a retreat in a Trappist monastery, Father Charles Piperon decides “to live and die as a religious”.

13 August, 1890

Blessing of the new MSC House in Tilburg, Holland.

13 August, 1904

The Baining Martyrs: Father M. Rascher, together with three MSC confreres, a Trappist Brother, five MSC Sisters and seven Catholic Bainings, are killed in the Baining Mountains, East New Britain, PNG.

14 August, 1895

Arrival of the first FDNSC in Nonouti, Gilbert Islands (Kiribati).

14 August, 1905

Foundation of the mission station at Merauke, Irian Jaya, Indonesia.

14 August, 1981

The first MSC novitiate of the South African Region, entrusted to the Irish province, opened in Ofcolaco with three novices.

15 August, 1905

Fr E. Meyer is elected superior general (1905-1920).

15 August, 1919

Erection of the Dutch MSC province.

15 August, 1946

Arrival of the first nine Italian MSC in Pinheiro, Brazil.

15 August, 1945

MSC Sisters in PNG are released from Ramale Camp, New Britain.

16 August, 1869

The Archbishop of Bourges blesses the MSC novitiate at Montlucon, a distance of five minutes from the church of St Paul where Father Guyot, the first novice Master, his parish priest.

18 August, 1920

Father Adrian Brocken, Holland, is elected Period General (1920-1932)

19 August, 1923

Archbishop Louis Coupe, Vicar Apostolic of Rabaul from 1890-1923, retires.

20 August, 1848

This date remembers the death of Jean-Charles Chevalier,  the father of Jules Chevalier.

20 August, 1926

Fr Bernardus Weidenbrugge, one of the 14 Trappist who joined the MSC in Belgian Congo, Zaire, in 1926, makes his first profession.

21 August, 1882

Fr Andre Navarre and his two companions arrive in Sydney on the way to the mission of Melanesia. They are welcomed by the Marist Fathers. A week later they are able to leave for Port Breton with a ship of the Marquis de Ray.

21 August, 1988

Three Kiribati Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart leave from Majuro, the first foundation in the Marshall Islands.

22 August, 1985

Two MSC sisters of the Peruvian Province depart for the Dominican Republic to start a new mission

24 August, 1863

In the presence of the notary public, Brinet, an act is signed by M, de Champgrand stating that Fr Jules Chevalier has obtained possession of the whole property at its centre.

24 August, 1946

Fr Andre Sorin MSC consecrated in OLSH church Randwick as the Vicar Apostolic of Moresby.

25 August, 1905

Erection of the French province.

25 August, 1985

Fathers Arguillas and Ceniza, Philippines, take possession of the first MSC house in Seoul, Korea.

26 August, 1902

Erection of the first MSC house in Switzerland, at pre-Borg

27 August, 1837

This date recalls the birth of Marie-Louise Mestmann (Hartzer) in Wissembourg, France.

28 August, 1901

Fr Chevalier asks Rome to accept his resignation as Superior General and to grant him a decree of “secularisation pro forma” for as long as the situation demands. Both requests were granted.

29 August, 1920

The Apostolic Prefecture of Dutch New Guinea, Irian Jaya, Indonesia, becomes an Apostolic Vicariate.

29 August, 1965,

Fr Cadoux MSC, France, appointed Bishop of Koalack, Senegal, ordained at Issoudun.

30 August, 1874

Foundation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart by Father Chevalier in Issoudun, as a Sister Congregation to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

30 August, 1948

Arrival in Argentina of the first two MSC fathers, Chelsea Megiddo and Bonito Camino, Spain.

30 August, 1983

The Congregation for Religious approves the updated version of the Constitutions of the FDNSC – Constitutions originally drawn up by Fr Chevalier himslef.

31 August, 1960

Erection of the Australian Province of the MSC Sisters.

A pilgrimage to Lourdes – you might enjoy The Miracle Club.

This Irish film is screening at the moment, an entertainment for most audiences – but a special for Catholic audiences.

This is an Irish tale set in 1967 Dublin. As the title indicates, miracles, there is more than a Catholic tone to this drama with touches of comedy. And, it will play more extensively around the world because of the star power of its cast, Maggie Smith, in her late 80s, Lily, a Dublin housewife (a long way from Downton Abbey), Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.

Looking back to 1967, in the Catholic Church, this was the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council at the beginning of many changes in the church, and the dialogue with what were called “the signs of the times”. However, there was a long Catholic tradition in Ireland, cheerful in many ways, but rather harsh in others. At the opening of the film, the local parish puts on a talent show to raise money for a charity, down at the parish hall, and the two older ladies dressing up, along with a young mother, Dolly who is sad that her young boy, Daniel, has not yet spoken, Eileen singing He‘s So Fine and Lily and Dolly as the backup singers (who would have thought they would have seen Maggie Smith as a backup singer!). The prize is two tickets to Lourdes. (And the second prize is a cut of bacon.)

So, the introduction of the theme of Lourdes, the stories of miracles and cures, the screenplay telling us there have only been 62 verified cures since 1858. Eileen recalls the film of The Song of Bernadette (1943), Based on the book by Jewish Author, Franz Werfel, an extraordinary Impact about Lourdes in Its time. This all has the support of a quite genial parish priest, Father Dermot Byrne,( Mark O’Halloran). But, there is a sadness in the town, the death of an elderly woman, her estranged daughter, returning to the town after 40 years for her funeral. There is a sad story here, a reminder of much Catholic harshness, the unmarried pregnant girl, the severity of judgements, the effect on the young father, silence and alienation for decades, and sad secrets for the older women.

With some manoeuvring, everyone sets out for Lourdes, the bus, the ferry, the mountains of the Pyrenees, the vista of the basilica and the shrine of Lourdes.

And here is the challenge for the audiences. The believers have no difficulties (perhaps not quite right because some of the pilgrims voice a number of difficulties, the brunt of scepticism, high expectations of miracles, disappointments…).The pilgrims go through the rituals, the visit to the grotto, stories of Bernadette and the apparitions, devotion to Mary, statues, and the important process of immersing oneself in the waters, coming from the spring that Bernadette herself dug in the soil and which has flowed ever since. It is in the baths that there are expectations of miracles and consequent disappointments. (Surprisingly, the ever-popular hymn is not included.)

Towards the end, there is a lot of talk about forgiveness and reconciliation and, as we are anticipating, and probably hoping, the past angers surface, upsets, misunderstandings, the scars of hurt. And, as is so often said, as well as the statistics indicating, healings from illness are not the norm at all of miracles in Lourdes. Rather, it is the effect of making the pilgrimage, reflections on life and relationships, the possibilities of reconciliation and new directions in life. Dolly and the whole group also hope for a miracle when Daniel, will begin to speak. It is a tribute to the writers and the director how this is handled with reticent delicacy.

In only 90 minutes, we immerse ourselves in the Ireland of the Catholic past, go on pilgrimage to Lourdes, and experience a bit of challenge to where our own lives might need some healing and reconciliation.

MSC Formation, Cuskelly House, Blackburn

Daniel and Trieu for MSC Vocations' promotion

Yesterday we featured formation in our Indonesian Province. Today, we present our local formation group,

During the mid-year break, Trieu and Daniel were involved in Final Vows preparation with sessions with Khoi, Philip Malone, Alo Lamere, Peter Carroll, focussing on vows and ministry. Kevin Hennessy CP directed them on retreat at Shoreham.

In the meantime, Vincent and Hoa went to Randwick, Vincent continuing his work at St Canice’s from earlier in the year.

Hoa worked at the Mission Office Conference. Pat Mara, PP of Randwick hosted them – and with Michael Nithin and Bang, they seem to have gone to an alternate religious venue.

This year, Vincent and Daniel have been participating in Clinical Pastoral Education programs and all are studying at the Yarra Theological Union, Box Hill where most of our MSC students have studied since 1972. If you go to our Ministries heading on this site and go to MSC books, you will find photos and memories from 1972 to the present. Click the image in that section and the book downloads. 

And here is the group with their director, Mark Hanns.

You may be interested that the University of Divinity, of which YTU is a member, won an award for 2022, # 1 for overall student experience. Heart of Life is also affiliated with YTU,

University of Divinity #1 in Australia for overall student experience

The University of Divinity has once again been voted by students as having the highest quality overall educational experience of any university in Australia.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Sherlock, said

The University of Divinity’s results in the 2022 Student Experience Survey are absolutely outstanding and testify to our ability over many years to deliver the best student experience of any University in Australia.

These results are attributable to the quality of teaching provided by our dedicated staff, our commitment to small class sizes in which every student is known by name, and the effectiveness of our engagement with church and agency partners that enables us to  provide students with the educational outcomes they need to flourish in a variety of professions, vocations and ministries.”

The annual Student Experience Survey (SES) took place over August to October 2022. The SES is part of the Federal Government’s Quality Indicator of Learning and Teaching (QILT) program and provides a national architecture for collecting data on key aspects of the higher education student experience.

The University of Divinity has seen a significant increase in ratings from 2021 to 2022, returning to claim the ‘top spot’ in ratings of the overall quality of educational experience for universities, which it also achieved in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2022, University of Divinity students reported particularly high satisfaction in the key areas of Learning Resources (90.6, 92.0), Student Support (89.9, 89.0) and Teaching Quality (88.9, 88.3).

The University of Divinity’s response rate was 47.8% of students, well above the national average response rate of 37.0%.

MSC growth in members: the Indonesian Province

As we prepare for the coming General Chapter, we think of the Society worldwide and our mission in the 21^st Century.

Once upon a time, Australia was the largest province. For many years, it has been Indonesia.

Here are some recent photos of vitality in growth in Indonesia.

19 begin their novitiate

20 make first vows

5 deacons

Continuing Zoom preparations for the General Chapter.

The third Zoom link-up for delegates to the Chapter took place in early July. There will be a further link-up in early August.

The fifth online pre-Chapter session of the General Chapter began with an introduction by Fr. Chris Chaplin, msc. He explained how the session was to be.

First, there was a short 10-minute prayer in small groups. The delegates had to reflect on the question, ‘How God, are you leading me towards the Chapter?‘.

After the prayer, in groups, the delegates reflected on the document that had been handed out three weeks before, “The things that have been happening here these last few days”. This document is the report of the MSC General Administration for the last six years.

Fr. Chris explained that the discussion process is in the fourth step of the ROCH methodology: ‘Hopes, Dreams, Questions – for the Chapter to consider?’.

In these groups, the delegates were to choose the most significant matters that each delegate thinks should be discussed in the General Chapter. This was a time to listen.

Each group of delegates made a list to discuss in the whole group in the second session in July.

Finally, Fr. Chris told how the delegates will work on the document in the next session and said thanks to the people who had made the meeting possible.

Celebrating Albert Yelds MSC, 70 years ordained, senior confrere, aged 98.

Last Sunday, Albert Yelds turned 98, the age doyen of the province.

Today Albert celebrates the 70^th anniversary of his ordination – 70 years!

We acknowledge the life and ministry of Albert Yelds. Despite serious illness during his scholastic days, a delay in his ordination, many wondering about his health and life span, here is Albert at 98.

We remember his presence in our Colleges. We admire his promotion of Devotion to the Sacred Heart. There was his brief time in India, his decades-long service in Kiribati. In recent years at Kensington Monastery and at St Joseph’s.

All those who blessed him Ad Multos Annos at the time of his ordination have had their wishes and prayers answered way beyond their expectations.

MSC Australia, Voice of Justice, Justice and Peace, Claude Mostowik

A letter on Peace from Claude, President of Pax Christi, to Archbishop Philip Freire of Melbourne.

July 5^th 2023

Dear Archbishop Freier,

I am writing to you on behalf of Pax Christi Australia which is the Australian section of Pax Christi International, an international Christian peace movement based in Brussels and founded in 1945 to foster reconciliation between Germany and France after the Second World War and now working throughout the world to build peace, reconciliation and overcome conflict. We have branches in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with members in other states as well.

I want to thank you for your statement which I saw recently in The Melbourne Anglican on increasing militarisation in Australia and around the world as well as the call for diplomacy rather than the provocative language we have witnessed in recent times, for example, with regard to China. I appreciate the fact that you cite the Beatitudes to confront conventional thinking that serves the cause for violence and war. The cause for peace and peacemaking is often dismissed as naïve and impractical in the so called real world. Hence, many people avoid touching the subject of peace. Peace is not just about stopping wars but also in addressing the ordinary violence that is often the invisible irritant within our everyday of our lives from which international conflicts emerge. These are connected where it is not just the battlefields that need repair but our everyday lives.

It is unfortunate that most religious leaders in Australia have been silent about military spending, which is increasing. This cannot contribute to trust and engagement. This cannot contribute to economic and social justice in terms of equality, education, health and cultural development. I fear that the failure to speak is a form of violence. This is the silence of violence which is fatal which we see in the ongoing occupation of Palestine.

Archbishop, thank you again. I wish you many blessings of peace and goodness.

Yours sincerely

(Father) Claude Mostowik msc

President, Pax Christi Australia

Greetings! From Jerusalem. Bob Irwin.

Thought it was about time I dropped a note to you just so you know I am still alive and flourishing, despite the heat here in Israel…despite the heat and lots of exercise, I am not losing any weight because food is SO GOOD wherever we go, including our base here near Bethlehem.

That doesn’t sound much like a good pilgrim…starting off describing the comfort of food and discomfort of heat…not like the early pilgrims.

Anyway, it is a packed itinerary and because it is an ecumenical course we are receiving input from Catholics, Orthodox,Jews, Palestinians, Muslims. The group itself is just 12 with mixture of pastors, priests, an unconventional Anglican bishop, lay, Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans…..quite an experience.

Most days we are out and about as well as having some pretty intense lectures with everything from Catholic scripture scholar to Jewish experts and Palestinian liberation theology….all fruitful and challenging. This coming week includes a few days on Islam and appropriate visits.

Meanwhile, Israelis are demonstrating against the government…but that has not impacted on us.

We have been many places…exploring all the sites of old Jerusalem and surrounds. This week we have been in Galilee all week, especially in Nazareth, and all around the Sea of Galilee..and the Golan Heights.  So think of the Jesus stories and we have been to most of the areas where he was. In fact where we are based at Tantur is next to Bethlehem. From my window I can see Bethlehem just hundreds of metres away, but it is surrounded by that horrific wall built by Israel….awful!..and I can hear the call to prayer form Muslim mosques…even at 4 in the morning! We can go into Bethlehem and we use the Arab buses from there, but the Palestinian are very restricted as to where they can go!

In short……the whole experience so far is good for my heart, my spirit…and commitment……..a very special time!