STAR TREK VI, THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY

US, 1991, 110 minutes, Colour..

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Christopher Plummer, David Warner, Kim Cattrall, Mark Lenard, Brock Peters, Kurtwood Smith, Rosanna DeSoto, John Schuck, Michael Dorn, Robert Easton, Iman.

Directed by Nicholas Meyer.

After its initial success of for television in the 1960s and 1970s, the Star Trek Franchise moved into cinema films in 1979. There followed another five films in the series, featuring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and the popular characters from the television series. This is the last of the series. All the cast are present although George take a has his own command of the ship.

It is a film of farewells, but also much more substantial in its contents over the previous films, especially a resolution of the antagonism towards the Klingons. The film opens with a disaster on a Klingons station, endangering the survival of them. The Chancellor, appeals to the Federation for a peace conference (David Warner). James Kirk is antagonistic towards the Klingons because of the death of his son. A number of Federation are also suspicious. However, it is Spock who begins the negotiations for peace.

Klingon members are beamed up to the Enterprise for a special dinner, including the Chancellor’s daughter. However, audiences are immediately suspicious with the second in charge, Chang, bald, eye patch with Christopher Plummer stealing the show whenever he appears. Throughout the film there is a lot of quoting from Shakespeare’s plays – although it is recommended that they be heard in the original Klingon! So, there is a treat with Christopher Plummer speaking Klingon and reciting Shakespeare in Klingon! Of course, is full of dastardly plans including collaboration in the assassination of the Chancellor so that the peace talks will not go ahead.

When the Chancellor is attacked, Kirk and Bones try to assist but arrested, tried, interned for assassination. A strange character, shape shifting, played by model Email and offers to help them escape,

Meanwhile on the Enterprise, there is a subordinate Welcome played by Kim Cattrall, significant in the running of the ship but also in the final solution. There is a long scene of the trial of Kirk and Bones, and also scenes in the assembly and negotiations for peace with the Klingons, there is quite an amount of action, Chang attacking the Enterprise, help from the ship helmed by George take a.

And, so, a conclusion to the television series as well is the six cinema films, the achievement of Captain James T Kirk, Spock and the other members of the team, and peace for the Federation, moving towards what is caught and undiscovered Country.

At the end, the crew are all assembled and there is a tableau so that the audiences can admire them, have a last glimpse of them.

William Shatner was to appear in the subsequent Star Trek film starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard.

The 2009 Star Trek film with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto is the beginning of a series of film prequels to the original series and films.

Joy and congratulations – at last – for the MSC Manila Ordinations

As noted last week, Covid has had quite some consequences.  Our deacons have not been able to travel to the Philippines for ordination because of covid and borders – for over two years. At last....

• Ordination of our Vietnamese MSC on Fri 3^rd June:

• Diaconate:

Hung Quoc Le

• Priesthood:

• Thi Dinh NGUYEN
• Bang Hai DINH
• Chung Minh TRAN

And, on Friday we will welcome Chung to Melbourne where he will continue his Siloam program, face-to-face rather than face-to-Zoom.

Acknowledging Keith Humphries MSC, 80

Keith was born on 5^th June 1942. He did secondary studies at Chevalier College, Bowral. He made profession on 26^th February 1962. He was ordained on June 27^th 1968.

After teaching in MSC colleges. Most of his ministry has been in Japan.

Some years ago this site posted an interview with Keith on the chapel at the Mikokoro Centre in Nagoya. It gives some atmosphere to his service in Japan for so many years.

Keith with Kevin White MSC with whom Keith worked in Japan for many decades.

Keith wrote:  Christianity was first introduced to Japan on Aug. 15, 1549, when the Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier landed at Kagoshima.

Despite its 450 year history in Japan, Christianity has never gained more than a toehold there, remaining a "Western" religion, with the Church trying to dialogue with the Japanese and to inculturate.

Only about one percent of Japanese are Christians. Most are Shinto or Buddhist, or have no religion. In the Diocese of Nagoya, Catholics represent only 0.2 percent of the population.

The Japanese "can't get over the thought in Christianity that God is a close friend,But, when they encounter this reality, it hits them and their life changes."

Padre Jose Maria Cirera MSC and the Blessed Matyrs of El Quiche

Date of birth: April 27, 1945.

Place of birth: Barcelona, Spain.

Priestly ordination: June 9, 1972.

Year of his arrival in Guatemala: 1975.

Date of his death: June 4, 1980.

Place: Near Xe Ixoq Vitz Village, Chajul Township.

José María had entered the Novitiate of the Missionary Fathers of the Sacred Heart, in Canet de Mar, Barcelona, in 1965. He made his religious profession on September 8, 1966. He was ordained a priest in Valladolid, Spain on 9 June 1972; three years later he came as a volunteer missionary to work pastorally in the Diocese of Quiché, Guatemala.

His five missionaries in Quiché developed them pastorally in three parishes: from November 1975 to February 1978 in Santa Cruz del Quiché, departmental header; from February to August 1978 in Zacualpa, and September 1978 in Zacualpa 1978 until his death, in San Gaspar Chajul Parish.

On June 4, 1980, he was returning from a pastoral tour of the villages, accompanied by his sacristan Domingo from the Batz neighbourhood, on the way they were intercepted by an army battalion and shot dead.

First Friday, Chevalier Family intention - and praying for the ordinations today

The intention is DIALOGUE.

And the themes of Awareness, Prayer and Action

Anticipating MSC joy for Friday ordinations of our Vietnamese confreres

Covid has had quite some consequences.  Our deacons have not been able to the Philippines for ordination because of covid and borders – for over two years.

Our students make their novitiate in the Philippines and have had difficulties in returning home so they have completed their philosophy studies in Manila.

And Chris McPhee has not been able to visit Vietnam and the Philippines for several years.  He has gone to Manila for the ordinations.

After ordination, Chung Minh TRAN will come to Australia to take up his Siloam program at Heart of Life which has so far this year been by Zoom.

• Ordination of our Vietnamese MSC: Our prayers are with the following for their ordinations in the Philippines on Fri 3^rd June:
  • Diaconate:
  • • Hung Quoc LE
  • Priesthood:
    • Thi Dinh NGUYEN
    • Bang Hai DINH
    • Chung Minh TRAN

• Graduation of our Vietnamese MSC: Congratulations to our MSC who have just graduated in Philosophy from the Jesuit University in Manilla. Covid restrictions meant they were unable to return to Vietnam for Philosophy which is the normal practice.

• Chris is visiting the novices for formation days.

 Some Significant June Days for the Chevalier Family, 2022

Feast of the Sacred Heart, 24th June

80 years this year: Japanese forces captured NewBritain in January 1942

1 June, 1940

Mother M Electa, MSC, promises to build a chapel in honour of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, in Hiltrup, Germany, to seek protection for the Congregation and its works during World War II.

3 June, 1874

Fathers Chevalier, Vandel and Jouët renew their profession before Pope Pius IX.

4 June, 1980

Father Jose Maria Gran Cirera, MSC, of the Spanish Province, is assassinated in Chajul, Guatemala.

Now the feast day of the Martyrs of Quiche.

5 June, 1944

During World War II, New Guinea Missionary Sisters were imprisoned in Ramale Camp, New Britain, in PNG.

6 June, 1846

Jean-Marie Vandel is ordained a priest at Fribourg, Switzerland, at the age of 37 years.

7 June, 1861

The Vicar General of Bourges blesses the first part of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Issoudun. In the window near the altar of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, is a stained-glass representation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, her first image. This same stained-glass window is today located above Our Lady's Chapel entrance door, situated inside the Basilica.

9 June, 1983

The three Generalates, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart meet together for the first time. The first meeting took place at the MSC Generalate, Via Asmara in Rome.

10 June, 1854

Father Charles Piperon, a significant early member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is ordained priest for the Diocese of Bourges.

10 June, 1855

Authorized to take the title of Missionary of the Sacred Heart, the young Chevalier ceases his functions as curate in Issoudun. He takes up the role of parish priest of Issoudun more than 20 years later in 1872.

12 June, 1874

On the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius IX signs the decree of Approbation of the MSC Society. Father Chevalier also offers Pius IX a petition, asking him to consecrate the whole Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

14 June, 1851

Father Chevalier and eleven other seminarians are ordained priests in the cathedral of Bourges by Cardinal Dupont.

14 June, 1937

Louis Vangeke, MSC, is ordained the very first priest for the Papua New Guinean Catholic Church. In 1970, he became Auxiliary Bishop of Port Moresby, PNG, and then Bishop of Bereina, PNG, until his retirement in 1979. He died in 1982.

15 June, 1851

Father Chevalier celebrated his first Mass in a small chapel (no longer in existence) in the garden of the major seminary in Bourges.

16 June, 1868

First General Assembly of the Third Order of the Sacred Heart in Montluçon. Father Guyot is its General Director, in the name of father Chevalier. It is a Third Order for women without vows and is associated with the MSC congregation from 1865 to 1874.

17 June, 1851

Father Chevalier receives his first appointment: curate in the parish of Ivoy-le-Pré. He remains in this parish for 7 months before taking his second appointment in Châtillon-sur-Indre.

19 June, 1940

At 8:30am, Issoudun is bombed: 100 people died and many are wounded. The historic presbytery from which Father Founder was evicted in 1907, is destroyed.

24 June, 1915

During the First World War, Missionary Sisters in New Britain (PNG) are imprisoned.

26 June, 1859

Laying of the first stone of the new sanctuary of the Sacred Heart in Issoudun by Monsignor Caillaud, Vicar General of Bourges.

26 June, 1984

Sister Klara Sietman, MSC, is elected as 6th Superior General of the MSC Sisters.

28 June, 1928

Father Arthur Lanctin, MSC, 2nd Superior General of the MSC, 1901-1905, dies in Issoudun.

30 June, 1850

Jules Chevalier is ordained to the Sub-Diaconate, in the Chapel of the major seminary in Bourges.

Churches, Religious Leaders support Uluru Statement from the Heart – and from Pope Francis.

Chiaro Porro, Laudato Si’ Movement’s Jacqui Remond, Pope Francis, Theresa Ardler and ACU’s Dermot Nestor with a copy of the Uluru Statement from the Heart (Vatican Media)

Australia’s Prime Minister has committed his government to act on the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

May 27^th: Major churches and other religious organisations have united in an unprecedented way to express their support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Australia’s Anglican, Catholic and Uniting churches, as well as the National Council of Churches – an ecumenical organisation bringing together a number of Australia’s Christian churches – are among the religious groups who have signed a Joint Resolution calling for a constitutionally guaranteed First Nations voice.

Other groups who signed the resolution include the Australian National Council of Imams, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, in addition to Australian Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus.

______________________________

November 22, 2021. Australia’s Catholic bishops, on the recommendation of their key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisers, have endorsed the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The bishops’ consideration of the matter was informed by the words of St John Paul II, who in a visit to Alice Springs in 1986 said to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: “Your culture, which shows the lasting genius and dignity of your race, must not be allowed to disappear… Your songs, your stories, your paintings, your dances, your languages, must never be lost.”

________________________________

Pope Francis has accepted a copy of the Uluru Statement from the Heart at St Peter’s Square in Rome after a briefing from aides and a meeting with Chiara Porro, Australia’s ambassador to the Holy See.

MSC Sisters’ General Chapter 2022

In coming days, we will post details of the new administration. In the meantime, some photos from the chapter, highlighting the internationality of the Sisters.

The Sisters have completed their Chapter, two years delayed because of Covid –

which also disrupted some of the sessions requiring some isolation and Zoom communication.

Sister Barbara Winkler completed  years as Superior General. She is to be succeeded by Sister Bonaventura from Korea,

Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Fr. Chevalier always had a devotion to Mary because of her intimate relationship with her Son, Jesus. In a prayer for the beatification of Servant of God, Jules Chevalier, the MSC pray, “Standing at the foot of the cross with Mary, he [Chevalier] wished to make known and loved everywhere the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Indeed, Chevalier saw in Mary’s relationship with Jesus the “ineffable love between her and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”  He believed that Mary gave the Sacred Heart to God and the world. 

Chevalier might have already had in mind a unique title to honor Mary with the title, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. This title and Devotion do not come from any extraordinary apparition or pious cult. Neither was it a new doctrine. Instead, Mary’s title comes from a life of prayer and reflection on her unique, profound communion and commitment to do the will of the Father.  (From the MSC US site.)