Some Significant September Days for the Chevalier Family, 2021

See September 4th

1 September, 1897
The erection of the German MSC Province. Blessing of the first MSC house in Hiltrup, Germany.


1 September, 1899
First 8 candidates of the MSC Sisters are received as postulants in Hiltrup.



4 September, 1861
Father Maugenest becomes the first MSC to be parish priest of St. Cyr, Issoudun. He remains in this position until 31 December, 1871.


4 September, 1945
The missionaries imprisoned by the Japanese during WWII in Ramale Valley, Papua New Guinea, are set free. The movie, entitled Sisters of War, produced in 2010 by an Australian film company, tells part of this story.



5 September, 1907
This date commemorates the opening of a 'special' MSC General Chapter which revised the Constitutions in the spirit of the "Roman Norms" of 1901. This Chapter occurred only a few weeks before Father Chevalier's death. He could not be present at the Chapter.



6 September, 1962
Father Karel Verwilghen, from the Netherlands, is shot in San José Nueva Ecija, Philippines. He died on 8 September in Quezon City, Philippines.



8 September, 1869
The Archbishop of Bourges, Monsignor de La Tour d'Auvergne blesses Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chapel in Issoudun and consecrates the altar. The coronation of the statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart takes place this day in the name of Pope Pius IX.


8 September, 1876
Father Chevalier meets Marie-Louise Hartzer for the first time!

9 September, 1884
Five Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart make their first vows. Marie-Louise Hartzer is among them.



 12 September, 1855
L'abbé Caillaud, the General Vicar at the time, blesses the humble chapel (barns) in Issoudun and gives to the first two members of the society, Jules Chevalier and Emile Maugenest, the name Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was on this very day that Jules Chevalier thought, for the first time, of the title "Our Lady of the Sacred Heart".



13 September, 1901
Mother Marie-Louise Hartzer makes her application to the French Government for the authorization of the Congregation as exacted by the law of 1 July, 1901. This fact prevents the local authorities at this time during the political-religious unrest from affixing seals to the FDNSC mother house in Issoudun.


13 September, 1912
Father Franciscus Maria Victor Jouët dies in Rome. He is buried in Marseilles in the south of France, in his original diocese. On 2 July, 2003, his remains are interred in the Crypt in the Basilica in Issoudun.



14 September, 1902
Departure of the first seven MSC Sisters from Hiltrup for New Pomerania, New Britain, Papua New Guinea.



19 September, 1869
Victor Hartzer, husband of Marie-Louise Hartzer, dies in Vesoul, France, after being married 11 years. Together they had two sons: Marie Victor Fernand (born 1858) and Marie Léopold (born 1860). Both sons became MSC Priests.

24 September, 1881
The novices of Father Piperon, who arrived in the Netherlands, November 1880, after having been expulsed from France, make their first profession. Among them is Hubert Linckens, who will later become the historical founder of the MSC Sisters.



25 September, 1869
The first MSC General Chapter elects Father Chevalier as First Superior General. Fathers Piperon, Vandel, Bazire and Guyot are elected as his assistants.



26 September, 1889
Marie-Louise Hartzer makes her perpetual vows.



27 September, 1869
Jules Chevalier and his first companions made their perpetual vows at the end of a retreat preached by Father Ramière, SJ.

_{Dominic Gleeson MSC, Silver Jubilee of Ordination}

_{Congratulations to Dominic on this occasion. Dominic made his novitiate with Terry Naughton as Novice Master and was professed on 26th June 1991. He went to Navarre House in Drummoyne , studies at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. He also spent a pastoral year with the MSC Community in Kew, and the Spiritual Leaders program at the Heart of Life Centre.}

_{Ordained on 31st August 1996, he then worked in Adelaide parishes and was Community Leader of the MSC in Adelaide. He then moved to Spirituality, a sabbatical with programs at Hawkstone Hall, Cor Novum, Issoudun, the Jesuit Centre at Guelph, then graduating from Siloam, the program for Spiritual Directors at Heart of Life,}

_{He also spent some years as Deputy to the Provincial. In recent years he has been stationed at Douglas Park at the Retreat House, leading 30 day retreats for Sydney seminary students and MSC in Kerala and Fiji.}

_{At present, he is the community leader at St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park.}

A 50th Jubilee Reflection – Terry Herbert MSC

My  50th Jubilee Reflections

God’s gentle but persistent “call” was with me from my very early years (about 6 or 7!); with wonderful parents, exemplary in their faith-practice and self-sacrificing love …. following that call was inevitable! I rejected it during teenage years - not good enough, don’t have the brains! The weather, has been my life-long passion and interest … at least 2 - 3 hours daily, keeping records, reading weather books, writing a weekly report (+ a weekend prediction!!) for the local Newspaper for 6 years from age 13 … living very full, interest-filled days – juggling school work , chores, sport, altar-serving at local Mass 4 days per week, and much more. I failed the LC Exams twice – 1956 and 57. I was too slow at exams.  After 3 years in the work-a-day world - 1958 in the Building Trade - accounts, wages, secretarial, and studied  a couple of subjects to finally pass the LC over 2 years; then two years at Sydney Bureau, trained in weather forecasting by Allan Wilkie, my vocation came-together very happily, end of 1960;  it was a peaceful choice between a promotion  in weather work, and during a beautiful relationship, “recently” email-renewed! Over 50 years that discernment process has been many times affirmed.

In 1961, I needed (then) to study Latin (at our centre at Douglas Park), then my Noviciate in 1962, before 3 years tertiary study (Philosophy and much else) at our Canberra Seminary; I took a “break” of 2 years, teaching and looking after boarders, etc. at Chevalier College ….. where I was asked if I’d like to join the first group at St Paul’s National Seminary for Late Vocations at Kensington, for my final 4 years study.

That was one of my best decisions ….

After the first lecture in Feb 1968, our first Rector Fr Jim Cuskelly msc, came outside while we 10, sat on the edge of a small table, lit a cigarette (1968!) …. “well chaps, I’ve waited a long time for this, to make a complete new start to Seminary Formation”.  A man ahead of his time, that change was to train us differently, in a freer, less-regimented, less legalistic, more-pastoral environment, still prayerful and Christ-centred, towards a ministry of humble service, out among the people, with no hint of status, power nor entitlement (faces of “clericalism”), strongly aligned with the person and spirit of Jesus…. the non-violent, suffering servant of God, setting hearts free by his kindness, gentleness, generosity, equal acceptance of all people, and especially his compassion. Fr Cuskelly’s vision was to prioritise this at St Paul’s, via the all-MSC Staff, and his own writings such as “A Heart to Know Thee”. A glimpse of this spirit seems to be well-expressed in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, 1:3-11. I greatly appreciated the pastoral freedom to part-time teach at a High School, on our “free” day, and visit many of the student’s homes.

Over 50 years, the first part of the Gospel we chose (Mk1:9-13) has really come alive, for me …. as it did for Jesus, but in different words and in different places through all the people I’ve encountered …1000’s during 42 years in schools, 3 in Parish Ministry, 410 Weddings,  360 Baptisms and Funerals, and the immense love I’ve received from visiting many families - all summed up in Jesus’ own experience:  “you are my own dear son, I love you dearly, my favour rests on you”.

But very soon after Ordination, 21/8/71, the words of Denis Murphy msc came “alive”.  In November 1970, the day before we were ordained Deacons, he quietly said to us, at the end of a lecture at St Paul’s …

“Gentlemen, tomorrow you will all be ordained into a ministry of failure”.

That shook me, at the time;  I now realise that the second part of that Gospel (Mk 1:9-13) was / is part of our vocation…. impelled into the wilderness of life through many forms of ministry, with its’ fears, uncertainties, temptations, failures, criticism, being falsely accused and bullied, not having answers to complex problems … and much more.  I’m learning to live-in-prayer, to “cast one’s care upon the Lord and God will support you”.  In that, I haven’t  been disappointed; instead, I’ve been energised, beyond words, steadily converted, opened-up to God’s gentle, life-giving presence, with an ever deepening faith, and a certain Hope in (for we all) being transformed in glory ….“what we suffer now, can’t be compared to what God has prepared for those who love…”. (Paul to the Corinthians)…. always unfinished business, in this life.

So after 50 very full years, living as an MSC priest continues to be a wonderful life, always open to surprises … and, as Paul wrote, “urged on by the charity of Christ”.

 My daily prayer-support  … desiring the best, for all people ….

… and we’ll all know the fruits of our lives, love and suffering, in the New Creation.

                                             …..Terence Herbert msc   1971 / 2021

The Australian Church tradition of Annual Social Justice Statements: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor

The Social Justice Statement commits to a more sustainable Church. Social Justice Sunday, August 29th.

Australia’s bishops have made an historic commitment to work towards a more sustainable Church in their annual statement promoting social justice.

In the The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s Social Justice Statement 2021-22, Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, the bishops commit to a seven-year journey towards seven Laudato Si’ Goals.

“We are facing an ecological crisis and Pope Francis wants the whole Church globally to act with a greater sense of urgency,” said Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service.

“In Australia, passionate individuals, religious institutes, schools and organisations have been working on ecological issues for a long time. I want to affirm and thank them all, and to urge the whole Catholic community to join them.”

Bishop Long pointed out that “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been caring for country from time immemorial. The rest of us need to listen, and to learn how we can walk together to care for the whole of creation – including one another”.

The statement explains that the Laudato Si’ Goals “aim to put Pope Francis’ [2015] encyclical into practice, making communities around the world sustainable in the spirit of the integral ecology of Laudato Si’”.

The bishops invite Catholics to “uncover the sacramentality of creation” in recognising the divine presence in the world, and to respond with wonder and awe. They call for a “profound conversion expressed in a new way of living, both personally and collectively”.

“We are being called to a new way of thinking, feeling, understanding and living,” the statement says.

Speaking during the online launch of the statement, Bishop Long said: “My hope is that Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor will encourage ever deeper and more effective Christian responses to the urgent cries of the earth and of the poor.”

The statement urges families, schools, parishes, dioceses and organisations to join the bishops in signing up to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform.

The platform, an initiative of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, will gather ideas for action from around the globe to help participants in their journeys. The Bishops Conference’s Office for Social Justice has been involved in developing the platform.

At the statement’s launch, Bishop Long also announced a new name for that agency – now known as the Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace – affirming “social justice, ecology and peace are inseparable”.

_{Vietnam students, Vows and annual retreat by Zoom - from Quang MSC}

HOPE FROM HOPELESS

LIFE FROM DEATH

No one in the world likes to live in any difficulty, or crisis, or disaster, or pandemic, etc. Normally, the people have to face up to these unexpectant situations in daily life in order to survive or to find the meaning of life. I would like to borrow an image, the soil and the tree, that Uncle Đẹp Lão (nick name), MSC sent me this morning in order to express my feelings and my thought in the event of renewal of vows that happened in our community in Vietnam on this morning, August, 14.

God as soil is still there, at the root of the tree or somewhere else. The people as a tree have to cling on to the soil to grow up. It takes nutrient source from the soil for its life. But sometimes, for some reason, there is less soil or no soil at all at some branches of the root of the tree. It causes many difficulties for the life of the tree. Naturally, the soil is not enough for the tree, because of landslide or because some roots of the tree have no capacity to hold the soil for themselves or people don’t take care for the tree carefully. If this situation still persists, the tree will be dead.

At the moment, all the people in over the world, particularly in HCM City are facing up to a terrible and horrible disaster, Coronavirus-19 pandemic. Thousands of people are infected and hundreds of people die every day. The people now live in fear, panic and even suspecting each other. We lockdown ourselves from ward to ward, from house to house, and even from person to person. However, the people are trying best to keep their lives moving on. Every second of life, they try to regain the life from the Reaper.

In this situation, our brothers renew their vows. It’s so hard for us to have this celebration as a community garthering, because we can’t move from house to house, even though we are so near each other. In Le Van Sy house, one senior professed brother, Vu Thanh Nguyen, MSC, accepts the profession of Tinh Dao Anh Nguyen, MSC, within a Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer, because there is no priest there.

In Banh Van Tran house, it celebrated at the same time with the Eucharist. Director of scholastic accepts the profession of two brothers: Thanh Vu Nguyen, MSC; and Tien Minh Nguyen, MSC.

Sending picture for us, Uncle Đẹp Lão, MSC said: “I pray that you will hang in there, stay connected in whatever way you can.” Yep, we are living within the pandemic, and among fear, panic and suspicion, but we do not allow these negative spirits of the pandemic to disturb us much in any aspect of life. However, this is not a time to blame it, but a time to recover life from death, and hope to hopeless. Renewal of vows of our brothers is a living witness for that. They show their wholehearted trust to God. We, MSC members, are so joyful and happy to join with them in this atmosphere and spirit. Like a tree in the picture, we are trying our best to cling on to God in order to regain life and hope for ourselves and for people.

Written by Quang, MSC.

_PS.  Our Vietnamese Scholastics did their annual retreat via Yahoo Messenger (photo attached of the holy retreatants)

_{More on South Sudan  Alan Neville MSC, Irish Province}

_{Last weekend, we posted news from Sister Rita Grunke OLSH on South Sudan.  Irish MSC, Alan Neville, posted this report on the country and his experiences. Acknowledgement to the Irish Province Facebook.}

_{There seemed to be a dreadful inevitability to it, but no one was surprised last week when Uganda joined the list of East African countries that have gone into lockdown in response to a surge of coronavirus infections. Along with Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, Uganda has seen an increase in community transmissions and hospital admissions. All these countries roughly surround South Sudan, but to date our numbers have remained exceptionally low. How long that stays that way remains to be seen.}

_{“When these young women commit to something, there are no half measures.”}

_{In the meantime, we are not sitting idly by in the face of the crisis. In fact, the students of Loreto Rumbek Secondary School decided themselves to take a more proactive, hands-on approach. So it was, on Fr Alan’s day off, that we loaded up three minibuses with students, mops, buckets, sponges, disinfectant, a few dedicated teachers, and a decidedly rumpled, certainly sleepy Fr Alan, and headed off to Rumbek Hospital. The hospital is our main health centre for the entire Lakes State area and is run by an Italian Catholic charity.}

_{The students spent the morning washing down the walls, brushing floors, and cleaning windows. Shortly after my arrival I was dispatched to go into town and buy more mops. Apparently, my cleaning skills were not up to scratch. When these young women commit to something, there are no half measures. They blitzed both surgical wards and the paediatric ward from top to bottom. They also brought along mandazis, a local pastry, for patients and staff alike. They went down especially well in the maternity ward.}

 _{“When the pandemic makes its way to Rumbek, we will be as ready for it as we can be.”}

_{It was only a week later when we were back in Rumbek Hospital again. This time we were on the receiving end of their care. A couple of thousand doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been delivered and the hospital were on a drive to get as many people vaccinated as possible. In fact, the vaccine rollout took place in one of the large tents that our students had just cleaned. The process was quick and efficient, and we were registered, injected, and sat down for our own mandazis in no time at all.}

_{The programme for COVID vaccines here will take time due to challenges around cold chain storage availability, as well as a large, geographically dispersed population. Still, there is a determination among the people involved that when the pandemic makes its way to Rumbek, we will be as ready for it as we can be. There will be many people who will be at risk due to underlying health issues, poor nutrition, and lack of access to even basic medication. Please do keep us in your prayers.}

_{Ben Nhialic areer keg a way,
Fr Alan}

_{Golden Jubilee celebrations in lockdown, Kensington.}

_{Lockdown is not the time for Golden Jubilee celebrations, at least for gatherings.}

_{Saturday, August 21st was the date for a celebration Mass and dinner, and cake, for three of those ordained from St Paul’s seminary 50 years ago. Ed Travers, whose date was August 13th, joined with Arthur Stidwill and Terry Herbert for the occasion. The other member of the group, Len Helm, was celebrating at St Mary’s Towers.}

_{Remembering the original group of ten, MSC and diocesan priests, with Jim Cuskelly, the first rector.}

_{Compliments to our photographer, Gerry Burke MSC, who was celebrating his 87th birthday – ever-mindful of good news and photos on the website.}

_{MSC support of Australian Bishops Conference appeal to the government ln intake of Afghan refugees.}

Australian Bishops urge expansion of Afghan refugee intake

The Australian bishops’ conference call on their government to increase its intake of Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan.

By Vatican News staff writer

As concern mounts for the people of Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban takeover following the country’s government collapse and the withdrawal of US forces, Bishops of Australia have called on their government to expand its intake of Afghans who are fleeing Taliban rule.

In a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) urged the Australian government to provide “at least 20,000 humanitarian places” for Afghans fleeing the conflict in their country.

The Australian government had announced plans to take in 3000 Afghan refugees with the possibility of taking in even more. Morrison on Thursday said that the figure was “a floor, not a ceiling” for Australian humanitarian migration intake.

Archbishop Coleridge said that the 3000 places offered above, and beyond 8000 places over the past decade “is a substantial commitment, but more is needed”.

He proposed that at least another 17,000 places be made available based on estimates from key humanitarian organizations and pledges from other countries.

A moral duty

“It would seem our moral duty to stand with those who supported Australian military forces as interpreters or in other capacities, who it seems likely will suffer reprisals and even death for their work,” Archbishop Coleridge said.

He pointed out that many Afghans would find themselves vulnerable under Taliban rule, particularly religious minorities and women, and those who supported Australian defense forces in Afghanistan – some of whom lost their lives.

More so, Archbishop Coleridge underlined the particular risk to women, stressing that “Australia's humanitarian response should recognize and support their dignity and human rights.”

“We should also offer refuge to other Afghans who are likely to suffer persecution or risk being killed because of their opposition to the Taliban, or because of their beliefs, values and way of life, including members of the Christian community,” he said.

Urging generosity from Australian authorities, Archbishop Coleridge recalled that the country had “stepped up before in response to significant humanitarian crises,” and pointed out the readiness of Catholic agencies to assist the government with resettlement of refugees “as an expression of our great concern for the people of Afghanistan.”

Australia has currently set a figure of 13,750 humanitarian visas this year. The previous annual number was 18,750 but it was cut by 5,000 with the government citing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UK has offered 20,000 additional humanitarian places to Afghan nationals over five years. Canada has also offered 20,000 resettlement places, including women leaders, government workers and others facing threats from the Taliban.

_{MSC Mission Office and South Sudan, Sister Rita Grunke OLSH.}

_{The OLSH Sisters, Australian and international, have worked in South Sudan in recent decades. Not easy.  And this week there was the sad news report of two sisters killed in an ambush,} their congregation, Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

_{A message from Sr Rita Grunke OLSH from the recent past in South Sudan: "These photos will probably mean little visually but for us and for the youth they’re a great success. They were nurtured with water twice daily for #ThePast several months from little more than 5 inches high. It’s the dry season and since their transfer to the orchard there’s not been a drop of rain. The youngsters have done a great job. Each week we deliver some support food #ForWork for the group.}

_{"It is only when you have been water-deprived over many years that you can know the joy of having it close to your doorstep, only a 30-minute walk away."}

_{Three sites in South Sudan now have access to fresh water after successful installation of water pumps with the assistance of the MSC Mission Office. Sr Rita visited the sites to see the impact that access to clean water has had in the local community. She shared with us her experiences.}

_{"I have just returned home to our OLSH compound after spending four hours journeying among the Jur through roadless acres of grassland and forest, monitoring the progress of drilling for fresh water. Only an experienced driver like Juma is able to safely negotiate such terrain without punctured tyres," Sr Rita wrote. "Two sites are now yielding fresh, clean, cool water; though the first site required a second drilling at a location a short distance on. Women and young girls dance and sing their gratitude for a much closer, fresh, clean water source." In many communities where families do not have access to clean water, the burden is on women and girls to walk long distances to collect water. This can impact girls' schooling and can create opportunities for abuse.}

_{Sr Rita shared details of the ceremony that accompanied the first water pumped in Alel Deberra. She wrote "The third site, Alel Deberra, was a joy to behold. Our arrival there coincided with the first water being pumped from the newly drilled borehole. Dozens of people were there rejoicing, clapping, pumping, drinking, washing faces, watering their goats, assisting little kids to drink, to wash faces and fingers. One lady led a prayer of gratitude for what had been accomplished."}

_{The joy of having access to fresh water was shared by all in the community. Sr Rita writes "The chief, the soldier providing the security for the drillers, the administrator – all were childlike in their joy and gratitude for the water. Everyone tasted it including myself and it was crystal clear, literally so - pure, fresh, cool and delightful."}

_{Sr Rita was thankful to those who made this clean water project possible. "The donors who so generously and continuously give to the MSC Mission Office are to be thanked profusely," she wrote, "You cannot know the joy you provide for these isolated, genuine and unsophisticated thirsty people. The story is the same for those who so generously contribute to the OLSH Overseas Aid Fund. It is only when you have been water-deprived over many years that you can know the joy of having it close to your doorstep, only a 30-minute walk away. Be Blessed."}

_{The current situation in South Sudan}

_{These projects are part of an ongoing restoration of peace to South Sudan following years of conflict. Sr Rita shared how the political conditions have developed under the Unity Government and why projects like these need the support of external donors to be funded.}

_{"The formation of the Unity Government, so long in the making, was finally met with much jubilation but also with equal scepticism. Jubilation because people are so war weary and desperately want peace; scepticism because there seems to be little attitudinal change among leaders where competition for top ministerial positions is so aggressive. Ministers have now been assigned and grassroots people pray for and plead to their leaders to fulfil the hopes and expectations for an established peace that will enable development."}

_{"Prior to the formation of the Unity Government the word commonly used by many around Mapuordit in relation to life in South Sudan was “Useless”. "Leaders were termed “useless” because there was no connect with grassroots lives; roads were “useless” because lorries were overturning in huge pot holes on the highway, with drivers and supplies being delayed for weeks; land cruisers were getting stuck in unforgiving mud; governance was similarly termed “useless”; the litany went on."}

_{"Since the return from 28 States back to the original 10 States, many upper level citizens remain “unemployed”," wrote Sr Rita. "Serious efforts are being made to find “jobs” for those now seen as redundant. Lord, let us not return to 28 States!"}