The Chevalier Family Justice and Peace - intention for the First Friday, November.

And today is the feast of our Spanish martyrs from the Civil War.

Human rights are based on dignity, equality and mutual respect – regardless of your nationality, your religion or your beliefs.

Your rights are about being treated fairly and treating others fairly, and having the ability to make choices about your own life. These basic human rights are:

• Universal They belong to all of us – everybody in the world
• Inalienable They cannot be taken away from us
• Indivisible and interdependent Governments should not be able to pick and choose which are respected.

      And, complementary to rights are obligations  

Our martyrs were seven young MSCs between the ages of 20 and 28, 3 brothers and 4 priests, who were killed in 1936 simply because they were religious and/or priests, for hatred of the Christian faith. All were working in our formation house in Canet del Mar and went to their death by firing squad as a community, proud to be MSC and boldly witnessing to their faith in Christ.

Eulogy: Sr Mary Valerian fdnsc [Muriel Bernadette O’Brien] (11.06.1928 - 12.10.2020)

Proclaim everywhere the love of the heart of Jesus. (J. Chevalier, le Sacre-Coeur)

During her long life as a teacher and later as a pastoral worker this has been the guiding principle of all Sr Valerian has done and been for so many people in many parts of Australia.

Born into a large, devoutly Catholic family in Toowoomba Queensland she was imbued with the faith from her infancy. She was the daughter of Muriel and Thomas O’Brien and her brothers and sisters were Dorothy, Mary, Patrick, William, Celia, Thomas, Edward, and Anthony. They were a happy, united family who were very well provided for in every way, material as well as spiritual.  She tells us that her parents and the children of various ages went to Mass every day and said the family Rosary. They also attended all that went on in the church such as Missions and Corpus Christi processions. As Church and family were of prime importance to her when she went to boarding school she was very unhappy.  All her brothers and sisters are now deceased and she, the sixth born of the nine members, is the last.

After the end of the War she volunteered as a teacher at Freneau Park and it was here that she began to know the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and even though she described herself as “a frivolous, pleasure seeking teenager” she had a “nagging suspicion” that she ought to be a nun. It was in the middle of her novitiate year that she knew and was delighted that this was the best possible life for her.

Many sisters have said that she was a lovely person to share their lives with and she herself appreciated the “company and inspiration of wonderful companions”. She was quick witted with a wonderful sense of humour and was able to entertain the other sisters with stories of her experiences as well as having a great gift of telling anecdotes against herself. She certainly brightened up the lives of all those who lived with her.

During her active life she had four main apostolates: as a secondary school teacher, as the superior in various communities, as a formator in the Philippines, and as a pastoral worker in different parishes.  In the schools at Kensington, Bentleigh, and Corinda where she was a teacher or the principal she was very popular with her students and a very creative teacher.  She had immense influence on the girls she taught.  During her time in Corinda in the 1970’s the girls of this small school did exceptionally well in the Senior Public Exam with two girls even topping the state in Maths. It has been said that when she was teaching there would be silence in the classroom broken by an outburst of laughter until she started again.  She taught well with much humour.  Though small in stature she had a formidable personality and demanded only the best from the girls and in this she was successful.

As a superior or formator Sr Valerian was always gentle, kind and caring and had great trust in the goodness of others allowing them to do things in the best way they could. When she was talking to a sister she listened attentively to her and had great respect for each person as she appreciated the giftedness of each sister. Her administrative skills were evident as she was responsible for the closing of the OLSH College Corinda in 1972, the building of “Hartzer House” in Manila in 1982 and in finding and purchasing the holiday house at Bilinga.

During her time doing pastoral work with the people in their homes or in hospitals the skills she showed evidence of in schools or as novice mistress were essential now. Such as, having a great interest in the welfare of the people she met, of patiently listening to them, and helping them become closer to God and his Mother, Mary. The people that she seemed to have loved working with most during this time were those at Mt Isa where she spent six years with Sr St Bernard from 2001 to 2006.

Sr Valerian was a very zealous and dedicated religious with a true love of her Congregation. One of her favourite Scripture texts, like that of Father Founder was, “Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus”. In the Philippines it has been observed that she often prayed before the Crucifix in the Chapel and made an act of reverence either kissing it or touching it before she left. She has said of herself, “... the Heart of Jesus gave me a longing for holiness as God wants it. The teaching years and the following years were always blessed for me, but it’s only in recent years that all the past seems a fairly superficial faith journey.  Now, at last, with the help of our Triune God I begin to live by faith and leave myself and my apostolic effectiveness entirely up to Him.” Later she could say, “I rejoice now in being nearer to truth and reality, and in having God for my “refuge and strength”.  Her trust in God filled her with a great optimism so she was able to tell us, “I view the future of the Church and of Religious life with confident trust in the Holy Spirit.”

Her last words to us are, “I am grateful for every day I have lived and learnt in the congregation ..it’s been a nice party!” and we can reply that we thank God for the gift of Sr Valerian with her untiring love and service of the Congregation.  May she now reap the rewards of her well spent life and may she now sing with St Teresa,

Yours, you made me,
Yours, you saved me,
Yours, you endured me,
Yours, you awaited me,
Yours, I did not stray.

Look at me, Sweet Love,

Sweet Love, look at me.

Written by Helen Simpson olsh

Vincent and Anh, a Coronavirus MSC pre-Novitiate year.

Goodbye to Blackburn from Khoi, director, and Terry Bowman, PP

Vincent and Anh joined the MSC pre-Novitiate year at Blackburn last January when we had practically no idea of what 2020 would be for us. With self-isolating and social distancing coming in in March, it meant that a formation year would be isolated, especially during the first Victorian lockdown and then in the over 100 days Stage 4 lockdown, from July to November.  We did have one opportunity for gathering at Blackburn, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Conferences and community meetings by Zoom.  No outside outlet for pastoral formation. But regular work for the online parish Masses.

We asked Anh for a reflection.

"Good day everyone, Peter Malone has asked me to write my reflection about a year of pre-novitiate on behalf of the community, so I would like to share some words with you.

If someone asks me what have I learned from the pre-novitiate year, I would say that I have learned a lot of things that I guess I will not learn from outside.

A principal pastoral activity, the parish's online Masses

First, this year is a really special year for me because of COVID 19. In terms of formation, the benefit of a pandemic is that I can encounter God deeply in my thought and emotion. For example, I can understand my loneliness, sadness… I find a way to deal with my emotion and realize that my true-self and false-self God has shaped me, so I can easily accept myself and the difference of others.

Khoi's birthday, a lighter moment now and again

 Second, the intimacy between God and myself is increased significantly during the pandemic time. I discover him in many ways in my daily life. I can find him in silence and solitude in meditation, I can find him in nature when I am running for exercise, and sometimes, he talks to me by people I meet.

I think my relationship with God like friendship and I can share everything with him. Finally, with the great environment and the wonderful community, I can see and feel the MSC charism in everyday life " To be on earth the Heart of God "  love with a human heart and that is a mission I will follow in the future.

I would like to say thank you to the MSC for giving me a great opportunity to know and live the MSC charism. I appreciate all your support."

Some more illustrations of the pastoral ministry. With thanks to Kenji Konda MSC, the online team.

Two stories from Wadeye:

High School Graduates.

Eulogy for Christian Brother Eamon O’Brien, 15 years at Wadeye.

First high school graduates for 13 years (ABC report)

In the community of Wadeye, 400 kilometres west of Darwin, songs of celebration were sung this week at a high school celebration that was a long time coming.

• Seven students graduated high school at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College in Wadeye
• They are the first cohort to graduate high school in the community in 13 years
• Three of the graduates have already landed jobs, including as teacher's aides in community

For the first time in 13 years, a cohort of students has attained high school graduation.

Eagle-eyes will notice PP of Wadeye, Leo Wearden MSC centre, audience

The moment is particularly special for 18-year-old Mary Pupuli, who is the first young person in her family to graduate high school.

"Education is important to me because I want to be a strong woman in community. I want to be a role model for young people," she said.

The milestone came just as the Northern Territory's continuing education crisis was highlighted again this week.

Fresh figures show only a third of all remote students attend school on most days of the week.

As the community turned out to celebrate with songs and dancing, deputy head of Secondary School at Wadeye's Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Thamarrurr College, Matthew Spring, said the graduates were seen as role models.

"For the community as a whole, it's good to see people staying in school, being successful, and they're ready to go into adult life now," he said.

He said the teenagers had demonstrated great resilience, and that their families deserved recognition too.

"The reason they are graduating is because their families kept them in school," he said.

"The students have the drive now, but two or three years ago they were normal teenagers who didn't think school offered them much."

Mr Spring said teaching children in a mix of Murrinh Patha and English made a key difference, as did the work of local teacher's aides and youth workers.

Three of the graduates have already secured jobs, including as teaching aides and mentors for the next generation of students.

"We've got some really good careers identified for a lot of the students — education, working with technology, three of the students are already working in the school."

Birrigan Young is an Indigenous youth worker at the local youth hostel.

Five of the seven graduates have been under Mr Young's care at the youth hostel, which gives students a quiet and safe space to study and sleep away from over-crowding at home.

"It has been a long time since we had a good celebration here in Wadeye, but it just goes to show if the kids work hard enough, if they have got the right support here, they can achieve," he said.

Mr Young said the ceremony showed young kids there was a path forward through schooling.

"We can see it's going to happen if we have the support with the community, the families, the teachers — we can see that it is possible."

Eamon O’Brien cfc who taught children reading at Wadeye for 15 years – and 10 years in Sudan.

Br Gerard Eamon O’Brien cfc  Eulogy

Born: 29-05-1936   Died: 23-10-2020

Our dear Brother Gerard ‘Eamon’ died peacefully today at 12.45pm in the presence of family & staff at Villa Maria Catholic Homes, Bundoora. Gerard as he wished to be known in the later time of his life, was known to his Brothers as Eamon for 68 years of his religious life.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions it was difficult to visit Gerard in his final days. Family, his sister Maree, brother Mick & some family were able to do so.

Gerard left home in 1951 to pursue a vocation as a Christian Brother.

Gerard was a brilliant student, matriculated at an early age and gained a B Sc and B Ed. Then begun a long dedicated religious life in traditional spirituality, in classroom teaching, ongoing training, simple living and challenging, on the edge, ministry.

Gerard spent time in various communities in Melbourne & Country Victoria. His second appointment was to the Brothers’ Training College at Bundoora for 5 years.

After many testing years in the classroom he ventured into the tough outreaches of ministry work in Yambio, South Sudan (10 years) with his friend Paul Macrossan and later with Vin Roach at Wadeye, NT (15 years). The initial work in Yambio was rudimentary teacher training and then teaching reading to aboriginal children in Wadeye. Gerard loved the simple living and the challenging work in these two remote locations.

His painful journey home to Victoria saw him hospitalised in Canossa, QLD for serious medical attention. Gerard was anxious to return home to be with his strong family connections. He moved into the good care of Villa Maria Catholic Homes, Bundoora which he enjoyed so much. He was always exploring ways in which he may return to community life.

Some significant November days for the Chevalier Family 2020

E.J. Cuskelly, Superior General, see November 12^th.

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

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.

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, 1953

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

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, 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, 1923

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

Feast of All Saints – and what 20^th and 21^st century saints look like.

Some weeks ago we posted material on Carlo Acutis and young martyrs in Quiche. Here are some more stories.

RICHIE FERNANDO

Brother Richie Fernando was a 26 year-old Jesuit seminarian from the Philippines when in 1996 he died protecting his Cambodian students from a hand grenade.

He is now on the road to sainthood, thanks to a norm issued by Pope Francis this summer that opens the door to canonization for those who have “voluntarily and freely offered their lives for others and have persevered until death in this regard.”

Father Antonio Moreno, head of the Jesuits in the Philippines, told Rappler July 30 that the order had received permission to begin the initial work of opening Brother Fernando’s cause for canonization.

Brother Richard (Richie) Fernando, S.J., arrived in Cambodia in 1995 to serve at a Jesuit mission which served people who had been disabled by polio, landmines, or other accidents.

According to the Jesuits of the Asia Pacific Conference, Richie quickly earned the trust of his young students as he learned their native language and took the time to listen to their stories of suffering.

One of his students was an orphan named Sarom, who became a soldier at 16 and was maimed by a landmine. Even while some at the mission found Sarom’s attitude troublesome, Richie wrote in letters to friends that Sarom still had a place in his heart.

On October 17, 1996, Sarom came to the mission school for a meeting with the school director and staff. While he had finished classes, he had asked to continue at the school, though his request was denied because school officials found him disruptive.

Angered, Sarom suddenly reached into his bag and pulled out a grenade, and moved towards a classroom full of students. The windows of the classroom were barred, so the students were trapped.

Brother Richie stepped behind Sarom and grabbed him to prevent him from throwing the grenade.

“Let me go, teacher; I do not want to kill you,” Sarom pleaded. But he dropped the grenade, and it fell behind him and Brother Richie, exploding and killing the Jesuit, who fell over Sarom, protecting him and everyone else in the school from the blast.

Just four days before he died, Riche had written a long letter to his friend and fellow Jesuit, Totet Banaynal SJ: “I know where my heart is. It is with Jesus Christ, who gave all for the poor, the sick, the orphan … I am confident that God never forgets his people: our disabled brothers and sisters. And I am glad that God has been using me to make sure that our brothers and sisters know this fact. I am convinced that this is my vocation.”

He had also once written about death in a retreat diary, in which he said: "I wish, when I die, people remember not how great, powerful, or talented I was, but that I served and spoke for the truth, I gave witness to what is right, I was sincere in all my works and actions, in other words, I loved and followed Christ,"

In 1997, Richie’s parents wrote to King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, asking pardon for Sarom. Again, Sarom said he had never wanted to kill Richie, who he considered a friend.

While the Philippines is a Catholic-majority country, the island nation only claims two canonized saints thus far, both of whom died in the 17th century: St. Lorenzo Ruiz, a martyr of Nagasaki, and St. Pedro Calungsod, a martyr of Guam.

However, numerous causes have been opened in recent years, with many people in the various steps of the process of canonization.

On July 31, the feast of Jesuit founder St. Ignatius of Loyola, Fr. Moreno said Richie is among many Jesuits who have imitated Saint Ignatius, "offering themselves in the self-sacrificing service of God and his people."

In his memo to the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Moreno noted that "various expressions of devotion to Richie have sprung up and continued, not just in the Philippines and Cambodia but in other places as well."

This includes a Facebook group in his honor, named: "Friends of Bro. Richie R. Fernando SJ."

The next step for Brother Richie’s cause involves building a compelling case for his life of virtue through his writings, talks, and interviews with those who knew him, among other things.  

PIER GIORGIO FRASSATTI

Referred to as the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes” by Pope John Paul II when Pier Giorgio was beatified in St. Peter’s Square on May 20, 1990, this young man is a perfect role model for today’s teens and young .

Sure, he was devoted to God, but if you look into his life, you will find someone who was fun-loving, athletic, dynamic, dutiful, friendly, interested in others, and loving towards his friends and family. Throughout his life he was able to stay true to himself while staying true to God. And isn’t that exactly what we want for our own children?

He was born in Turin into a wealthy family, who owned a newspaper called La Stampa. Though an average student, Frassati was known among his peers for his devotion and piety.

He was dedicated to works of social action, charity, prayer and community. He was involved with Catholic youth and student groups, the Apostleship of Prayer, Catholic Action, and was a third order Dominican. He would often say, "Charity is not enough; we need social reform." He helped establish a newspaper entitled Momento, whose principles were based on Pope Leo XIII's encyclical: Rerum Novarum.

Despite his family's enormous wealth and power, Frassati's father was austere and never gave his children too much spending money. Frassati, however, donated most or all of his money to people he saw as more "needy" than him, and as a result he became accustomed to giving his train-fare to the poor and running back home or riding in third class.

Despite the many organizations to which Frassati belonged, he was not a passive "joiner"; records show that he was active and involved in each, fulfilling all the duties of membership. He was strongly anti-fascist and did nothing to hide his political views.

Participating in a Church-organized demonstration in Rome, he withstood police violence and rallied the other young people by grabbing the banner which the police had knocked out of someone else's hands. He held it even higher while using the pole to ward off their blows. When the demonstrators were arrested by the police, he refused special treatment that he might have received because of his father's political position, preferring to stay with his friends. One night a group of fascists broke into his family's home to attack him and his father, but Frassati beat them off single-handedly chasing them down the street.

Frassati died in 1925 of poliomyelitis. His family expected Turin's elite and political figures to come to offer their condolences and attend the funeral; they naturally expected to find many of his friends there as well. They were surprised, however, to find the streets of the city lined with thousands of mourners as the cortege passed by. Poor people from the city petitioned the Archbishop of Turin to begin the cause for canonization. The process was opened in 1932 and he was beatified on 20 May 1990. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati's feast day is 4 July.

Frassati was called Man of Eight Beatitudes by Pope John Paul II, who beatified him on 20 May 1990.

LAUREANA ‘KA LURING’ FRANCO

On the 9th death anniversary of Laureana "Ka Luring" Franco, Catechist of Taguig and a Papal Awardee, Bishop Mylo Vergara, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Pasig, announced the formal opening of the cause for her beatification that will take place in 2021 in line with the 10th death anniversary of Ka Luring and the 500th anniversary of the Christianity in the Philippines.

And a final story – you’re never too young

NELSON SANTANA,  BRAZIL

Pope Francis yesterday recognised the heroic virtue of a nine-year old Brazilian boy who “never complained” during cancer treatments, but instead offered his suffering to Jesus. Source: CNA.

Diagnosed in 1963 with osteosarcoma, Nelson Santana, then eight years old, asked his mother in the hospital to “promise Jesus not to complain in the face of suffering and pain.”

A nurse and religious sister who cared for Nelson noted the child’s “extraordinary ability” to understand the meaning of the suffering of Christ. The sister ensured Nelson continued to receive religious instruction in the hospital, where he also received his first communion.

When told that his cancerous arm had to be amputated, Nelson responded that “pain is very important to increase true love and courageously maintain the love already conquered.”

He died of cancer on Christmas Eve 1964 at the age of nine.

The Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints recognised the heroic virtue of Nelson and six other Servants of God, advancing them along the path to sainthood as “venerable.”

Darwin. The Canossian Sisters celebrate 50 years of Ministry

1970-2010

Malcolm Fyfe MSC writes:

In view of the celebration, next Saturday evening at St. Paul’s Church Nightcliff, of the Canossian Sisters’ 50 years in Darwin, I asked the Sisters to send me some information about their past and present activities in the diocese. The Sisters kindly sent me the following article (below).

The Canossian Sisters’ time in the diocese has extended across that of four bishops, John O’Loughlin, Ted Collins, Eugene Hurley and Charles Gauci.

I am able to assert that the Sisters’ ministry here has always been greatly appreciated.

We thank the Sisters for their generous and continued commitment to their religious charism and apostolate.   

“Jesus is not loved because He is not known”. These words of St Magdalene of Canossa, Foundress of the Canossian Daughters of Charity, have been part of the inspiration of the Sisters who have served in Darwin for the past 50 years. The desire to make Jesus known and loved motivated the first missionary Sisters to embark on a ministry to the people of Darwin, which has seen a variety of services to those in greatest need in the local area.

The first two Canossian Sisters, Teresina Franguelli and Irene Motta, arrived in Darwin on the 31^st of October 1970. At the invitation of the late Bishop John O'Loughlin, they were asked to establish Bakhita Village, a complex of five family type homes for children in need of long and short term residential care.

On the arrival of the Sisters, Bakhita Village was not yet complete. In the interim, while waiting for its completion, the two sisters - who were soon joined by a third, Sr. Susanna Castelli - were given lodging in a house at the Catholic Mission Headquarters where they lived for 14 months. During those months, since the sisters were all missionaries from Italy, Bishop O'Loughlin entrusted to them the pastoral care of the Italian migrants who had made Darwin and other towns in the Northern Territory their new home. While some of the migrants had been in Darwin for quite some time, others had only recently arrived from Italy and were still struggling to adjust to the new country. The sisters were greeted with warm hearts and great joy, a God-send in the struggle towards inculturation. The needs were many, so, even after Bakhita Village was opened in January 1972 and children started to come into care, the sisters decided to continue their service to the Italian community. This service, which has evolved over the years, still continues to this day.

It was also around this time that the sisters began offering their services to the Parish of St. Paul’s Nightcliff, which included teaching catechism at Sunday school and in Government Schools in Darwin.

Cyclone Tracy in 1974 and the subsequent destruction of Bakhita Village saw an abrupt end the Sisters' service of residential care for children. The service had lasted just three years. However, the convent was repaired for the Sisters who continued to live at Bakhita Village, carrying out their ministries from those premises for another nine years.  In 1983 they moved into the present convent purposely built for them on the grounds of St. Paul's Parish. The property of Bakhita Village, returned to the Diocese, was passed on to the St. Vincent de Paul Society which transformed it into a hostel for homeless men.                         

Throughout their time in Darwin, the Sisters have always been open to respond to emerging poverties and needs. This was again the case when shortly after the plans of Bakhita Village were halted, another great need in the local area became evident – assisting the Timorese refugees who fled to Darwin to escape the 1975 civil war. The city of Darwin readied to welcome them, as did our sisters, who provided invaluable support to the various Timorese communities. This service is another ministry that continues to this day.

In the past 50 years, 34 different Canossian Sisters have served in Darwin in a variety of ways. With hearts open to the local needs, Sisters have not only provided pastoral welfare for the Italian and Timorese migrants and refugees, but spent many years in Parish Pastoral work and catechesis, religious education in government schools, and more recently service with the St Vincent de Paul Society and primary school education.

During 2020 we celebrate fifty years of the presence and service of our Sisters here in Darwin. On this day we remember, with gratitude, not only the 34 Sisters who have lived and worked in Darwin over these years, but also the many people that God put on our path. We express gratitude to the various Bishops of the local Church who have constantly supported the Sisters in their ministry, as well as the Clergy, Religious and countless lay people who have journeyed alongside us across the years.

As we thank God for fifty years of presence in Darwin, we remain uncertain of what the future holds. However, we continue to trust that God who has led us to serve in Darwin will surely continue to accompany us as we strive to serve Him with all our hearts.

Visiting Rosedale, bushfire aftermath.  Bob Irwin, Barry Smith with Jean Reid

Bob Irwin and Barry Smith recently visited Daramalan College for Chevalier Day. They also visited Rosedale on the NSW south coast which suffered in the bushfires.

They met with Jean Reid, longtime teacher at Daramalan.  Her house was completely destroyed. She lives now with her daughter – and she will soon be 105.

The photos show some of the devastation. The previous MSC holiday house was also destroyed.

Images of pandemic, 1918 and 2020. A post from Melbourne.

This post is coming to you from Melbourne. We have been in strict lockdown for over 100 days. No travel beyond 5 kms. Leave home only for exercise, medical visits, one house member to shop at supermarkets.

No visits or visiting. Today, Monday 26^th October, Premier Daniel Andrews began to announce plans for lifting restrictions.

Nothing like relief from hope. We have survived… But, we realise with alarm, that Europe, the US, india, Brazil continue with or have returned to alarming infection and death statistics.

Interesting to see some images from a century ago and make some comparisons.

Chevalier Day 2020 at Daramalan College

On Wednesday 21 October Daramalan College celebrated Chevalier Day with a small number of special visitors to mark the occasion. These included Fr Chris McPhee, Fr Jim Littleton, Fr Bob Irwin, Br Barry Smith, Alison McKenzie and Mark McGinnity. The College Chaplain, Fr Kimi Vunivesilevu, also attended for much of the day including working on one of the food stalls at lunchtime.

The day started with an online Liturgy of the Word which was led by the 2020 student leaders. Fr Chris McPhee spoke to the students about the idea of focussing on one positive thing in these challenging times. He also spoke of the importance of love and of not letting negative things in the world distract us from the one thing that really matters.

Fr Chris and Mark McGinnity then spent some time in a meeting with the 2020 and 2021 student leaders listening to the students speak about how this year has been for them and their plans for next year. The students spoke openly about some of the challenges they have faced and they recognised that from these challenges they have had opportunities to make changes to their traditional roles and responsibilities. They have valued their ability to look for other ways of doing things and recognised that they have developed the skills to be adaptable and innovative. They also spoke of how they have learned to appreciate much more the routine things they had taken for granted previously having experienced being in lockdown earlier in the year. Since returning to school they have become very confident in doing a range of online events from assemblies to fundraising and the 2021 student leaders said that they are keen to connect online with student leaders in the other three MSC schools in the future.

Following morning tea with the staff, Fr Chris blessed and dedicated the renovated McMahon courtyard and the plaques for this space were unveiled. The courtyard is dedicated to all Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who have lived and worked at Daramalan College from 1962-2019. Principal Rita Daniels spoke to the assembled students briefly about the history of the courtyard and why we wanted to dedicate it to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. She also informed the school during that day that the new building planned for the site of the former MSC Residence will be called the Issoudun Wing. This building will be a Performing Arts Centre for Drama and Music. It is hoped that it will be completed in 2022, the 60^th anniversary of Daramalan College.

Excerpt from the blessing and dedication of the McMahon courtyard:

This courtyard, which was renovated in 2019-2020, is part of the original structure of the school and it was named after the founding Headmaster of Daramalan College, Fr John F McMahon MSC.

It was not originally called the McMahon courtyard. From the time when the school was boys only and even after co-education was introduced into the High School in 1996, it was known as the Year 10 quad as only Year 10s were allowed to spend recess and lunch in this space. In the 1970s and 1980s it was also the place where boys in Years 7-10 used to line up for an assembly and roll marking every morning – rain, hail or sunshine - and there was a podium against  the McMahon Wing wall where the staff running the assembly used to speak from. In old College Yearbooks there are some interesting photos from those times.

Several years ago we opened up all the courtyards, except the Littleton courtyard, to all High School students and this was named the McMahon courtyard. 

Fr McMahon who I mentioned as the first Headmaster was followed by four other Missionaries of the Sacred Heart priests who were Headmasters or Principals of the College including Fr Jim Littleton and Fr Bob Irwin who are both here today. I had the privilege of working with these men when I was a young teacher at Daramalan and they are both giants in the history of our College.

When Daramalan College first opened there were large numbers of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart priests and brothers living in the Residence – part of what students know as Naughton Wing. There have been many Missionaries of the Sacred Heart priests and brothers who have lived and worked at Daramalan College since it opened in 1962 – I could not tell you the actual number but it would be possibly two hundred.

 At the end of 2019, the last members of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart congregation to move out of the Residence were Fr Jim, Fr Harold Baker and Br John Walker. Br Barry Smith, who is well known to the older students here and to the staff, may recall that he left Daramalan in June 2018.

When the courtyard was being renovated we thought that it would be a fitting tribute to dedicate this courtyard to all the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who have lived and worked at Daramalan. Many of these men worked in the school as teachers and administrators, some worked as assistants, others worked in the Residence looking after their fellow Brothers and Priests and some worked in external occupations while residing at the MSC Residence.

The MSCs always warmly welcomed people into their home – they showed outstanding hospitality in this way. Mass was often celebrated for staff in their Chapel especially after the school’s former chapel was closed to make way for other needs. When the numbers of MSCs living in the Residence declined, they kindly allowed the school to make use of some of the space which became the Naughton Wing classrooms. Later again they enabled part of their backyard area to be used for staff parking. There was always a great generosity of spirit shown by them and wonderful support for the school and its activities. 

So today, in the presence of the Provincial of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Fr Chris McPhee MSC along with Fr Jim who lived for well over 20 years of his life at Daramalan, Fr Bob Irwin who was Headmaster here for 6 years and Br Barry who lived here for well over 20 years also, as well as Mr Mark McGinnity who is Director of MSC Education and Ms Alison McKenzie who is the Director of the Chevalier Institute, we dedicate this space in honour of all Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who have been associated with Daramalan College.  Part of the plaque which will be blessed today reads:

“The McMahon courtyard, which was upgraded in 2020, is dedicated to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who lived and worked at Daramalan College from 1962 until 2019.

While they no longer reside at the College, their vision and spirit will remain strong in our community.”