A Cheerful Post - remembering Pope John XXIII

Pope John XXIII's anniversary was June 3rd (1963). He saw only one session of Vatican II. His successor, Paul VI, presided over the next three sessions.

Pope John was well-known and admired as a very humane Church leader - a humorous encourager in pandemic times like this.

"He was a man who let himself be guided by the Lord," Pope Francis has said. But the Italian Pope John was also guided by his cheerful disposition, his simple, peasant background and tongue-in-cheek, wisecracking Italian culture.

Here's a look at some of this soon-to-be saint's funny quips:

1. Visiting a hospital he asked a boy what he wanted to be when he grew up.
The boy said either a policeman or a pope. "I would go in for the police if
I were you," the Holy Father said. "Anyone can become a pope, look at me!"

2. "It often happens that I wake up at night and begin to think about the
serious problems afflicting the world and I tell myself, I must talk to the
pope about it. Then the next day when I wake up I remember that I am the
pope."

3. In reply to a reporter who asked, "How many people work in the Vatican?",
he reportedly said: "About half of them."

4. When a cardinal complained that a rise in Vatican salaries meant a
particular usher earned as much as the cardinal, the pope remarked: "That
usher has 10 children; I hope the cardinal doesn't."

5. When he went to visit a friend at the nearby Hospital of the Holy Spirit
in the evening, the nun answering the door said: "Holy Father, I'm the
mother superior of the Holy Spirit." He replied: "Lucky you! What a job!
I'm just the 'servant of the servants of God.'"

6. Not long after he was elected pope, Blessed John was walking in the
streets of Rome. A woman passed him and said to her friend, "My God, he's so
fat!" Overhearing what she said, he turned around and replied, "Madame, I
trust you understand that the papal conclave is not exactly a beauty
contest."

7. He once wrote: "There are three ways to face ruin: women, gambling and
farming. My father chose the most boring one.."

8. When he was cardinal and patriarch of Venice, the future pope was talking
with a wealthy city resident and told him, "You and I have one thing in
common: money. You have a lot and I have nothing at all. The difference is I
don't care about it."

9. When a journalist asked the then-patriarch of Venice what he would be if
he could live his life all over again, the future pope said, "Journalist."
Then he said with a smile, "Now let us see if you have the courage to tell
me that, if you could do it all over again, you'd be the patriarch!"

10. A Vatican official told the pope it would be "absolutely impossible" to
open the Second Vatican Council by 1963. "Fine, we'll open it in 1962," he
answered. And he did.

RIP, Bishop Des Moore MSC.

Steve Dives writes:

This is to inform you that Bishop Desmond Moore MSC died very peacefully at 4.30pm this afternoon.

He has been struggling these last few days but was kept comfortable and lovingly cared for by the wonderful staff at St. Joseph’s Nursing Home, Kensington.

From the past - with Cardinal Ribat

He has had many visitors these past few days including his niece, many MSC and Chris McPhee this morning.

We will hear stories of his wonderful missionary work in Papua New Guinea as we share memories of him in the days ahead.

From the past, OLSH 2017

 Des was from Adelaide, born in 1926, ordained in 1957, Socius to Fr Butler in 1958, missionary in Eastern Papua, episcopal ordination in 1970. Next month he would have celebrated his Golden Jubilee of being a bishop.

May Des now rest in peace and share in the Glory of Christ’s Resurrection.

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Superior General, Abzalon's letter last week, a covid-19 Province-wide update 

Just before the letter a piece of coronavirus news. Congratulations to Deacons Michael and Ace who were ordained in the Philippines last Saturday, Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. But the congregation numbers were limited, the ceremony was streamed on-line - and the first photos we have seen of a ceremony with anti-pandemic masks!

“Dear MSC confreres:

By this means we would like to report you about how the COVID19 situation continues within our MSC Society.

As we have all seen, the new epicenter of the impact of this situation has shifted from Europe to North and Latin America. People in countries like the United States and Brazil are facing very painful, challenging, unjust and very complex situations at all levels, not only talking about statistical figures, but about situations of health systems as well as political systems.  All countries in the Americas are facing this anguishing reality nowadays.  However, it is still very hard and challenging in Africa, Asia, Oceania and especially in Europe.

As of today, we have been informed about four MSC Confreres in Spain who recently have been tested positive for COVID19, three of them asymptomatic, and they have already recovered.

Brother George Farkas MSC sadly died from covid-19 on Friday, May 29th.  May he rest in peace,

Two elderly MSC Confreres are currently affected by COVID19 in the United States.

In Brazil there are two young MSC Confreres working in missionary areas, who have tested positive for COVID19 and we are confident that they will recover satisfactorily, there is another confrere in Brazil who is still waiting for a second test to confirm if he is still affected by the disease.

A sign of hope, our deacons: Ace S. Yu above and Michael Angelo Dacalos below.

Although in several countries, especially in Europe, we are taking steps towards the subsequent phases of the virus’ containment. It is our hope that everyone will continue to take the required measures; that we keep on taking care of the information that we share in order to avoid any false or wrong information. Likewise, we encourage you all to continue to accompany the People of God during these difficult times which affect the majority of the population throughout the world.

May the Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the following weekend, strengthen our communion in prayer and the possibility of generating the "antibodies" of compassion and mercy, so needed now to face these challenging times. May the sense of MSC Family continue to be alive among us. Blessings to all and take care yourselves.

Abzalon msc”

Some significant June days for the Chevalier Family 2020

Feast of the Sacred Heart, 19^th June

Not Issoudun, but from France

Some significant MSC – and Ramale valley memories, and the World War II bombing of Issoudun.

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.

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.

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May 30^th, Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart -  A Different Celebration in 2020

Greetings to the Chevalier Family and beyond on this patronal Feast.

Somebody remarked that with Pentecost Sunday, this weekend is the Feast of Our Lady of Pentecost – the words and image are there in the Acts of the Apostles, Mary with apostles and disciples in the upper room, anticipating, hoping for the coming of the Spirit.

This is covid-19 year and we extend our prayers to those infected with the virus. Our hearts to out to our US confreres who have the virus, Brother George Farkas, Brother Joe Tesar, Father John Paul. Below is a picture from the MSC house in Center Valley for praying for our confreres.

And a special OLSH prayer in times of Coronavirus.

Jules Chevalier invoked Mary with the title "Our Lady of the Sacred Heart" and the devotion to Mary with that title spread rapidly in all continents. A confraternity with that name was founded and reached 18 million members in 1891. The Congregation of Sisters founded by Father Chevalier are called "the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart". The feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is celebrated nowadays on the last Saturday of May.

The purpose of this devotion, according to Father Chevalier, is to honour Mary "in her relationship of ineffable love which exists between her and the Sacred Heart of Jesus."

This is a very rich mystery with many aspects, for Mary was the Mother of Christ and also his partner in the work of redemption. On Calvary Our Lord gave her as Mother to the disciple he loved, that is, to all of us, and Mary saw how the Heart of her Son was pierced and how blood and water flowed from it.

In John 7:37 Christ referred to his heart as the source of living water, that is, of the Spirit. The source was opened on Calvary, and when Our Lady prayed with the Apostles in the Cenacle, the Spirit was poured out over them and they started to preach (Our Lady of Pentecost): the Church came to life. As Mother of the Church Our Lady continues to obtain life for all of us. 

The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Artist, Richard Campbell

The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is situated in the parish of Randwick in Sydney.  The website opens with a power point presentation of a wide range of images of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. The site has prayers and articles on the devotion and the theology behind it.

National Reconciliation Week - an MSC acknowledgement.

This week has been National Reconciliation Week in Australia, with May 26^th being the 20^th anniversary of the 2000 Sorry Day with its walks in support of First Nation Australians, the memorable walk of thousands across Sydney Harbour Bridge.

This should be an important week for Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who have worked with aboriginal people in the Northern Territory since 1906, not only in Darwin, but in the Tiwi Islands, Santa Teresa and Alice Springs, Daly River, Wadeye/ Port Keats.

It is a challenge to look back at our history, strengths, weaknesses, challenges, including the Aboriginal ministry in western New South Wales, Wilcannia, Burke, and, more recently the Aboriginal Ministry in Sydney-based in Erskineville.

Patrick Dodson, ordained 45 years ago, 1975, the first aboriginal priest, not continuing in the priesthood but devoting himself to national reconciliation, often referred to as the ‘Father of Reconciliation’, is now a Senator in the Australian Federal government.

Quotes from Patrick Dodson:

Leadership is an elusive concept, hard to describe and impossible to prescribe. It is more evident in its absence, so that when leadership is needed, its lack is sorely felt.

We have much to contribute to the world; ways of knowing and being that are going to be essential to everyone's survival on our planet. As true citizens of Australia, properly acknowledged in our constitution, we can look forward not only to improving our own lot, but helping Australia contribute to the well-being of all the world's peoples.

For Aboriginal leaders, the social and moral obligation that comes with community leadership is life-long. Those who lead, who have authority, must care for and look after those who come behind.

These Australians hear the whispering in their heart and know it can only be silenced by coming to terms with the original owners of this beautiful and bounteous land. Many Australians of goodwill sense that a moment for national leadership has slipped past us and is gone.

In a climate of uncertainty and fear, without strong and visionary leadership, people panic.

A perspective from Andrew Hamilton SJ: “Seen through the lens of Sorry Business, Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week belong together and involve all Australians. It is an invitation to the whole Australian Community to do Sorry Business for the death and diminishment which Government policies brought to the Stolen Generations. The removal of children from their parents was bound up with death in its beginnings and its consequences. It developed from the conviction that Indigenous culture was dying out. It was designed to accelerate that process by assimilating the snatched children to their dominant culture. It brought death to the spirit of people separated from their families and culture and often untimely physical death to them and their descendants.”

Good God Choir - some background

Yesterday we posted Fr Norbert Becker MSC's hymn. Wikipedia revealed some MSC news of Fr Becker's centre. 

The Wikipedia entry:

The Steinerskirchen oasis and the church

Steinerskirchen is a district of the Hohenwart market in Bavaria .

Steinerskirchen is located about 15 km south of Ingolstadt and 60 km north of Munich in the Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm district on the border with the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district .

The parish village consists of an agriculture, a monastery and the educational house Oasis Steinerskirchen.

The Steinerskirchen oasis is next to the religious house the largest building in town. It is an educational institution built in 1984. The institution of the institution is the Sacred Heart missionaries . 3 brothers and 6 fathers currently live there. The religious order Steinerskirchen belongs to the Southern German-Austrian province of the Sacred Heart missionaries. The abbreviation "MSC" stands for this order.

Right next to the oasis is the Church of the Annunciation and St. Michael. The MSC celebrate the service there every Sunday to Friday at 7 a.m. The parish service also takes place on Sundays at 10 a.m. Steinerskirchen is a parish of the diocese of Augsburg . The 'stone church' was built in the eighth century and renewed at the end of the 15th century. Steinerskirchen has always remained small and today is the smallest parish in the diocese of Augsburg.

The Bildungshaus OASE is a seminar and leisure facility of the place.

Good God Choir - A German MSC Story, and Hymn

We received the music and lyrics for a hymn from one of our German confreres, Norbert Becker MSC.    He has a covering letter.  Here are both plus the music.

The covering letter 

Dear confreres, 

The hymn: Good God, JPIC-Prayer of MSC

Lyrics: Franz-Josef Ruwe

Music: Norbert M. Becker MSC

I'll just use some addresses from the last General Chapter in Rome...

* "Let us be the voice of your heart" was the title of the MSC-jubilee-song...

** the musical-prayer "good god" support the effort for JPIC...

*** now we wrote a song for the worldwide action 'Fridays for future', 

Because  "... God’s creation is in danger!"

 Maybe you have the opportunity to use / perform the song for / with young people ... 

(... and then you can put your interpretation on youtube ...) 

Maybe you know people from the music business in your country / your region, 

who can perform this song ... ?

many greetings from Germany… 

Norbert

Norbert M. Becker     Oase Steinerskirchen     D-86558 Hohenwart     

fon  08446 920118     mobil  016096200517     mail  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.    

web www.oase-steinerskirchen.de 

Announcing an Online Retreat from St Mary's Towers.

Online Retreat 15-20 June 2020  - Meeting God in Silence and Solitude

St Mary’s Towers Retreat Centre, Douglas Park

Presenter:  Michelle Vass

When Elijah meets God at Horeb, not in the dramatic signs of wind, earthquake and fire, but in the sound of sheer silence, a voice asks him, “What are you doing here?

(1 Kings 19:11-13).”

We too might have heard these words during the recent months of staying home in Corona-time. What are you doing here? What are you doing here in the midst of family or community, enjoying the quieter time and perhaps still longing for space, for silence, for solitude? What are you doing here, those who live alone, in this imposed silence and solitude?

We have a rich spiritual tradition in Christianity informing us that silence is the guardian of our hearts and the indispensable means for our inner growth in prayer. Jesus himself knew the importance of silence and solitude, going out to the mountain at night to pray (Lk 6:12), and encouraging us to go into the room of our heart, to close the door and pray to God in secret (Mt6:6).   All the prophets before him encountered God in silence and solitude, and the great mystics of our tradition also knew their power.  

This retreat seeks to explore the ways in which we meet God in silence and solitude. While some will find this easier to do in a physical space of silence and solitude, ultimately we are seeking a solitude of heart in companionship with the Holy One who calls us into Love.

The retreat will consist of a daily online reflection at 10:30 am. This will be delivered using Microsoft Teams, a form of Skype. Instructions for access will be provided upon registration. The retreat will be delivered in keeping with our usual practice, however there will be brief opportunities for sharing prayer or a simple comment on the first and last days only. If you wish to reflect with another on your retreat experience, spiritual accompaniment will be available with members of the Retreat Team by phone or online, throughout. Reflection material from the daily sessions will be available on the website to access at your own pace during the retreat.

Please email the Administrator to register: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by indicating your name, phone number and option (1,2 or 3) and any request for spiritual accompaniment. Payment can be made online:

Account: St. Mary’s Towers

A/C: 29783100

BSB: 062 784

Commonwealth Bank

Please notify the Administrator with your details when you have made an EFT payment

Cost 2020: All tariffs are negotiable

Option 1 $50-200 to participate (depending on your financial situation)

Option 2 $200 for daily spiritual accompaniment with online presentations included

Option 3 $40 per session of spiritual accompaniment by phone or online including online presentations

MSC Parish Mission Formation Team, the past and an unexpected future

Narita Perotta, Dominic Gleeson, Gerard McCormick, Marian England, Michael Hangan.

The team met in early February - and the pandemic has stopped further meetings. But here is the report of the meeting - and some of the hopes

At the Parishes Conference in May 2019, it was resolved that the Province would establish a Parish Formation Team.  This was with the view of conducting MSC formation for all parishioners to discover their own mission in Heart Spirituality.

The newly formed MSC Parish Mission Formation Team met at Treand House on 7/8 February 2020 under the guidance of Provincial, Chris McPhee msc, and Gerard McCormick msc.  Members are Dominic Gleeson msc, Peter Henndriks msc,  Dcn Michael Hangan, Marian England and Narita Perrotta.

The purpose of this meeting is to establish a working process that will endeavour to break open

Heart Spirituality in the lives of all people who  attend our parishes, so as to empower them to be Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The MSC Parish Mission Formation Team’s task is to work together with our MSC Parishes to enable them to flourish into centres of heart renewal.

In the knowledge that Christian life begins with being loved, we are creating a program to  empower our parishes to be a place where  community members are all called to be Disciples of the Heart.

The Team will be working closely with Parish Priests, Mission Coordinators  (two key parishioners),          Pastoral Council  to conduct MSC Spirituality Weekends.

There will be a yearly gathering of all stakeholders [Mission Coordinators, Parish Priests together with

the MSC Parish Formation Team] to develop our Spirituality in the context of Parish life today; to

encourage each other, and to vision possibilities so as to open a pathway forward into the future.

The hope of the Provincial would be that the MSC Formation Team will become an ongoing resource for all MSC Parishes across Australia.

Already planned on the weekend of 13-15 March, 2020, the team will gather with the Provincial to begin planning a spiritual journey into the Heart.

This weekend will focus on an experiential  encounter of one’s own belovedness and how the team then will lead others into this same experiential encounter with the Sacred Heart.

This is a new and exciting endeavour, working in partnership with each other, bringing all to know and love everywhere the Heart of Jesus…being on earth the Heart of God.

So, here we are now - how will the lockdown experience contribute to the developments?

A Henley Beach indication,

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