LETTER GREETINGS AGAIN FROM SAIGON, BOB IRWIN MSC

Greetings from Saigon,

November already, so I had better write this now before another month slips away. I hope you and yours are doing well, and in good health.

If you receive this on Wednesday, you might storm the heavens for the 5 postulants here, who have their IELTS, English reading, writing, listening and speaking tests tomorrow morning, Thursday....you are 4 hours ahead of here.  If they do OK, then they can go to the Novitiate in the Philippines. If not,ouch!

The current unfolding of the deaths of so many Vietnamese in England is awful. Another case of the quest for the promised land turned tragic. They borrow a fortune apparently, and if they manage to get to England, for example, they end up in debt bondage, in low paid jobs, that take years to pay back the debt and interest. One of the deceased is married with four children...so sad, what some parents try to do to support their family. The tip of the iceberg.

Of course, there are many local Vietnamese overseas..170,000 studying o/s (17,000 undergrads in Oz!)...more than 140,000 legal "guest workers".

October saw both Thoi and myself back in Sydney for health reasons; Thoi for his post cancer regular check up (clear!), and muggins with the inner ear issues. So the ENT drilled a few more holes in my head to try to help, and reasonably successful, but complicated by a continuous head cold...still, no complaints allowed. Sorry I had so little time to catch up with you.

A great highlight of October was the visit of the two "girls", Sharron and Di, from St Brigid's school and parish in Coogee. Their itinerary could be worth following, if you are thinking of visiting. They left their husbands behind, and went with a tour company from Oz, to Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Mekong, and Saigon. When the tour left, they spent days with nearly all the MSC here... Hoang, the community leader, and the older....visit to War museum, palace, classes, liturgies with the postulants and the scholastics, and an afternoon in an orphanage with pre-postulants.

They sampled some great Vietnamese food, including students' excellent cooking!

Vietnam is still dealing with the results of the war. I just noticed that a large area around Bien Hoa airport has been handed over to US AID for dioxin clean up. The clean-up is expected to take 10 years. Oz has fire and floods, and Vietnam has floods and storms aplenty. The recent typhoon Matmo destroyed 35 schools in a central Province. Speaking of schools, it was great to hear that the Downlands Year 12s went out singing THE song (Shout out my soul).

Teachers' day here has a song, which includes the idea that the chalk dust turns our hair white!! but includes lines like: "I love the way you changed my life, you opened my heart and mind." We are looking forward to the return of Quang, after his 9 months formation to help on staff.

Lots of love to you all. Have a great holiday, when they come, school people. Let's keep the prayers going. See you in the new year.   God bless.  (Uncle) Bob

THE EYES OF GOD: DISCERNMENT, BRIAN GALLAGHER MSC, NEW BOOK

While Brian had written a number of books on prayer and discernment over several decades, in the last year he has been more prolific, drawing on the research work she did on spiritual direction and discernment for his doctoral thesis. The material drew on Brian’s experience as the founder of the Heart of Life spirituality centre and his establishing the program for training spiritual directors, SILOAM.

The book of his thesis was called Set Me Free, Spiritual Direction and Discernment of Spirits. He also drew on his thesis for a new addition of Communal Wisdom: A Way of Discernment for a Pilgrim Church.

These themes continue with The Eyes of God, endorsement by Sue Richardson from the Foreword, and from Paul Beirne, Director of the Heart of Life Centre for Spiritual and Pastoral Formation.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit,but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. 1 John 4:1

God’s Spirit permeates all life from the first moment of creation. Response to that Spirit is often compromised by counter spirits, spirits not-of-God, drawing us away from God. This is a book about these different attractions in our lives, their sources, their power to affect our decision making for good or ill. It is a book about human freedom and human limitation, about the need to acknowledge the unconscious places of unfreedom in our lives, and about the quest for inner freedom and wholeness for the sake of discerning choices that are life-giving.

This is a unique book, blending quite revealing personal experience of God and sound, helpful teaching about the ways of God’s Spirit in individual lives and in community. The book will be of value to spiritual directors and pastoral ministers, indeed, to all people who take God seriously and are committed to living a discerning way of life.

                                     From the Foreword by Sue Richardson pbvm

Part personal reflection, part erudite and intimate sharing of the role discernment occupies in the sacred space where humanity and Divinity meet, part guided meditation, Brian Gallagher’s memoir The Eyes of God is a first class example of a scholar-practitioner embodying Ernest Larkin’s description of discernment: ‘hearing and responding to the word of God by one who knows the language’.

                                    Paul Beirne, Director: Heart of Life Centre for Spiritual and Pastoral Formation

LAY MSC NEWSLETTER     2nd EDITION 2019

FROM THE DIRECTOR

As many of you would already know, I have indicated to our Provincial, Fr Chris McPhee that I wish to retire from the position of Director of the Lay MSC Association at the end of this year.  So this will be my last Newsletter to you.

Over the years, I have come to know many of you very well and have enjoyed visiting the several groups throughout the country.  I have admired your commitment to regular meetings, and I have been inspired by the way you have embraced the MSC charism.  The Provincial in Council will appoint another Director in due time.

As a final message allow me to recall number 10 of the MSC Constitutions which summaries our mutual vocation, as well as a favourite passage from the writings of Fr Chevalier.

“As Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, we live our faith in the Father’s love revealed in the Heart of Christ. We want to be like Jesus who loved with a human heart; we want to love through him and with him, and to proclaim his love to the world”.

The Heart of Jesus revealed in the gospels

If we follow our Lord in his public life, we see his Heart pour itself out

On every sort of misfortune, on every sort of misery, moral and physical.

From where comes the forgiveness that he grants so generously to Samaritan woman,

to the woman taken in adultery, to Mary Magdalene?

From his Heart.

From where comes that infinite mercy that he shows towards sinners,

that so tender compassion for those who suffer?

From his heart.

What inspired him to heal so many sick people who appealed to his power;

to raise so many dead at the prayer of their desolate parents?

His Heart, always his Heart.

All the kindness that Jesus showed along his path,

all the miracles he worked are so many outpourings of the ineffable goodness of his Heart.

Thus the Gospel that relates them could be called the

Gospel of the Sacred Heart.

I wish all of you God’s abundant blessings.

Jim Littleton MSC

Director of Lay MSC

Most will have heard the news that Jim Littleton is to retire as Director of Lay MSC from January 2020.

On a personal note I am very grateful for Jim’s patient guidance over the years I have known and been associated with him.

I am sure that many will agree that we own a great debt of gratitude to Jim for his dedication to seeing the dream of Jules Chevalier come to fruition.

There are many other wonderful professed MSC who have also dedicated themselves to that cause as well and we hope will continue to do so but I’m sure you will agree that Jim has brought wonderful organisation and provided support for all of us in his special way (I wonder how many kilometres he has travelled!!).

A Bit of History

 (These are notes from a presentation made at the gathering at St Mary’s Towers, September 2019)

I rely very heavily on Jim Littleton for his publication “A Vision Restored” for much of what I include in these notes.

We are all familiar with Jules Chevalier’s vision, his dream of groups of people dedicated to the spread of God’s love throughout the world.

He wanted that dream (mission) to be continued especially through the work of lay people. 

Jules’ dream of having a ‘third order’ of lay people initially met with some opposition but he was encouraged to pursue the idea. The plan hit a further barrier when, as a result of decisions made by the Vatican, the 1907 constitutions of MSC contained no reference to lay people at all.

The advent of Vatican II, however, saw religious societies and orders encouraged to go back to the vision of their founder.

As a result our three congregations MSC, MSC Sisters and FDNSC began investigating ways in which lay people could be encouraged to join the mission, the dream of Jules Chevalier.

How this happened varied from country to country and from tradition to tradition.

The first attempts to bring together lay people associated with the three traditions happened in Issoudun, 1995 where a gathering of 130 lay people recommended further gatherings be held.

The second gathering followed in 1999 when 160 people from 23 different countries came together. A ‘Charter’ was suggested but there was no consensus. There was also difficulty with a suitable name for lay people involved in the mission.

A third gathering in Santo Domingo, 2008, resulted in the election of a committee (mainly from Europe) and with Rita Cleuren of Belgium as International Coordinator. This committee was asked to develop a model for the future of the Laity of the Chevalier Family.

The fourth gathering 2017 in Sao Paulo, Brazil saw the International Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family elected.  This Council consists of Alison McKenzie as General Secretary, Doris Machado (Brazil) and Rita Cleuren (Belgium) they are accompanied by Hans Kwakman MSC as Spiritual Companion.

At that gathering the document General Guiding Principles and Statutes of the Laity of the Chevalier Family was accepted. This document encourages each country to develop a National Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family.

That challenge was taken up in March 2018 at a symposium held at St Mary’s Towers and attended by lay people and professed members of MSC and FDNSC.

The steering committee over fifteen months developed a proposal for the setting up of the National Council.

Nominations were called for and accepted by the MSC Lay and Professed Council and the Leadership team of the OLSH Associates.

Our three Provincials, Mary Drum MSC Sisters, Tess Ward FDNSC and Chris McPhee gave their support to the nominations.

“Bringing the Family Together” was the title of the gathering held at St Mary’s Towers, 13^th to 15^th September at which 51 people from our three traditions, professed and lay, witnessed the commissioning of the National Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family.

The members of the National Council are: Therese Poulton, Ellenmary Lomman, Narita Perrotta, Jenny Missen, Anne Marmion, Aidan Johnson, Margaret Donohoe, Paul Compton, Tom Hodgson, Chris McDermott and Fred Stubenrauch (interim chair).

Peter Carroll has agreed to be our Spiritual Companion.

We held our first meeting on 15^th September at St Mary’s Towers and intend our next meeting of Council members will be 13^th 14^th March 2020 to include a retreat.

I look forward with energy and enthusiasm to the future of the ‘new venture’ of “Bringing the Family Together”

We ask for your prayers and guidance as we work to continue the vision of Jules Chevalier.

National Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family (LCF)

As mentioned above the steering committee put together a proposal for the development of this Council and I would like to point out some of the main points in that proposal.

Aim of the National Council

To help guide the Australian Province of MSC, OLSH, MSC Sisters and wider Chevalier family in a response to the “Guidelines” document approved by the General assembly of the Laity of the Chevalier Family, July 2018.

The National Council relies on the support and collaboration of the Provincial Administrations of the Chevalier Congregations in each country for its establishment.

Authority

This will be a private association of the Christian Faithful (Canon 215), motivated by and consistent with “General Guiding Principles and Statutes of the Laity of the Chevalier Family”. These guiding principles were approved by the gathering of Laity of the Chevalier Family, Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 2017

Provincial Administrations of the Chevalier Family include:

• FDNSC: The OLSH Associates, the OLSH Provincial and Council
• MSC: The Lay and Professed Council, the MSC Provincial and Council
• MSC Sisters:

Who are Laity of the Chevalier Family?

The steering Committee included the following as members of the Laity of the Chevalier Family

• Formal Lay MSC/OLSH (i.e. those individuals who have been approved by provincial administrations)
• MSC/OLSH School students, teachers and alumni
• MSC/OLSH Parish members
• MSC/OLSH Missions
• Heartworks and MSC/OLSH youth outreach
• Individuals and other groups who identify with the Lay Chevalier Family and who are recognised by others as such

The task of the National Council is:

• To acknowledge and endorse the administration of each of the aforementioned groups.
• To provide ongoing formation of the members in Spirituality of the Heart;
• To appoint one or more Spiritual Companions for mentoring of the aforementioned groups.
• To assure collaboration of the administrations of the aforementioned groups with the wider Chevalier Family
• To support the continuous presence of the Laity of the Chevalier Family in the country;
• To send, if possible, 1 (one) member with right to vote to the General Assembly, appointed by the National Council.

Fred Stubenrauch

October 201

Lay MSC Gathering Retreat September 2019

National Council members anointed by Alison McKenzie, General Secretary International Council

Prayer space “Bringing the Family Together”

Some comment from participants at the gathering

Here are a few of my comments and what touched me at the weekend:

• the personal stories shared of how lives were touched/changed by being involved with the charism
• the historical background of Jules Chevalier's vision to include involvement of the laity "to be on earth the heart of God"
• a clear understanding of how this "involvement" evolved
• the branching out of this vision and mission through Sr Marie Louise Hartzer and

Fr Hubert Linckens 

• the big picture of what needs to happen to keep this vision alive and where

 I as an individual fit in

• a tremendous sense of belonging to a family that includes and welcomes all 
• When I got there, I wasn’t too sure exactly why I came. I did enjoy being part of the discussion groups. The lovely OLSH sisters are so committed to the work they do, (and some of them are not spring chickens).
• I wasn't going to attend the weekend but changed my mind and very glad I did.

It was a chance to be with people who are on the same page as myself and heading in the same direction.

• It was certainly history in the making and I am so glad I was there to experience it.
• My comment would be to have more opportunities for the three lay branches of the Chevalier Family to meet during the year.
• I had only been asked to go the week before and heading down for the first time and not really knowing what to expect. It was an amazing weekend of fellowship with a history and people I didn’t know existed until 5 days ago.  It was exciting to see and help form plans for the lay council where we can be God’s heart on earth alongside and supporting religious and professed.  My spiritual cup is full and overflowing!
• I look forward to communicating with the council in the future and supporting our parishes and people for the various ministries we are all engaged in.
• Thanks a million for your emails and accompanying photo link – they’re great! We had a good trip back to Sydney, and on the way three carloads of us stopped for lunch together.
• Fred, I just want to congratulate and thank you for all the hard work you put into the preparation and coordination of the weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed and was inspired and enriched by every moment of it. What a joy to have met so many wonderful people who share the beauty of our rich charism This fills my heart with the assurance that God is indeed “…reserving a future full of hope” for us (Jer 29 11). 
• Whenever I try to write something about it words fail me! But I will try. The experience of this weekend was just so much in keeping with all that I hold dear in my life as a Daughter of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and a member of the Chevalier Family. How fitting the theme was - Bringing the Family Together!  What loving unity there was in our diversity! How heart-felt were all the presentations and sharing!  Unforgettable, inspirational, encouraging, moving, exciting ........ and so many other things. Now we move into a new era of being together the Heart of God on earth.  May Mary, Our Lady of the Sacred, continue to bless our growth, just as she has done so lovingly since Jules Chevalier called on her motherly assistance in 1854.
• A couple of thoughts in relation the weekend as you invited....

I was overwhelmed by the organisation and chairing of the weekend by Alison.  The amount of work, planning and inspiration that went into the presentations and causing them to all run smoothly and with such vision and insight into Heart Spirituality was extraordinarily moving.  The symbols used and their development throughout the weekend and in the various presentations added significantly to the meaningfulness of what was already inspiring. Another facet of the weekend that I found particularly moving was the presentation of the 'biographies' of the incoming Board.  In particular Jenny's words illustrated what I find of particular relevance in this day and age and that is the need for inclusiveness. Jenny's 'story' illustrated perfectly how important and life changing this can be.  What Chevalier envisioned as inclusiveness for all may have grown over the years but it is surely an integral part of his vision in bringing the love of the Heart of Jesus to all. I am also greatly encouraged and filled with ever increasing hope by the involvement and commitment of 'the next generation'. Coming from an environment in which the commitment to Heart Spirituality is predominantly [and in fact almost exclusively] by those over 65 and well beyond, it is cause for much optimism to know that although the expression of Heart Spiritually may develop and emerge in a different form it will continue to grow and thrive , guided by the Spirit, in those responding with enthusiasm to Chevalier's charism.

• I can only reiterate what others already have said, no doubt.  The weekend was outstanding.  I don’t think there could have been any doubt about the spirit of the Heart being ever present.  There was a sense of peace throughout that seemed to add to the whole experience, and at the same time recognition of identity and purpose.  I hope that the Councilors felt the support and encouragement they need for the next phase.  There was such optimism and hope too from professed Religious present, on our behalf. 
• I would like to congratulate you both on last weekend retreat.  Having been there for many of the previous gatherings it was wonderful to see how the three different groups of the Chevalier Family have been brought together to move forward as a whole with the original vision of the founder Jules Chevalier.  Having been mostly associated with the Lay MSC it was wonderful to hear the background and formation of the OLSH associates and the MSC Sisters.  Many thanks to everybody for making the weekend so spiritually enriching - it has given me a new lease of life to continue as a Chevalier Family member.  I wish the newly installed Lay Chevalier National Council the very best for the journey ahead. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.
• Thanks to you and all the organisers of the weekend.  I felt that all 
  the sessions strengthened all we knew of the charism of the founders of 
  the three branches, and especially that the spirit of all three were 
  identical, and everyone can move forward in love and inclusiveness as 
  one family.

Congregation Representatives at Douglas Park retreat: Steve Dives MSC, Sister Roz MSC, Sister Tess Ward OLSH

 Adult Faith Group in Numurkah

 Our MSC Adult Faith Group in Numurkah is looking forward to the discernment process and decision making of the Plenary Council 2020. The Spirit will need to be invited to work hard in order to bring to the forefront, the sensus fidelium or “sense of the faithful”, which according to Vatican theologians should never be confused with “the majority opinion of the faithful in a given time or place”.  Thus, the need for genuine discernment.

Our MSC group sent a submission as part of Phase 1 of Discerning and Listening. Our submission was printed in 1^st Edition 2019 of the Lay MSC Newsletter. We are hoping for major changes in many areas – changes that the Faithful have been speaking of for many decades. Some of these changes may have been implemented by now if the spirit of Darcy Morris msc (1904-1955) had been appreciated more widely. The booklet “Ahead of His Time” about Darcy, written by Jim Littleton and Adrian Meaney, is well worth reading and reflecting on.

Our group in Numurkah continues to meet monthly unless circumstances prevent this. Jim Littleton continues to give us support.  Jim’s contribution has been amazing and inspiring -giving us an appreciation of the Spirituality of the Heart.  We thank him very much. At present we are working through the chapters of “Hatch, Match & Dispatch” by Richard Leonard sj.  We also share the current events of our lives and reflect on the coming Sunday’s gospel with the aid of John McKinnon’s video commentary.

Many blessings to all.

Patrick & Maria Kempton

Numurkah

Notices:

A reminder that a donation of $10.00 per address per year would be appreciated to assist in the production of this Newsletter. The donation can be sent to Fr. Jim Littleton, PO Box 84, Dickson ACT, 2602.

Short reports for this Newsletter can be forwarded to the editor, Amy Parish at PO Box 19A, Douglas Park NSW 2569 or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thank you.

MSC SISTERS, PROVINCE CHAPTER, AUSTRALIA

Afire for God’s Mission in Today’s World

With thanks to the MSC Sisters for this outline of their recent Provincial Chapter.  The Sisters are present in Australia which means that so many of the Chevalier Family do not have immediate contact with them. We are reminded of their ministry – their theme going into the Chapter was:

Afire for God’s Mission in Today’s World:

“I have come to bring fire on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled.” Lk 12,49

DAY 1:

The day began with Sr. Mary Drum, Province Leader welcoming the 17 Delegates, Sr Madeleine Barlow RNDM , Fr Frank Andersen MSC and Sr Kate DuVal SSND.

The Opening Prayer led by Sisters Ros and Carolle took us through the Emmaus Story incorporating the call and response of each delegate to their participation in the Chapter.

Madeleine, who was later joined by Fr Frank began a reflective and prayerful process drawing on the Emmaus Story.  The day was brought to a close with a Eucharistic Celebration.

Day 2:

Sr Kate DuVal SSND, our facilitator from the U.S. was formally welcomed as our Chapter Facilitator.

Sister Kate DuVal SSND, Faciiltator

Chapter Formalities took place.

The Australian Province Report was presented by Sr Mary Drum and the Financial Report was presented by Sr Maureen Sheehan.  Questions and clarification followed both reports.

Sister Mary Drum, Provincial Superior

Day 3:

Among the topics discussed today was Future Governance in view of our Aging Province.

Throughout the Chapter days we were encouraged to ponder the question - What is emerging for us as Australian MSC Sisters? 

Sister Anneliese Reinhard MSC

Day 4:

Election of 2 delegates to the General Chapter in Rome in June 2020.

Sister Joan Fisher MSC

Time was spent on forming an Affirmation Statement from the Chapter.

The Chapter concluded with a Eucharist Celebration led by Fr Phil Malone MSC.                                  

With thanks:  Text, Maureen Smith; photos, Carmel Butler.

ACKNOWLEDGING TERRY NAUGHTON MSC, 80

Once again, a tribute to a confrere who turned 80, yesterday, November 3. Terry has been unwell in recent weeks and we wish him good health.

Terry is a Queenslander, from Warwick. He made his novitiate in 1958 at Douglas Park but received a diagnosis during that year that he suffered from diabetes. This meant a brief interruption for his novitiate year and he made his profession on August 5, 1959.

Terry with his living with diabetes medal

During his studies for the priesthood, in Canberra and at Croydon, he spent some time in teacher training. After his ordination, 17^th July, 1966, he was appointed to the newly established Daramalan College in Canberra, in charge of the junior school, working with Frank Anderson for many years, until the end of 1978.

There is great significance in Terry's turning 80. When he was diagnosed with diabetes, the doctors informed him that he would not live beyond 40. During the year of his turning 40, Terry and Frank spent a renewal year at the Jesuit Institute in Berkeley, California. Terry wrote a reflective piece about his life, illness, prospects for the length of his life in an article for Compass Theology Review.

Terry has had quite an extraordinary extra 40 years. He taught at Chevalier College. In 1982, he became director of the MSC Pre-novitiate students at Croydon. In 1987 he was appointed novice master. In later years, he has been living at St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park, working in spiritual direction, and conducting retreats and spirituality workshops. More recently, he was at Kensington monastery and is now residing at St Joseph’s Nursing Home.

A life of great fortitude – and encouragement to us all.

25th MSC GENERAL CONFERENCE:  FINAL REPORT.

25th General Conference: “whole is greater than the sum of its parts”

Final report by Jommy Burgos, MSC (Philippine Province)

The 2019 General Conference makes it big in Korea as the “Land of the Morning Calm.” It is also the 25th General Conference of the Congregation, exhorting every participant to make it also a Jubilee moment, says Mario Abzalon Alvarado Tovar, MSC, the Superior General. The General Conference is slated on September 23 to October 4, 2019 at the Sacred Heart Retreat House in Busan, South Korea. Secondly, it is also significant for Korean confreres being their debut, a new entity in the congregation to have granted the province status. The preparation was enormous and it was marked with a superb Korean hospitality.

The administration team came in advance so as to prepare for the nitty-gritties of the affair. The participants from all over the world came in trickles on Saturday but Korea especially Busan, was expecting a storm. Not only the heavyweights of the Society were expected but also a storm. Flights were cancelled due to inclement weather. Many were stalled at the airport, luckily almost all came in on a Monday as the weather gets better.

The facilitating team (Chris Chaplin and Br. Joe McKee, FMS, together with Abzalon, carefully tailored the design of the program with all its flexibility considering that other participants were affected badly by the weather. But it was with great laughter and sharing when each participant comes: a reunion of good friends, overwhelmed with stories and humours of the last meetings they had. It seemed that they have completely taken aside the travails of their journey to the “Land of Morning Calm,” more particularly, Busan, South Korea where smiles are extravagant and generous from the hosting province.

The site of this year’s Conference was in a retreat house owned by the MSC sisters, the Sacred Heart Retreat House in Busan. The cordial hospitality of the Korean confreres, the MSC sisters and the support of lay partners from both MSC Fathers and Sisters made it more convivial for the Conference participants. The first week was devoted into soul-searching as leaders where there was an invitation on shifting paradigms in leading. The second week was articulation of clear directions in leadership, structure, and zeal for mission.

On shifting paradigm in leadership and mission. Paradigms guide our way of acting and behaving. There is a lot there which can be assumed by leadership. The spirituality of the heart process approach is one underlying and emerging paradigm for leadership, for dynamic relationship and more importantly in mission. The spirituality comes into flesh as a process and an emerging paradigm during the conference. The participants were made to realize that at the center of everything of being and doing, there is our underlying HEART spirituality. It is emphatic listening in pragmatic terms. Compassion.

Congregationality.  There was an emphasis of being linked with one another. It has been given greater significance in this conference. That has been articulated already in previous congregational engage-ments, whether Chapter or Conferences. It is following the principle of systems-thinking, that the “whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” It makes every member of the congregation, provinces and regions responsible to the congregation. Acting locally, has bearing in the universal MSC world. We act locally as an entity and think “whole” as an MSC.

In view of Europe’s waning vocation, and confreres are advancing in age; hope flickers in the Conference that the spirituality of the Sacred Heart will always be timeless and classically bound for the future, for every need and for every situation. The world needs us. The old MSC provinces, may have been wary about the lessening numbers but it is not all about waiting for the last one to switch off the light. It is neither the long wait for the funeral. Rather, the reflection leads beyond the experience of difficulties to the hope for spring. It may be autumn, this time for the congregation but soon comes the springtime where new life blossoms.

The reflection brings us to inspiration, to explore rich ways of expressing the Spirituality of the Heart, because, certainly, everyone searches for love, for meaning in life especially the young people who want directions and guidance. Synodality with them is a necessity as the Pope (Francis) puts it.

This is not the first time that the congregation has experienced difficulties, the elderly participants quipped. The experience of difficulties was experienced by Founder; the difficulties are just means to an end if God desires us to do something, and He would use our current situations to push for it. What would Jules Chevalier say about the situation? Our charism tells us not to give up.

MSC provinces see the opportunity of pushing to create pockets of international communities, something currently done by European provinces. Initial and on-going formation are areas where international collaboration has been in the pipeline which the General Team is carefully and skilfully spearheading.

In closing, the General Conference has affirmed the missionary character of each member. Forward-looking to living in a multi-cultural community and doing mission anywhere not just to fill-in the missing gaps of the once established ministries that slowly wane along with the community but in the forecasted new way of living the spirituality of the heart in a new context. A new wine in a new wineskin.

The General Conference ended on October 4, 2019 with the exhortation of the Fr. General Abzalon, to co-create. We are all one family; we are responsible for each one. There could be differences but they can be surmounted with generative listening, an expression of the heart spirituality. What started well, ended well. All things end well.

THE CHEVALIER FAMILY'S FIRST FRIDAY JUSTICE MESSAGE

The recent MSC General Conference encouraged us to focus on Justice and Peace realities each First Friday.

The Australian MSC Justice and Peace Centre tries to promote God's love for all people in all places by actively drawing to the attention of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, their affiliates and co-workers, injustices where structure perpetuates violence, inequality, disadvantage, conflict and poverty in our world and, working with others in the MSC family to discover through reconciliation, healing and advocacy God's presence in our world.

SOME SIGNIFICANT NOVEMBER DAYS FOR THE CHEVALIER FAMILY, 2019

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!

MONIVAE COLLEGE,  JONATHAN ROWE APPOINTED PRINCIPAL, 2020

MSC appointments for 2020 have been announced. Significant for the MSC Education ministry, is the appointment of Jonathan Rowe as the next Principal of Monivae College.

Earlier in the year, Bob Irwin MSC wrote:

Good news.....very happy to announce that after careful consideration and an extensive search, the Provincial in Council has appointed Jonathan Rowe to be the next Principal of Monivae College, commencing January 2020.

There was a number of fine applicants, but the selection panel unanimously recommended Jonathan.

Jonathan is the current Deputy Principal of Monivae. He has very considerable expertise in education, and embodies the MSC ethos.

Jonathan is also currently the chair of the local Catholic primary school board. He and Rachael have two children, one in the primary school,  and one in year 9 at Monivae.

We wish Mark and Sue every blessing for this, their final year at Monivae, and every blessing for Jonathan and Rachael as they prepare for 2020.

He succeeds outgoing Principal, Mark Mc Ginnity who is tobecome Director of MSC Education.

7 LAY FAITHFUL, 3 MSC, KILLED IN GUATMALA, 1980-1991

BEATIFICATION OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD: JOSÉ GRAN CIRERA AND 9 COMPANIONS.

On June 11, 2019, the meeting of the Theological Congress of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints was held in the Vatican to discuss the alleged martyrdom of the Servants of God José Gran Cirera and IX companions. These were three professed priests of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and seven lay faithful killed in Guatemala between 1980 and 1991; the youngest, Juan Barrera Mèndez, was 13 years old while the oldest was 80.

At the end of their meeting, the nine Theological Consultors unanimously expressed a positive vote (9/9), thus confirming the certainty of the martyrdom reputation of these 10 Servants of God.

This report of the theologians (169 pages) will be examined, during the next year, by the Cardinals and Bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gathered in the Ordinary Session. If their opinion is positive, the cause will be transmitted to the Holy Father who will give his final judgment.

(From the General Bulletin, October 2019)

Jean Jules Chassem MSC, Procurator.