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The Apostolic Boldness and Courage of Father Jules Chevalier for the Mission


"God is not afraid! He is not scared !
He always goes beyond our schemas and does not fear the peripheries. "
Himself was periphery
(See, Jn, 1:14)
* GE 135


In this Extraordinary Missionary Month October 2019, I invite you all to reflect on the missionary spirit of our founder, Father Jules Chevalier. It is interesting to reread Father Jules Chevalier's letter to Cardinal Simeoni dated 16 April 1881 concerning the response to sending missionaries to Papua New Guinea. From the words of the letter, we can see how the founder of our congregation had an extraordinary passion for the mission. He even invited his confreres, in the interest of the mission, not to fear giving up their lives, even if it was to happen "to give their lives if necessary".
The request of the Holy See concerning the mission in Melanesia has never crossed the mind of Father Jules Chevalier. He wrote: "We have never thought that the Holy See is looking at these despicable missionaries for an extremely important mission. Father Jules Chevalier was aware of human limitations: there were different types of difficulties in the mission area. In response to a letter from Cardinal Simeoni, Jules Chevalier realized that missions in the Melanesian region were not easy. He mentioned some characteristics of missionary places, including: "customs, difficult languages, the equatorial climate, the temperament of people still" wild ". In a word, mission to this place is only apostolic work that requires a lot of energy.
However, Jules Chevalier in a spirit of humility accepted the mission faithfully. In the situation at that time (1881), the MSC congregation was only 27 years old and did not yet have many members (29 priests, 3 brothers, 26 scholastics), Jules Chevalier responded positively to send MSC in this area difficult.

Cardinal Simeoni's letter to father Jules Chevalier, dated March 25, 1881, concerning a request for a mission to Melanesia, was seen by Jules Chevalier as a celestial sign. March 25 is one of the important holidays of the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. This date is the FETE OF THE ANNUNCIATION. Celebrated on March 25 since the mid-seventh century in the Latin Church, the Annunciation is an important holiday for Christians since it commemorates the announcement to Mary - communicated by the Archangel Gabriel - that she would be the mother of a truly "unique" child: "He will be great and we will call him Son of the Most High" (Luke 1,32). Mary accepts this mission: the feast therefore marks the very beginning of the earthly life of Jesus in the womb of the young woman.

This spirit of humility and simplicity of the Virgin Mary is a source of inspiration for Jules Chevalier to answer YES to the mission. Jules Chevalier said: "Ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. And with St. Peter, he said: "To Verbo tuo laxabo Rete. "
"Audacity and apostolic courage are characteristics of the mission." (Gaudete and Exultate, 131)


FOR THE MEDITATION:
“The example of many priests, nuns, religious and laity who are dedicated to evangelizing and serving with great fidelity, many times risking their lives and surely at the cost of their comfort, galvanizes us. Their testimony reminds us that the Church does not need bureaucrats and civil servants, but passionate missionaries devoured by the enthusiasm of transmitting real life. The saints surprise, disturb, because their lives invite us to come out of quiet and anesthetic mediocrity.” (Gaudete and Exultate, 138)

Let us ask the Lord for grace not to waver when the Spirit asks us to take a step forward; let us ask for the apostolic courage to announce the Gospel to others and to renounce making our Christian life a museum of memories. In any case, let the Holy Spirit make us contemplate history from the perspective of the risen Jesus. Thus, the Church, instead of stagnating, will be able to go forward by welcoming the surprises of the Lord. (Gaudete and Exultate, 139)

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