To the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Who Is Jules Chevalier? Part 5

In March 1869, the Holy See approved the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart to be a Religious Congregation of Pontifical Right. The MSC were no longer under the control of the Archbishop. Now, the MSC’s direct authority was under the Pope. The definitive approval came in 1874. All the members made a retreat in September. During the retreat, the community elected Fr. Chevalier as its first Superior General. Fr. Chevalier’s counsellors consisted of Frs. Piperone, Vandel, Bazier, and Guyot. The retreat included all the members professing perpetual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Some ongoing issues needed addressing.

With the help Fr. Jean-Marie Vandel, MSC, an Apostolic School (Petite Oeuvre), in Chezal Benoit for seminarians desiring to be missionaries, opened on October 14, 1867. Fr. Vandel’s program of “A Penny a Year” was a successful endeavor for financial support for the school. For a century, the school was a wellspring for vocations.

Fr. Jean-Marie Vandel, MSC

Students who finished at the Apostolic School had to do a one-year novitiate period. The novitiate year was at Montlucon. After its blessing in August 1869, the first novices arrived on September 12. Fr. Guyot was the first Novice Director, and Fr. Remy Ledoux was his assistant. Unfortunately, because of the Franco-German War (1870-1871), it was suspended until 1872, when it reopened. At the end of their novitiate year, the students made their profession of vows and then began their philosophy and theology studies. By 1879, this worked quite well.

Before 1872, the congregation’s activities appeared to be progressing without issue. However, the community faced another significant challenge. In 1872, the Confraternity of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was established in Rome. Fr. Chevalier consented to establishing the new Confraternity of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart until he became aware that the Confraternity altered the image of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and separated itself from Issoudun. Furthermore, the Roman Confraternity was granted the designation of an Archconfraternity. All other confraternities of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart maintained their affiliation with the MSC in Issoudun. Fr. Chevalier requested Fr. Jouet to travel to Rome to assess the situation. This Confraternity held a significant status in Rome. It served as the central hub for all the Confraternities of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Fr. Jan Bovemars, MSC, stated, “The daughter [Rome] received far more rights than her mother [Issoudun].”

The Confraternity changed the artwork to depict Mary’s foot on the serpent, holding the child Jesus in front of her, and touching the child’s heart. His arms spread out to greet everyone.

Fr. Chevalier was not satisfied with the image. He regarded the Confraternity as an independent entity from his mission. His Confraternity is primarily referred to as one of the “efficacious” means of accomplishing his plan to make the Sacred Heart of Jesus loved everywhere. It cannot be separate from the vocation of the Missionary of the Sacred Heart.

Fr. Chevalier sent Fr. Jouet to Rome with a letter from their friend, Archbishop d’Auvvergne to see Pope Pius IX. They showed the distorted image to His Holiness. They reminded him that he blessed and crowned the original statue in his name. The Pope assured them that their image was not the one that was condemned, “This is a mistake. I find it irreproachable. Tell your pious Archbishop that he will soon receive an answer to calm him down.“

Nevertheless, the Pope, in a letter, stated that where the old image was, it could remain where the image is presently in churches and sanctuaries. A document from Rome also informed the MSC that it may be used again when the Cardinals pass away. According to the founder’s notes, the old image was in 400 dioceses, 3,000 sanctuaries or churches, and was honored by 12 million people.

In the future, Cardinals required approval for a new Our Lady of the Sacred Heart statue for the universal Archconfraternity. The statue should represent Mary cradling the infant Jesus, presenting him to the faithful. Fr. Chevalier created today’s prominent image of Mary embracing the child Jesus, her right hand touching his heart, and Jesus directing attention to her with his right hand: To the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Fr. Chevalier consistently emphasized this message.

The controversy did not come to an end until the reign of Leo XIII. The Universal Archconfraternity of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, with its seat in Rome, is entrusted, in perpetuity, to the care of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. The Center for the Archconfraternity is in Rome, located at the former St. James of the Spaniard Church in Piazza Navona, purchased by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart with financial donations.

A visitor to the MSC Sacred Heart Church in Issoudun, France, can observe four representations of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. There are three statues in the sacristy. The original and most popular images (both designed by Fr. Chevalier), and the Roman image (designed by the Roman Confraternity) are seen. An enlarged statue of Fr. Chevalier’s original statue resides in her chapel. The latter statue, which Fr. Chevalier had to design, features Mary holding Jesus in her arms with her right hand touching his Heart and the right hand of Jesus pointing towards her. Located in front of the sanctuary is a large Crucifix. Standing to the right of Jesus at the base of the crucifixion is a large image of Mary. Her left hand points directly to the wounded side of Jesus, while the other opens, inviting the world to join her with her son. An MSC Austrian parish donated this scene to Issoudun. All four images are venerated today.

Since its founding in 1854, with two members, the congregation grew. In 1879, membership consisted of 63 professed members: 5 Brothers, 29 priests, and 29 professed students. Before this time, 6 members were deceased.

Br. Warren Perrotto, MSC