International Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family
The International Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family is an elected body with a mandate to implement the Guiding Principles and Statutes of the Laity of the Chevalier Family. The lay members of the Chevalier Family are a communion of people, animated by a Spirituality of the Heart, which has its roots in the charism of the Founder, Fr. Jules Chevalier. Together with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the laity belong to the Chevalier Family, and share the same Charism, Spirituality and Mission with Father Chevalier’s religious families.
The current members of the International Council are:
General Secretary - Alison McKenzie (Australia)
Secretary- Doris Machado dos Santos (Brazil)
Member - Rita Cleuren (Belgium)
Spiritual Companion - Fr Hans Kwakman msc (Holland)
The International Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family works alongside the General Administrations of the three orders. Fr Chevalier’s vision was for the laity to form a third branch alongside the religious family and groups of diocesan clergy. We are working towards making this vision a reality.
The members of the International Council are separated by geography and do not share language but are bound by a common commitment to the heart of Jesus and to Spirituality of the Heart as a way of life. We have met twice, face-to-face, firstly in Issoudun in July 2018 and then in Rome, at the same time as the trigeneralate meeting, in December 2019. In between we have regular Conference Calls and work together by email and WhatsApp. Three times each year we send out updates of our work along with reflections developed by each member of the Council. These communications are our way of connecting the international family and are distributed by the National Coordinators in each country. Each year, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart we publish an International Newsletter entitled: Encounter of Hearts.
The words we use to describe our working relationship with the other branches of the family are interdependent and autonomous. Interdependence reflects our recognition that we are a part of the Chevalier Family, united in our shared charism of Spirituality of the Heart. Autonomy reflects our recognition that to live this spirituality as lay people we will express it differently to religious in both language and the way it is lived.
Our mission is to be God’s Heart on Earth. We do this primarily in our families and communities, but also with a recognition that our charism calls us to be actively involved in justice and peace initiatives and to work towards greater integrity and respect for our common home.
Communication within Australia:
Alison McKenzie
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Mobile: 61+418664952
Web: www.misacor.org.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/laityofthechevalierfamily
Fred Stubenrauch: Chair, National Council
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Web: www.chevalierlaity.com.au
Fr Peter Carroll msc – Spiritual Companion
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