Street in Surigao Renamed After MSC Founder

12 December 2008

SURIGAO CITY, Philippines – The founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart now has a street named after him in the City of Surigao.

The Surigao City government renamed Magallanes Street to Jules Chevalier Street in honor of the MSC founder.

The street was unveiled by Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Casurra who said that the renaming of the street was an expression of the City’s gratitude to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart for serving the people of Surigao for the last one hundred years.

It was Fr Mark McDonald, the MSC General Superior, who blessed the street during its unveiling on the morning of 12 December 2008.

Other Surigao City government officials and members of the Chevalier family were present during the unveiling ceremony. The Provincial Governor, Ace Barbers, was represented by Board Member Melba Garcia.

The following is a slideshow of the photos taken during the blessing and unveiling of the Jules Chevalier Street. The photos can also be found here.

  1. Comment by Msgr. Ray T. Sabio, mscNo Gravatar — 21 December 2008 @ 7:35 PM

    Surigao is the Bethlehem of our MSC congregation in the Philippines.
    But Surigao was a very difficult mission area and this forced the Benedictines to withdraw in 1908. Negotiations for the coming of the Dutch MSC’s started in the late 1906 and Fr. Chevalier at the twilight of his life knew about the invitation to his sons to work in the new mission called the Philippines .
    It is indeed fitting and proper that a street in Surigao be named after Fr. Jules Chevalier, MSC. After all, his sons, the early Dutch MSC missionaries strengthened the growth of the Catholic Church in what is now called the Caraga Region (comprising Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, the whole Agusan area, Dinagat and Siargao.) Many of the churches, rectories and schools they had constructed are still standing tall and strong today. It was in the time of the Dutch Fathers that Surigao-Agusan was elevated into a diocese in 1940 with Bishop John Vrakking, MSC as its first bishop. He was succeeded by Bishop Carlos van den Ouwelant, MSC in 1955.
    A street in Issoudun, France was also named after Fr. Jules Chevalier in 1999. At that time, a General Chapter was held in Issoudun.

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