Brothers of Our Lady of Mercy

During his 40 years of priesthood, Victor Scheppers took care of different forms of apostolates.. A lot of speeches, lectures and letters have been preserved.

Our Lady of Hanswijk

Priest Victor Sccheppers

It is said that he had been preaching a lot in the church of Hanswijk. By the way his father was also one of the benefactors. By special request of the priest Van Campenhoudt, Victor Scheppers used to put up the believers to contribute a small gift for the finishing of the front in 1853; later on, on May the 29th of the year 1854, he thanked all the church-goers therefore.

He also held sermons occasionally in other neighbouring churches or he blessed Ways of the Cross such as in Vilvoorde, Bonheiden, Hofstade, Zemst and Muizen.

With the sanctuary of the Lady of Hanswijk he although stayed closely related. At the occasion of the 875 year existence of the place of pilgrimage in 1863, he there preached twice and at the closing of the festivities on August the 22th in 1863, he sang mass as well as the benediction. 

He granted a chair for the missal engraved with the name of his donor. The bell-shaped coat of the image of the Virgin, granted by this father, being chairman of the entertainment committee in 1838, was restored. 

A Society of Supplies

Touched by poverty and unemployment of a great deal of the population of Mechelen and surroundings, monsignor Scheppers founded  a Society of Supplies together with canon Bosmans and a few layman. The members paid a contribution of 0,2 francs  a week and in case of illness they got 1 franc a day for disability.

They also formed a savings-bank  to put up the workers to save in summer so that they could profit from their interests in winter when there was dearth or when they had special expenses.

Vincentius of Mechelen

Victor Scheppers

V. Scheppers was also founding father and chairman of the Sint-Vincentius a Paulo society in Mechelen. In 1851 he brought together some important citizens and put them on to visit the poor regularly.

For a long time he was the driving power of the society. Because of this devotion, he was sometimes called Vincentius of Mechelen.

Titles and badges of honour

Scutcheon of the Scheppers family

As well the ecclesiastical authority as the civil authority honoured V. Scheppers with titles and badges of honour. On the 27th September 1856, he was nominated “Secret Chamberlain of the Pope. On this occasion he placed the motto in nitore constat (persist in beauty) under the family arms.

In 1862 he became canon holder in the Cathedral of “Sint-Rombouts”. On July the 20th 1870 he became private prelate at the Pope’s. By Order in Council of April 26th 1872, V. Scheppers received the badge of honour as “knight in the order of King Leopold”.

Source: SCHEPPERS, OUR SCHOOL by An Hermans, printed in 2002