Aug 8, 2013
Fr. Carl Tranter MSC working in Rome
Welcome to the Vocations Website of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. If you are feeling uncertain as to why you are visiting this site then take heart!!! Admitting we are uncertain, unclear, trying to find out where we are going are all matters of VOCATION and matters of the HEART!
As Missionaries of the Sacred Heart we seek to follow the example of Jesus, who lived and loved with a human heart – a heart full of love and compassion for those living with uncertainty in their own hearts. So to be true to our own calling we are happy to help you in any way we can as you seek to become a little clearer as to who you are, where God is in your life and what God might have in mind for your future.
These pages are especially intended to serve those who may wonder about religious life / priesthood as a possible path. Such a way of life is not the most common these days. In fact, it never has been! It is not for everyone!! But it is for some people the way of life God intends for them to find fulfilment, inner peace and a way of serving others that is unique, challenging and exciting. If you are wrestling with questions like, “Is it for me?” or “Could I fit in?” or saying to yourself such things as, “I’m probably not good enough” or “They’d never accept me,” then you might need somebody to walk with you as you search.
Getting answers to the questions, in an atmosphere of gentle but honest searching, is what we offer to those who are pondering on what their true vocation is. Please feel free to contact us to help you to explore if life as a Missionary of the Sacred Heart may be for you.
If you would like to know more you can contact:
Fr. Alan Neville MSC
Vocations Director
(086) 7857955 Ireland
(075) 26764236 UK
fralan@mscvocations.ie
Jan 11, 2012
Looking to make a real difference?
For those of you who are looking to take some time out from college or work and to try something completely different you could consider the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Volunteer Programme MSCVP. The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart minister in over fifty countries around the world in a wide variety of different areas, including schools, parishes, hospitals and prisons. We have developed a volunteer programme for people, between the ages of twenty three and forty to work for seven weeks in some of these locations.
Through our volunteer programme you will work with a community who need your skills, talents and enthusiasm. It’s about being in partnership with others, teaching and learning at the same time, and sharing of yourself in order to make a real difference in your world.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Volunteer Programme (MSCVP) is an initiative that:
- looks to provide enriching, challenging and meaningful short term voluntary experiences
- seeks to share the talents of our volunteers with our partner projects.
- works towards promoting responsible volunteering in our partner projects in South Africa.
We are looking for men and women, between the ages of 23 and 40, who are interested in undertaking seven weeks of volunteering work abroad over summer. Ideally applicants should have relevant skills, such as teaching, mechanics, carpentry, nursing, electrician, medicine, etc. However each person is taken on their own merits. All necessary preparatory training will be provided. Some of the expenses for the trip will be provided, but there will be a need for fundraising.
Where we work
One of the places our volunteers work and stay is in the Holy Family Centre, situated at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains in Ofcolaco, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The Centre works with the sick and vulnerable, especially orphaned children with HIV and AIDS. At any one time there are about seventy children being cared for. The Centre is about much more than just basic food and accommodation. It’s not about providing a house, but a home for these children. Our sister Congregation, The Daughters of the Lady of the Sacred Heart, administer the Centre which is non-denominational. They work with a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who provide individual and loving care for the children. For more information on the Holy Family Centre click here.
In addition to Holy Family Centre this year we are working in partnership with projects in Louis Trichardt that focus on the rights of refugees and the educational needs of children with disabilities. It is our aim to provide a wide range of volunteering experiences, while at the same time working with partners who follow the highest standards of care.
The nature of your work in the project will include day to day concerns, but will also seek to engage your particular skill set. Most importantly your time with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Volunteering Programme will provide a rewarding and unforgettable experience, both for yourself and those you serve.
So what is volunteering with the MSC Volunteering Programme really like?
You can check out the blogs of some of this year’s volunteers:
Joanie’s Blog
http://www.mscvocations.ie/2013/09/02/volunteering-africa-good-things-come-end/
Karen’s Blog
http://www.mscvocations.co.uk/2013/09/13/volunteering/
Kevin’s Blog
http://www.mscvocations.ie/2013/07/11/celtic-volunteer-in-south-africa/
Preparation Session
http://www.mscvocations.ie/2013/05/08/face-paints-football-and-knitting-volunteering-msc-style/
Want to know more?
For more information contact Fr. Alan Neville MSC on (086) 7857955 or by email fralan@mscvolunteering.com
For further resources and latest news around volunteering contact Comhlamh.
MSC Volunteering Project supports best practice in volunteering and upholds the Comhlamh’s Volunteer Charter.
MSC Volunttering Project supports best practice around responsible use of photos and images in volunteering. We are also signatories of the Dochas Code of Best Practice.
If you have any queries or issues about our application of either the Comhlamh or Dochas Codes of Best Practice do not hesitate to contact us. Alternatively you can contact Dochas directly click here.
As part of our commitment to best practice in child safeguarding all successful applicants will complete a Garda Vetting ( Irl. ) or Disclosure and Barring Service ( UK ) check.
Jan 11, 2012
Throughout the year the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart will be taking part in a number of Catholic youth festivals throughout England and Ireland. They are wonderful opportunities for people to explore their faith in a way that celebrates God’s love and provides great music, workshops and worship to boot.
This year we will be at
Flame Congress
Wembley Arena 24 March 2012
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September 2010 saw the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI with powerful, memorable scenes in the Piazza at Westminster Cathedral, at the Big Assembly, Twickenham, and in Hyde Park. There were thousands of young people joyfully celebrating faith and being affirmed in their voice and role in a vibrant Church.
2012 is the year when the Olympics Games come to Britain. Pope John Paul II – himself a keen sportsman – wrote magnificently about the relationship between sport and faith. In his name, the Pope John Paul II Foundation for Sport will seek to continue to develop sport within the Church in the months and years following 2012.
These inspirations set the scene for an event where thousands of young Catholics are invited to participate in an event which will offer them the very best of Catholic Youth Ministry in England and Wales: speakers – local and international – who will set their hearts on fire with messages of hope, faith, challenge, justice, and leadership in adversity; music which will be used back in schools and parishes to bring fresh animation and participation in liturgy; a dynamic atmosphere of joy and participation which happens when young people come together in such numbers and are well led, and completely engaged.
All in all, Flame Congress will be an event to ignite young hearts and souls afresh with the joy of the Gospel message.
Fr. Dave is going to be at Flame promoting the Missionary of the Sacred Heart way of life. Make sure to say hello when you’re there. We’ll also have young people from our local parish in attendance.
Eucharistic Congress
Dublin June 10th – 17th
Since Pope Benedict XVI announced that the 50th International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Dublin in June 2012, people have been asking “what exactly is a Eucharistic Congress and what is its purpose?”
A Eucharistic Congress is an international gathering of people which aims to:
•   promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Catholic Church
•   help improve our understanding and celebration of the liturgy
•   draw attention to the social dimension of the Eucharist.
The Congress normally takes place every four years. The daily celebration of the Eucharist is at the very heart of the Congress. The wider programme of the Congress includes other liturgical events, cultural events, catechesis and testimonies, and workshops during the week of the Congress. The most recent Congress was held in Quebec in 2008 and was a source of encouragement and renewal for the many thousands who took part.
Most people in Ireland are familiar with the fact that a Eucharistic Congress was held in Ireland in 1932. Our parents and grand-parents speak of it as a significant event in their own experience of Church. Since we started preparing for the Congress, people from all over Ireland and even further afield have sent us a wide range of memorabilia relating to the 1932 Congress, some of which will be on display at a special exhibition in 2012.
Fr. Alan will have a stand in the RDS, so do drop by to say hello. We’ll also have one or two MSCs leading workshops during the course of week.
Brightlights Youth Festival
Aylesford, Kent 29th June – 2nd July
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Brightlights is an annual Catholic young adults’ festival welcoming hundreds of people every year from all traditions and backgrounds. This summer festival, full of music, inspirational workshops and seminars, international speakers, sacred spaces and moving liturgies, welcomes you with its special chilled out atmosphere.
This year the theme of Brightlights expands on the number 12. It will explore discipleship, belonging and community. Fr Dave will be there promoting the Missionary of the Sacred Heart (MSC) way of life.
