Oct 9, 2012
On Thursday coming we’re going to be launching the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Volunteer Programme at the DCU Volunteering Expo. We’ll be in the Venue – Students Union from 11:00am to 3:00pm, so if you’re around make sure to say hello. Below you’ll find details of the Programme.
With the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart 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 a new 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 young men and women, between the ages of 25 and 40, who are interested in                 undertaking three months of volunteering work abroad over summer. Ideally applicants should have relevant skills, such as a teacher, mechanic, carpenter, nurse, electrician, doctor, etc. All necessary training will be provided. Part of the expenses for the trip will be provided, but there will be a need for fundraising.
If you would like further information you can contact Fr. Alan on (086) 7857955 or by email fralan@mscvocations.ie
Oct 1, 2012
It wasn’t a promising start. It was a morning of driving rain and misty drizzle as our bus headed through West Cork on the way to Kealkill. Whatever else it was it definitely wasn’t a morning for a pilgrimage. However with a simple prayer we began our 18km walk to Gougane Barra in honour of the feast of St. Finbarr. (more…)
Sep 22, 2012
The most essential piece of kit for the NPC
When people speak of the largest gathering of people in the world they often point to the Hindu celebration of Kumbh Mela, which can have more than 70 million pilgrims in attendance during the festival. As Catholics we often point to World Youth Day. In fact WYD in Manila in 1995 had over 4 million young people in attendance. How many there will be in Rio in 2013 remains to be seen, but we definitely plan on being there. Watch this space!
However all these events pale into insignificance when compared to the largest event in Ireland, the National Ploughing Championships, which will take place from September 25th to 27th at Heathpark, New Ross, Co. Wexford. It’s one of Europe’s largest outdoor exhibitions and agricultural trade shows and it attracts on average 189,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors. This year however there’ll be 1,001. I’ll be in attendance, along with some of my MSC brothers for the course of the festival. I’ve got my wellies and we’re ready for anything! We’ll be chatting with people, meeting benefactors and we’ve also got a novel of exploring what it means to have a vocation. It’ll involve centipedes, rotten eggs, moldy cheese and dog food. Enough said!
We’re in the lifestyle and tourism section called Barrow, Stand 756, Row W Block 1. If you’re around next week do drop by and say hello! You’d be most welcome! We’ll be blogging away during the Championship as well.
Aug 11, 2012
There are places like this all around the world. Whether you visit Glendalough in the east of Ireland, Iona off the coast of Scotland or Santiago in the northwest of Spain there is an ineffable sense of something sacred. It’s not just the location, which is as near heavenly as earth can be, but there’s something else that you can’t really describe. Places like these have been the destination of countless hundreds of thousands of pilgrims for well over fifteen hundred years. (more…)
Aug 6, 2012
One generally associates Our Lady’s Shrine in Knock with gentle hymns and heavenly choirs, but on the last Friday in July Knock rocked to the sound of a very different style of music. It was an evening of final sound checks for the musicians getting ready for the Knock Summer Festival. In fact the whole area next to the Basilica was alive with activity as teams of people set up marquees, arranged chill out spaces and sorted out workshops, all under the watchful eyes of Helen and Nic, the fantastic Knock Youth Team.
It was needed, because over the course of Saturday morning over five hundred young people descended on Knock looking forward to an amazing festival and they were not disappointed! The day was different to any other with insightful talks by Fr.Conall O Cuinn who spoke on God’s love, John Lonergan who spoke on community and the need for us all to make a difference in our local community and Bishop Mc Keown speaking about the church as One Body in Jesus Christ. The  workshops were on Drumming, taize prayer, love and relationships and youth alpha.
Just some of the people at the One Call Vocation Worshop
I was also really delighted to be invited to lead a workshop on vocation in the afternoon. I was hoping we’d get 40 if we were lucky, but we ended up with over 60. It was literally standing room only! The group was great and really entered into the reflection and the creative activities with all their hearts. There was clay, candles and letters all over the place as we looked at how we are all called to be lights to the world; how we are all letters written by God, not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; and how we are moulded and created by a loving God.
Music was prvided by the amazing and talented Elation Ministries. There was loads of time for  prayer and reflection and our final mass was celebrated by the parish priest in Knock Fr. Richard Gibbons. The day wrapped up with over five hundred people singing together, “Awake, Rise Up and Follow Me!”
Here’s a little bit of Elation to give you a feel for the sense of celebration we all had during the day.
[youtube 2LBY3Cq45s0]
Jun 4, 2012
Some of the children who stay at the Holy Family Centre
You couldn’t have planned it if you tried. After a very long drive and a good night’s sleep I’m up and wandering around the Holy Family Centre with Sr. Susan. There are children running around, playing football or simply chatting with one another. As I turn the corner by the hall next to the pitch there are two children aged 11 and 7 and the older one is reading her Bible to her friend. It’s all about Moses, Pa-hair-ooh ( think about it! ) and the ten plagues. She stumbles over some of the words, but soliders on with great energy. It’s about frogs, locusts and plenty of drama. What’s not to love! (more…)
On Thursday coming we’re going to be launching the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Volunteer Programme at the DCU Volunteering Expo. We’ll be in the Venue – Students Union from 11:00am to 3:00pm, so if you’re around make sure to say hello. Below you’ll find details of the Programme.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Volunteer Programme (MSCVP) is a new initiative that:
