by admin | May 30, 2013 | Engaging Vocations, Ireland, Latest News, The Community, The Life, UK
A Novena is a very special time of reflection. It is a time of intense personal prayer and petition. It is also a time of communal prayer with many hundreds of others who join with us, in person at one of the centres where the novena is being prayed and celebrated, or remotely across Ireland and England with people following the novena in their own homes. There will be community Novena celebrations in Myross Woods, Ballyvaloo and in Sacred Heart Parish, Western Road.
During a Novena we not only pray for our own needs, and the needs of those close to us, we also pray in communion with all those others who are making the novena. We join with those who are far away in many different parts of this country and abroad. It is an opportunity to continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life as well. It is an area of prayer that has been overlooked in recent years, but it is an essential part of vocations promotion.
As part of this prayer drive we have sent over 20,000 vocations prayer cards to benefactors of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. The idea is that we can create a climate of prayer that once again celebrates the baptismal call of all people and encouages those who might be considering whether to become a sister, brother or a priest. In Africa they say, ‘People are people through people.’ It is through our relationships with God, others and ourselves that we realise who we are. Let us pray today for that grace to fulfill our own vocation, while supporting others to do the same.
You can join in the Novena through the Novena prayer:
O Divine Jesus, who said,
“Ask and you shall receive”,
I kneel at your feet.
From whom shall I ask if not from you,
whose heart is the source of all blessings.With a lively faith in you, I come to ask ( pause and mention petition here ) I admit I am most unworth of your favours, Jesus,
but this is not a reason for me to be discouraged.
You are the God of mercies
and You will not refuse a contrite heart.
Look with pity on me, I beg you,
and your compassionate Heart will find in my weakness
a motive for granting my request. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on me.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.
by admin | May 27, 2013 | Engaging Vocations, Festivals, Latest News, Overseas Volunteering, Prophetic, UK, Volunteering
A Catholic youth festival! In England! Surely such a thing is a contradiction in terms. It’ll probably be dull. There’ll be Mass on all day. Who’d want to go? It’s a pretty typical response from some people when they hear about the Brightlights Youth Festival – long, boring and preachy. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. (more…)
by admin | May 25, 2013 | Africa, America, Belonging, Engaging Vocations, Festivals, Ireland, Latest News, Our Values, Overseas Volunteering, Pilgrimage, Solidarity, The Community, UK, Volunteering, World Youth Day
Yesterday was all about engagement. It’s more than just a buzz word. It’s about looking at how we as a Church in general and as vocations directors in particular outreach to young people. Sixty vocations directors from a wide variety of religious congregations gathered in the Emmaus Centre in Dublin to share, brainstorm and realise new and exciting ways of making contact with people considering a call to religious life and the priesthood. (more…)
by admin | May 24, 2013 | Belonging, Community Prayer, Engaging Vocations, Ireland, Latest News, Spirituality, The Community, The People
For those who are considering the possibility of a vocation to priesthood or religious life this coming Sunday something special is happening. As part of Vocations Ireland’s exciting new exploreAway programme for 2013 we are holding a taster afternoon for those who want to find out more about exploreAway, with no strings attached. (more…)
![Face Paints and Footie MSC Volunteering]()
by admin | May 8, 2013 | Latest News
How do you get yourself ready for the experience of a lifetime? How do you prepare to expect the unexpected? What do you pack with you when you boldly go where no volunteer ( well quite a few really – I’m taking dramatic licence ) has gone before. Well for a start you bring balloons. Face paints are also a must have. And whatever you do don’t forget the football. When you’re volunteering with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart these are your indispensable tools. (more…)
![Face Paints and Footie MSC Volunteering]()
by admin | Apr 21, 2013 | Belonging, Compassion, Engaging Vocations, Inspiring Others, Latest News, Openness, Prophetic, Solidarity, Uncategorized
What does it mean to be called by God? Many people who consider that they may have a vocation to the priesthood or religious life often feel that they are not good enough. They haven’t had the dramatic moment of conversion or call like Matthew, Peter or Paul had. They think that they must be wrong, because God couldn’t possibly be calling them! Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. (more…)
A Novena is a very special time of reflection. It is a time of intense personal prayer and petition. It is also a time of communal prayer with many hundreds of others who join with us, in person at one of the centres where the novena is being prayed and celebrated, or remotely across Ireland and England with people following the novena in their own homes. There will be community Novena celebrations in Myross Woods, Ballyvaloo and in Sacred Heart Parish, Western Road.
