Nov 13, 2025
Our MSC brothers in the Philippines have been in contact to let us know about their ongoing work in helping survivors of the recent earthquake in the Cebu district, with thanks to the generosity of our mission friends and benefactors here in the Irish Province for their support at this time of urgent need.
Reflection on Earthquake Emergency Relief
Davao Oriental, Philippines
Five days after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the southeastern part of the Philippines, our team hurried to the most affected communities to bring emergency food relief and conduct Psychological First Aid (PFA) for those traumatized by the disaster. We joined a group of volunteers in partnership with the European Union, responding together to the cries of people who lost homes, livelihood, and peace of mind. What awaited us was both overwhelming and humbling a vast crowd gathered in open spaces, anxious and restless as aftershocks continued to shake the ground from time to time. To bring some sense of order and safety, we began organizing the crowd according to age groups, realizing that each group carried its own particular pain and need. Children required reassurance and calm; the elderly needed gentle presence; and families longed for food, comfort, and peace of heart. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, we discovered a profound truth: one of the most meaningful responses to calamity is presence, being with the people. Simply listening to their stories, sharing their silence, and letting them know that they are not alone became an act of healing in itself. We could not remove their pain, but we could accompany it. We could not undo the loss, but we could stand beside it.
The stories we heard were filled with fear, shock, and anxiety echoes of trembling hearts that still feared the next quake. Yet within those same voices, we also sensed a fragile strength a resilience born from faith and shared suffering. As Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC), we live by the mission of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC). This experience became our first real encounter of putting that mission into action amid a tragic and wounded reality. Here, justice meant solidarity, peace meant listening, and integrity of creation meant standing in awe before both human fragility and divine compassion.
Echoes within from the Volunteers
Erick Bryan de Mattos, MSC
“It was my first time experiencing an earthquake. In Brazil we don’t have, and this opportunity to participate in the MSC–European Union joint relief operation was deeply transformative. Responding to a natural disaster was new to me, but it became a true learning experience. I realized that even the smallest act of giving — a handful of food packs can warm hearts and awaken gratitude. Each smile we received was a silent reminder that faith, hope, and love remain alive even amid ruins.”
Bro. Hendrick Qoqletkop, MSC
“Engaging in earthquake relief operation was an eye-opening experience. Being with people who suffered so much mirrored my own human vulnerability. Through Psychological First Aid (PFA), we listened to those traumatized by the tragedy. I learned to value teamwork, to see the unique gifts each one contributes. Though I had witnessed earthquakes before in Papua New Guinea, joining a relief team of this kind was something entirely new. This experience moved me beyond my comfort zone to reach out, to rescue, to save life and to rediscover the heart of our mission. If ever the same things happen in Papua New Guinea, I know now what to do. Yes I handed a piece of food but I was the one who received in full.”
Bro. Anthony Tongala Victor, MSC
“Joining the emergency relief operations, I personally heard the people’s lamentations. Many believed it was the end of the world, the second coming of the Lord. Their words disturbed me and made me ask: How can we truly help? How can we bring calm to those in distress? Through this, I learned the ministry of presence — simply being there with them. While material aid like food packs was essential, I realized that their deeper hunger was for compassion and connection. Our presence itself became a form of relief. Seeing their faces light up with smiles reminded me that hope can rise even from fear. In truth, they became my teachers, showing me what faith looks like in the midst of suffering.”
Fr. Richie Gomez, MSC
“One encounter deeply moved me. A man came forward after receiving relief goods and asked, ‘Father, can I request a Bible?’ In that moment, I understood how tragedy often leads people to conversion, to a deeper surrender to God. As I listened to their stories, one described it as a ‘double trauma.’ The first was the earthquake itself; the second came when, after the quake, a tsunami alert was issued. Their island community was the epicenter, so everyone — children, mothers, elders ran to the boats, fleeing from the island in panic. Since then, aftershocks continued. For days they slept in makeshift tents, fearful of returning home. Fishermen dared not go to sea, and farmers avoided their fields, haunted by the question: What if it happens again and I am not with my loved ones? Listening to these stories was heartbreaking. Yet even in their fear, their faith stood unshaken. They taught me what it means to hope in darkness, to find God’s presence amid trembling ground.”
This experience of earthquake relief operation revealed that disasters are not only physical ruptures of the earth but also spiritual awakenings of the human heart. We learned that healing begins not only with food and medicine but with companionship and compassion — the simple assurance that “you are not alone.” In walking with those who suffer, we too are transformed. Their wounds become our teachers; their endurance becomes our prayer. Amid the trembling earth, we discovered a deeper stillness, where the Heart of Christ beats with every heart that dares to hope again.
if you are able to help our ongoing ministry in the Philippines, please click here.
Oct 30, 2025
This November, we invite you to take part in a very special ceremony of remembrance and thanksgiving, as we celebrate our much-loved Light Up a Memory Mass. This year’s Mass will take place on November 1st, a beautiful way to mark the beginning of the Month of the Holy Souls.
In November, we remember, keeping family, friends, and loved ones who have gone before us in our prayers. This year, we’re inviting old friends and new to take part in a beautiful candlelit evening of music, reflection, and remembrance on Saturday, November 1st at 6.30pm. All are very welcome to join us at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, and the Mass will be streamed live here on our website for those who cannot attend in person.
Grief inevitably touches us all, and the Month of the Holy Souls is a special time to honour fond memories of those we have loved and lost. This November, we come together once again remember specially those who are no longer with us, and to light a candle in tribute to those whose memory we hold dear.
The events of recent years have demonstrated more than ever the tremendous power of unity, community, and love. Those who cannot be with us in person on the night are very welcome to join us on our live stream, and to light a candle in their own homes or in our online candle gallery, where those listed will have a special place in the prayers of our MSC priests.
Through the dark winter nights, the light of remembrance warms our hearts, and the flame of hope continues to burn brightly. Join us as we light up the November darkness and share generations of memories together on All Saints’ night.
Oct 14, 2025
On September 30th, a devastating earthquake measuring at a magnitude of 6.9 struck the Cebu Province of the Philippines – reportedly the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Northern Cebu. The earthquake had a shattering impact, killing at least 75 people, injuring over 1,200, and causing huge infrastructural damage, with homes and businesses alike destroyed. Reported as the deadliest earthquake in the country since 2013, it has demolished buildings including churches and hospitals, and ruined countless livelihoods.
MSCs in the region have been providing emergency response aid to as many people as possible in affected communities, with the MSC Centre for the Poor working alongside the MSC Mission Office and several other support teams and volunteers. On October 7th, an outreach programme took place in Bogo City, providing emergency essentials such as food and safe drinking water to over 700 families in Brgy. Anonang Sur.
“The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart – Cebu District conducted a relief operation together with the parishes under their care (Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish-Babag, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish-Marigondon, Our Lady of Fatima Parish-Pusok, Nuestra Señora de Regla Parish National Shrine and San Roque Parish-Cordova) and with support from the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Fr. Jules Chevalier, MSC Mission Center, St. Alphonsus Catholic School and MSM Sisters,” reports the Facebook page for the MSC – Center for the Poor Cebu District.
Thanks to the continuing generosity of our mission friends and benefactors here in the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, we have been able to provide our MSC brothers in the Philippines with emergency financial aid to support their urgent relief projects in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Please continue to keep them in your prayers as they work to help families and communities across the Cebu district to rebuild their lives in the ongoing wake of this natural disaster.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Images via the Facebook page for the MSC – Center for the Poor Cebu District
Aug 7, 2025
Summer has brought wonderful celebrations to the MSC mission in Mozambique, with a beautiful ceremony honouring Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in May, and a special Pentecost Vigil in June.
The parish of Santa Marta hosted both events, with all its customary enthusiasm and joy! Fr José Eduardo presided over a celebration of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at the end of May, the Month of Mary, and the ceremony was one of “great joy and faith”, “enriched by songs, prayers, and expressions of deep spirituality”.
The community gathered to pray together to Our Lady, “who welcomes us with tenderness and leads us to the Heart of her Son Jesus”. “This was a time of renewal of faith, trust and surrender,” writes the Facebook page for MSC Mozambique – a sentiment that resonates with us here as we prepare for our own Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road at the end of August.
On Saturday, June 7th, the Pentecost Vigil Mass “brought together youth from the parishes of Vigararia East in the Diocese of Pemba”. Participants were joined by the MSC students on the mission, for an evening of “prayer, reflection, and brotherly sharing, in a true breath of the Spirit that renewed hearts and strengthened the fellowship and missionary fervor of the participants”.
The following morning, a Pentecost Mass brought an end to the celebrations, “where everyone gathered as a living Church invoked the Holy Spirit to illuminate and guide the path of youth and mission”.
These pictures shared on the Facebook page for MSC Mozambique perfectly embody the wonderful spirit of community and faith in the parish of Santa Marta and beyond, as we continue to keep our MSC brothers and the communities they serve in the Diocese of Pemba in our prayers.
Images via the Facebook page for MSC Mozambique
If you can, please support our MSC Missions
Sep 5, 2024
At the end of July, a group of 26 pilgrims walked the Camino Inglés in order to raise funds to help care for sick and abandoned children at the Holy Family Care Centre in Ofcolaco, South Africa. With Fr Tony Horgan MSC at the helm, the group covered 116km in six days, and raised over €20,000 for the Holy Family Team. Mary Morrish, one of the MSC Missions Office team here in Cork, took part in this year’s Camino walk, and shares her daily diary with us.
Fr Tony Horgan MSC (left) and MSC Missions Office team member Mary Morrish (second from right), with pilgrims Nisha and John.
Day 1: Ferrol – Neda (15.5km)
We began the first day of our Camino pilgrimage on a gentle note, with a reflection by our group leader, Fr Tony Horgan MSC. During the reflection, the clouds parted to reveal beams of sunshine – a promising beginning to the day, and to the trip! We started our journey in Ferrol, walking through the nautical city until we reached the beautiful estuary. From there, we walked through the surrounding woodlands and glades, until we reached the outskirts of Neda, where we went for a cooling paddle. We clapped and cheered as each member of our pilgrimage arrived at the meeting point. Fr Tony then said a beautiful Mass, where we took the body and blood of Christ in our magnificent surroundings. Everyone who had an intention spoke, and we prayed for each of them. We also prayed for the children of the Holy Family Care Centre in South Africa, who will benefit from this fundraising trip, and all who supported our fundraising appeal.
We ended Day 1 with a gorgeous pilgrims’ dinner of fish, potatoes, and wine, while the evening was rounded off with a rapturous sing-song. ‘Til Day 2!
Day 2: Neda – Pontedueme (16km)
Our second day started off with a reflection by Fr Tony, where we all joined in and spoke about sharing our stories.
Then began our climb from Neda. The day started off overcast, which was a welcome relief from the heat, and we walked the heights and marvelled at the gorgeous views. We stopped at a modesty box along the way, and collected some shells for our journey.
We then continued on our journey, amazed by the beauty that we passed on our way. It was so lovely to meet other pilgrims from all nationalities as we walked. Stopping for lunch, we had great fun recounting the journey so far, and we started our walk again with much enthusiasm. We passed beautiful country farmhouses, with their terracotta roofs baking in the sun. Eventually, we saw a glimpse of sea glistening on the horizon, and soon we were looking down over Pontedueme, a thriving town. We swam, we ate, and we found that we had many talented singers amongst us! We ended our day with a sing-song, with Liam, one of our pilgrims, on guitar. We gathered quite a crowd!
Fr Tony said Mass for us – one of our pilgrims was a Jesuit, who actually helped Pope Francis with his English many years ago. We celebrated Mass with music and singing, before going to share our pilgrims’ meal of chicken and potatoes. A very special day indeed!
Day 3: Pontedueme – Betanzos (20km)
As Day 3 of our journey began, we feasted on our breakfast knowing that we had a 20km walk ahead of us. We were all on a high as the sing-song the night before had been so much fun. Boarding the bus, we were dismayed to be see heavy rain pouring down outside the windows; however, we soon cheered up as we listened to Fr Tony’s inspiring reflection, which took us all beyond any concerns about the weather!
Heading for the 12th-century seaside town of Betanzos, we walked a steep climb of 1km through Pontedeume. The views here were dominated by the magnificent landscape of the old mountains that make up Galicia, blanketed in reforestation trees including pines and eucalyptus.
Our walk today took us through Mifio and Paderne, eventually bringing us to the medieval city of Betanzos.
Betanzos is a gorgeous city, and one I would love to visit again. It boasts wonderful architecture and charming cobbled streets, and is a city that just has a lovely colourful atmosphere.
Arriving back at the hotel at the day’s end, we were a very hungry band of pilgrims and were more than ready to eat! Another beautiful dinner of fresh fish awaited us, and a much-needed early night was enjoyed by all. We were undeniably tired after the 20km walk, but nonetheless, it had been a great day. Tomorrow, we will pack up our bags and move to our hotel in Santiago for the last part of our pilgrimage.
Day 4: Betanzos – Bruma (25km)
What an absolutely gorgeous day! We began our morning with our daily reflection, which really is a sacred time for all of us and a very special way to start the day.
Some of our group carry a stone for a loved one who has passed away, or for someone who needs healing in their life. They feel that the stone represents their loved on accompanying them on their journey. When they feel content and at peace, and are ready to walk on their own, they will leave their stone along The Way.
Fr Tony also asked us to pick up one of the many stones that we saw on the various Camino stone markers that we passed along the way. We could then carry the burden on the person that left it for the day, and keep them in our prayers.
The scenery today was beautiful. Our walk took us through lush forests of pine and eucalyptus trees, and it was just breathtaking. We walked as far as Trevsas, where we came to a café. Here, we were greeted by a lovely lady named Carmen, who will sit you down and place a wonderful selection of biscuits and meats in front of you to enjoy at no charge. She also did us the great honour of opening up the tiny church that sits across from her café. It is a very special space, where she has actually crocheted the flowers that decorate the interior herself. She told us it was very important that we hug the tree outside, which we gladly did. (I’m not quite sure what the significance of this was, but it was a lovely moment!)
Our journey then took us to the enchanting hamlet of Hospital is Brua, which dates back to 1175 and is named for the hospital that would provide care for pilgrims here. We enjoyed our now-traditional sing-song over some refreshments, and then went to see our new home for the next few nights in Santiago, the Hotel Gelmirez.
The check-in process was an easy one, and after we had all settled in, we went downstairs to have Mass with Fr Tony. Again, it was a beautiful ceremony with singing and meaningful readings, while our friends in the group presented some of the stones they had found along the way, and spoke about how they made them feel. After a delicious dinner, some of us went out to explore Santiago – what an amazing city!
Day 5: Bruma – Siguerio (26km)
Today’s walk began in Bruma, and we were once again well set up for the day ahead after our morning reflection with Fr Tony. We passed the most amazing sculpture park by the Azul bar, which was certainly worth a look! Our walk took us through a beautiful wooded area, taking in the Fonte de Inglés, and brought us to Igrexa de San Paio de Buscás in A Rúa, where we saw the 18th-century statue of San Paio, a child martyr. The remainder of the day’s walk continued through farm and woodland, and I won’t deny that the last 6km of the day were tough going! As you enter Siguerio, you walk parallel to a motorway, and I was very happy when we arrived into Siguerio itself – and very tempted to jump straight into the municipal swimming pool!
We are now only 16km from Santiago, so we were back in our hotel in no time at all. Fr Tony ended the day with Mass, and we all reflected on what a lovely, if demanding, day it had been.
Day 6: Siguerio – Santiago (16km)
The last leg! We began the day early as we all wanted to get a head-start on the midday sun and the rising temperatures. Starting off in Siguerio, we crossed the medieval bridge and continued on our way through the forest, heading for Santiago. We stopped at an old inn that has been there for many years, and also spotted a pre-Roman hill fort. In keeping with tradition, we lay our stones on the existing pile, marking our own personal moment along The Way.
Walking along the outskirts of the city of Santiago, we passed several parks, and many fascinating buildings connected to the University of Santiago are dotted around the city. We followed our yellow shell stone markings for the final time – although at this stage, we didn’t need them anymore! Before us appeared the spires of the Cathedral, rising high in the summer sky. The sense of appreciation and gratitude you feel when you enter the square by the Cathedral for the first time is something very special. Two of us, myself and one of the other pilgrims, Mary, began saying the Rosary. Two of our companions had tears rolling down their faces, prompted by the sheer emotion of the journey and the fact that we had made it here. It was an incredibly special feeling, and a moment that I think will stay with us all for a long time.
After a well-deserved lunch, we went to visit the Cathedral, where we saw the tomb of St James and lit some candles for our personal intentions. We had a pilgrim Mass to attend, and we were only thrilled to hear that our very own Fr Tony was concelebrating Mass in the Cathedral! The church was jam-packed, with standing room only. I sat at the base of an ancient pillar, and took a moment to think about how many others would have sat here before me in times past. Fr Tony wore a green vestment decorated with the symbol of the Camino, the seashell, in a fitting tribute to our shared journey.
We were each presented with a Compostella passport – proof that we had completed all 116km of the English Way! After a lovely dinner, we all went out for drinks as a group. We were 26 strangers who had become friends on this incomparable journey.
Day 7: Homeward bound!
Our final day – after one last delicious breakfast, many of our group took in the English Mass in Santiago. Some essential last-minute shopping was done, and I took the tourist train around the city, to see as much of Santiago as I could before we had to leave. All too soon, it was time to take our final trip, to Santigo airport and homeward bound to Ireland. What a simply amazing journey.
We are so sincerely thankful to each and every person who joined us on our 2024 Camino Pilgrimage. Not only did they complete the great achievement of walking the Camino Inglés, but they also raised over €20,000 for the Holy Family Care Centre in South Africa – a staggering amount that will guarantee that the children at the centre will receive the nourishment and care they need for at least six months. Their support is quite literally invaluable, and it is with grateful hearts that we thank them for their compassion and their friendship, on the Camino and beyond! Until next year – go raibh mile maith agaibh, agus Dia dhaoibh go léir!
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