Apr 5, 2018
The World Meeting of Families started in 1994, when Pope St John Paul II asked the Pontifical Council for the Family (now part of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life) to establish an international event of prayer, catechesis and celebration that would draw participants from around the globe and that would help to strengthen the bonds between families and bear witness to the crucial importance of marriage and the family to all of society.
As you will already know, Dublin has been chosen by Pope Francis to host the next World Meeting of Families from 21-26 August 2018, guided by the theme “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World”.
Held every three years, this major international event brings together families from across the world to celebrate, pray and reflect upon the central importance of marriage and the family as the cornerstone of our lives, of society and of the Church. The event has at its heart the following key moments:
- 22 to the 24 August 2018, a three-day Congress.  Each day will reflect on the theme “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World” chosen by the Holy Father and will include an enriching programme for adults of keynote speakers, workshops, talks, testimonies and discussions; an engaging and exciting programme for young people as well as fun activities for children. The Congress will also include daily celebration of the Eucharist, prayerful activities, exhibitions, cultural events and musical performances.
- Saturday 25 August 2018, a Festival of Families, comprising a reflective concert style event within a prayerful and joyful atmosphere, in which personal stories of faith will be shared by families from all continents.
- Sunday 26 August 2018, WMOF2018 will close with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration, that will gather thousands of people from Ireland and all over the world.
Credit Photo: Des McMahon
The main events of the WMOF2018 will take place in Dublin, at a large conference venue as well as in other venues in and around the city. It is also anticipated that related events, including the hosting of international groups, will take place all over the island of Ireland.
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Pope Francis
Pope Francis recently announced that he will make the first papal trip to Ireland in nearly 40 years, visiting Dublin for two days later this year to take part in the World Meeting of Families celebrations.
Confirmed events that Pope Francis will be participating in include:
- Saturday 25th August 2018: Attendance at the WMOF2018 Festival of Families.
- Sunday 26th August 2018: Celebration of the WMOF2018 Final Mass.
A detailed itinerary of Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland will be published on the WMOF website once final plans are announced.
Nov 28, 2017
On Saturday night, 25th November, we gathered at the Sacred Heart Church to celebrate our annual Light up a Memory Mass. ?️
We were joined on the night by friends and family both locally and around the world who joined us via our Live Stream service.
The Light Up a Memory Mass was a beautiful celebration of the lives of our dearly departed, as we joined together to pray by candlelight in an evening of reflection and remembrance.
Click on image to view larger.Â
Nov 15, 2017
November is the month of the Holy Souls, a special time when we remember those who have gone before us. The Light Up a Memory Mass is a beautiful celebration of the lives of our dearly departed, as we join together to pray by candlelight in an evening of reflection and remembrance.
“This is an opportunity to remember those who are no longer with us with fondness and affection,” says Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, director of the MSC Missions Office. “During the dark winter days, a light is unique gift, and each of these lights is a beacon of remembrance in honour of the loved ones who are always in our thoughts.”
On the evening of the Mass, the Sacred Heart Church is illuminated by the glow of hundreds of candles, with choral music adding to the peaceful and prayerful ambience. We come together to pray by the welcoming glow of candlelight in an evening of reflection and remembrance, with each flame burning brightly in memory of those whom we have lost.
We would like to extend an invitation to you to join us on Saturday 25th November at 6.30pm to remember our departed family, friends, and loved ones who have gone before us.
The Light up a Memory Mass is a very special occasion and we would like to offer you the opportunity to  submit the names of your departed loved ones online before the 25th and our MSC priests will remember them specially during our Light Up a Memory Mass. We would greatly appreciate your support for our ongoing mission projects, and in gratitude for your contribution, we will be glad to remember your intentions at our annual Mass.
If you are unable to join us on the night we welcome you to watch the Light Up a Memory Mass live here on our website.
Aug 8, 2017
The summer of 2017 marked 50 years since the first MSC mission began in Venezuela.
Today, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are the only Irish priests working in this turbulent region, where social and political turmoil mean that daily life is fraught with danger and suffering for local people.
MSCs bring the message of God’s love to the homes and hearts of the people
In June of 2017, Irish and Venezuelan MSCs joined together with local parishioners in Maracaibo and Caracas to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Venezuelan mission, which began in 1967. Celebratory Masses took place across the region, with a special outdoor ceremony in the parish of La Santa Cruz, Caracas, on June 17th.
An altar was set up outside the parish church in order to accommodate the large crowds in attendance, reflecting the true essence of the MSC mission: to make God’s love known everywhere, and to everyone. Our mission is not limited to the church or the sacristy – our missionaries bring the message of God’s love to the homes and hearts of the people, no matter where they may be.
The Jubilee celebrations also commemorated Fr Joe Ruddy MSC, who is retiring from the Venezuelan mission after 50 years of dedication and service. In 1967, Fr Joe arrived in Venezuela with three Irish MSCs: Fr Eamonn Donoghue, Fr Vincent Screene, and Fr Tony Moran. Since then, Fr Joe and a growing community of MSC brothers have gone up into the hills and out into the streets of the barrios to minister to parishioners living in the slums, helping local people to take pride in their parishes as they work together with a renewed sense of unity and co-operation.
Looking to the future with hope
Today, Venezuela is a troubled land, one where poverty, hardship, and social and political unrest motivate young Venezuelans to go abroad to create better lives for themselves. During this time of great disorder and uncertainty, the MSC Golden Jubilee celebrations offered missionaries and locals alike the opportunity for reflection on the achievements that have been accomplished over the last 50 years, and hope for better things to come in the years ahead.
During his time as Irish Provincial Leader, Fr Joseph McGee MSC visited Maraciabo and Caracas to take part in the Golden Jubilee celebrations. Read more about his thoughts on our Venezuelan mission here.
PLEASE HELP US TO CONTINUE OUR VITALÂ WORK IN VENEZUELA
Jul 31, 2017
Throughout the month of June 2017, the MSC community in Venezuela have joined together in celebration of 50 years of MSC ministry in the region. Since 1967, when four Irish Missionaries of the Sacred Heart began the first MSC mission in Maracaibo, our missionaries have been working to bring hope to local people struggling with extreme poverty and hardship.
On June 10th, 2017, parishioners and MSCs alike gathered to mark the Golden Jubilee of our Venezuelan mission in the parish of Nuestra Senora De La Paz La Victoria. Here, local parishioners were joined by Fr Joseph McGee MSC, members of the MSC community from near and far, and well-wishers from all over the city of Maracaibo.
In his homily, which reflected on the mystery of God as it is revealed in the Trinity, Archbishop Ubaldo Santana quoted from Pope Benedict’s writings on Christian hope, Spe Salvi.
“Our encounter with God who in Christ has shown us his face and opened his heart must be, for us too, not just informative but performative,” said Archbishop Santana. In essence, this encounter with Jesus must change our lives so that we know we are redeemed. We are invited into a personal relationship with God, Father, Son, and Spirit – the God who has opened his heart to us in Christ.
Embracing the mission of MSC founder Fr Jules Chevalier
This thought is very close to the spirituality of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who have worked in the diocese for the past 50 years. The Archbishop acknowledged the great efforts that have been made by the MSC over the years – efforts that have required a significant investment of time and financial resources, incorporating the building of churches, educational facilities, and medical centres. In all of these places, reflected the Archbishop, local people have been able to find healing, peace, and dignity as children of God. Giving thanks to the community of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, the Archbishop recognised the dedication and perseverance of Irish MSCs since 1967, when they were first invited into the region by Archbishop Roa Perez.
Archbishop Santana also expressed his gratitude that the presence of Irish MSCs has inspired young Venezuelan men to devote themselves to religious life as Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, continuing the great work that has already been done in the region. He noted that the MSC founder, Fr Jules Chevalier, wanted the Sacred Heart of Jesus to be known and loved everywhere, and today, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart continue to embrace this mission in Venezuela and across the world.
Celebrations in the streets of La Santa Cruz
A second thanksgiving Mass was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Monsignor Jesus Gonzales de Zarete on Saturday, June 17th, in the parish of La Santa Cruz, Caracas. To facilitate the crowds in attendance, Mass was celebrated outside the parish church, where the street was closed off for the day. The Bishop reflected that it was very appropriate to celebrate Mass on the street with the people, as the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are not simply missionaries of the church or the sacristy. Instead, MSCs bring the message of the Gospel to the streets, to the homes and hearts of the people to whom they minister. The celebration of Mass outdoors on the street, welcoming all who wished to take part, perfectly reflected the missionary nature of the work of the MSC.
Over the past 50 years, triumphs and achievements have been accompanied by trials and struggles for the MSC community in Venezuela, reflected the Bishop. This MSC mission has not just been about giving; Irish MSCs have walked alongside the people of Maracaibo and Caracas throughout the years, and have been enriched by the spirit of these communities. Though times are still difficult, great improvements have also been made, and MSCs and the local community are encouraged to trust in God’s loving presence as they move forward together.
The Bishop specifically mentioned Fr Joe Ruddy MSC, who was one of the first Irish MSCs to undertake ministry in Venezuela, and who is retiring from the mission this year. When the mission first began, the people of Caracas were in desperate need of help, and many challenges faced Fr Joe and his fellow MSCs. Over the years, Fr Joe has never hesitated to go out into the streets or up to the hills to visit the homes of local people. Fr Joe and his fellow missionaries have never been too proud or too afraid to climb the steps of the barrios of La Santa Cruz to help local people living in the slums. Together, Fr Joe and the Irish MSCs have enabled local people to take pride in their parish as they join together as a community.
Looking to the future
The MSC mission first arrived in Venezuela in 1967, at the invitation of Pope Saint John XXIII and the Vatican Council. 1960’s Venezuela was a very different place from the one it is today – a place that was at the time recognised as “an immigrants’ paradise”. Emigrants came from the United States, Europe, and all over the world. Today, Venezuela is a changed society, one where poverty, hardship, and social and political unrest motivate young Venezuelans to go abroad to create better lives for themselves. During this time of great suffering and uncertainty, the Bishop encouraged the gathered assembly not to lose hope that one day, their country will once again become a place where everyone can find prosperity, peace, and justice.
PLEASE HELP US TO CONTINUE OUR VITALÂ WORK IN VENEZUELA
Jul 18, 2017
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart were delighted to welcome His Eminence Cardinal Christoph Schönborn OP to the Sacred Heart Church, Cork, on Friday, 14th June 2017.
Cardinal Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna and editorial secretary for the Catechism of the Catholic Church, celebrated Mass in the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road to mark the 25th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism. Cardinal Schönborn was joined in the celebration by Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, and Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.
The 3.00pm Mass followed a day-long event at the Kingsley Hotel in Cork, where students of the Catechism gathered for a day of music, reflection, prayer, and a keynote address from Cardinal Schönborn. 
The Cardinal also preached a moving homily at the afternoon Mass as he reflected on the significance of the Catechism in today’s world and for generations to come.
Cardinal Schönborn spent some time studying with Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), and together, the pair co-edited the Catechism of the Catholic Church ahead of its publication in 1992.
“Having the general editor of the Catechism in Ireland is a great blessing,” said MáirĂn NĂ ShĂşilleabháin, national co-ordinator of Adult Studies of the Catechism. “The opportunity to listen to Cardinal Schönborn reflect on the Catechism will give us further insight into the Gospel of the family at this moment in our history… This event will help us to increase our knowledge of what we believe as Catholics and will help us to enrich our understanding of the dignity of the Christian family.”
A full house at the Sacred Heart Church marked the 25th anniversary Mass as a resounding success, proudly celebrated by the MSC community, local parishioners, and adult students of the Catechism from near and far.
