May 3, 2023
40 members of the Irish MSC Province gathered on Sunday evening, 30th April in Mount Saint Anne’s Retreat & Conference Centre, Portarlington, Co. Laois to begin our first ever Open Provincial Chapter.
Provincial Fr Carl Tranter MSC, welcomed everyone and expressed his desire that the Chapter be a grace-filled experience for all as they discussed and planed a roadmap for the years ahead for the Province. Fr Carl and Tony Horgan led the Opening Liturgy, welcoming all present and thanked those who had travelled from near and far: from Ireland, England, USA, Southern Africa, Kenya, Venezuela and South Sudan and extended a huge welcome to our Superior General, Fr Absalón Alvarado MSC, who will journey with them for the week of our Chapter. Fr Absalón’s presence will be hugely enriching for everyone. Candles were lit representing the five continents of the congregation and the eight countries they currently have confreres working in. Fr Jimmy Mitchell, as the oldest member of the Chapter, lit the Chapter candle.
During the Opening Liturgy all members of the Chapter declared their presence and desire for the week ahead and the Facilitator ,Frances Heery, Secretary to the Chapter ,Paula Ryan-Kavanagh, Translator ,Jaime Rosique and Scrutineers Fr Giacomo Gelardi, Fr Alan Neville and Fr Peter Ng’ang’a, were prayerfully welcomed and formally approved.
The first day began by introducing the MSC theme through reflection on the Road to Emmaus. Members were invited to share their experience of life in two and fours inspired by the two disciples on the road. This was felt by all present as a profound experience of getting to know each other in a deeper way.
The afternoon session began by electing a Steering Committee, followed by input from the Superior General who offered his observations in the light of his visit to Ireland and England last year. Fr Absalón’s input was experienced as supportive, inspiring and affirming. The day concluded with Eucharist led by Fr Absalón.
The second day (Tuesday 2nd May) began in a creative way when the Facilitator ,Frances Heery conducted an interview with Fr Carl inviting him to share his experience of being Provincial. The highs, the lows and moments of inspiration were shared by Fr Carl and his honesty was greatly appreciated. Fr Carl’s sharing provided a springboard for group reflection regarding how members experienced the life of the province at the moment.
The day concluded with a short session introducing some of the suggested amendments to our Statutes.
Eucharist was celebrated by three of the confreres from Venezuela, Fr Yonys Mendoza, Fr Eliel Araujo and Fr Deiby Fuenmayor.
Wednesday (3rd May) will continue the process on reflecting on the Chapter theme of ‘Return to Your First Love’.
“Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road”
Luke 24:32
Feb 6, 2023
Spring is in the air at Croi Nua, our MSC spirituality centre in Co. Galway, with an inspiring and enriching programme of events lined up to take place over the coming months.
The 2023 Spring Programme includes the following workshops:
- Mindful Meditation (February 18th)
- The Enneagram (February 19th & 26th)
- Signposts to the Future (March 1st)
- Women’s Wellness Day (March 11th)
- Wisdom of our Dreams (March 25th)
- Three-Day Lenten Retreat (March 29th – 31st)
- A Morning of Meditation and Healing (April 22nd)
Fr Patsy Kelly MSC will also continue his weekly sessions on studies of the Bible (every Tuesday), and reflections on Sunday Mass readings (every Thursday).
Please click here for the full 2023 Spring Programme, with further details of each workshop.
All are very welcome to attend Spring workshops in person at Croi Nua Spirituality Centre, while a Zoom facility is also available for anybody who would like to take part remotely.
For more information, please contact Croi Nua Spirituality Centre:
Phone: 085 782 9855
Email: croinuacentre@gmail.com
Website: www.croinua.com
If you would like to join the Spring workshops online via Zoom,
please email croinuacentre@gmail.com to get the video link.
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Dec 16, 2022
MSC CHRISTMAS RAFFLE 2022
🌟🎄 Christmas Raffle Prize Winners:🎄 🌟
1st Prize: Shopping voucher to the value of €1,000
M Maher,
Tipperary,
Co. Tipperary.
2nd Prize: Jingle Bells & Whistles Luxury Hamper value €500
E Dinet,
Dublin,
Co. Dublin.
3rd Prize: All I want for Christmas Hamper value €400
A & E Durkin,
Mullingar,
Co. Westmeath.
4th Prize: Festive Feast Christmas Hamper value €300
P Vahey,
Tuam,
Co. Galway.
5th Prize: Christmas Eve Luxury Hamper value €200
K Henry,
Swinford,
Co. Mayo.
6th Prize: Christmas Eve Luxury Hamper value €200
A O’Grady,
Douglas,
Co. Cork.
7th Prize: Christmas Eve Luxury Hamper value €200
N Timoney,
Strabane,
Co.Tyrone.
8th Prize: Christmas Eve Luxury Hamper value €200
K Mc Carthy,
Ovens,
Co. Cork.
9th Prize: Christmas Eve Luxury Hamper value €200
P Murphy,
Dunmanway,
Co. Cork.
10th Prize: Christmas Eve Luxury Hamper value €200
J Scanlon
Knocknaheeney,
Co. Cork.
Special Seller’s Prize: Christmas Eve Luxury Hamper value €200
N Hourihane,
Skibbereen,
Co. Cork.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This year’s Christmas Draw took place on Friday, December 16th 2022.
We would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone for taking part.
Click here to read a special Christmas message from Fr John
Please note that the MSC Missions Office will be closed over the Christmas period,
from 4.00pm on December 23rd to 9.00am on January 3rd.
With warm wishes to our mission friends everywhere for a happy, healthy, and safe Christmas season.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Dec 13, 2022
Advent is well underway at Croi Nua, our MSC spirituality centre in Co. Galway, with a three-day Christmas retreat taking place from Thursday, December 15th to Saturday, December 17th.
The Christmas retreat will be led by Fr Patsy Kelly MSC, in preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ. This special time of reflection will take place at 7.30pm to 9.30pm each evening from December 15th to 17th.
The retreat session will take place in person in Croi Nua Spirituality Centre, while a Zoom facility is also available for anybody who would like to take part remotely.
In addition, all are welcome to join what promises to be a beautiful Service of Reconciliation, which will take place on Wednesday, December 21st, at 7.30pm.
For more information, please contact Croi Nua Spirituality Centre:
Phone: 085 782 9855
Email: croinuacentre@gmail.com
Website: www.croinua.com
If you would like to join the Christmas celebrations online via Zoom,
please email croinuacentre@gmail.com to get the video link.
Nov 29, 2022
As we come towards the end of the year, so too do we mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Sacred Heart Parish on the Western Road, Cork, as we bid a fond farewell to outgoing parish priest Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC, and welcome Fr Con Doherty MSC as he steps into the role, accompanied by new curate Fr Des Farren MSC.
Having served the Sacred Heart Parish with a warm and generous spirit in recent years, Fr Tom stepped down from his role at the end of October, when Bishop Fintan Gavin celebrated the official induction of Fr Con, along with new curate Fr Des, on Sunday, October 23rd, at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road. Fr Tom will remain a welcome familiar face, as he plans to continue with catechetical work, while we are delighted to welcome Fr Con and Fr Des in their new ministry in the parish.
A native of Thurles, Co. Tipperary, Fr Con joined the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1983, and was ordained by Bishop John Buckley in the parish of the Sacred Heart, here in Cork, in 1990. Since then, Fr Con has had a fascinating missionary journey, serving in St Alban’s Parish in the UK until 1995, before travelling to Russia to join his MSC brothers Fr Michael Screene and Fr Kevin Blade on our mission there. Fr Con remained in Russia for a decade, returning to Ireland in 2015, when he took up the role of chaplain in Cuan Mhuire in Co. Limerick, and there he ministered until his new appointment as parish priest at the Sacred Heart Church.
Fr Con gladly returns to the place of his ordination, some 32 years later, and is looking forward to getting to know our parishioners and mission friends together with Fr Des. Many of our regular website viewers will already have seen the new faces celebrating Mass on our daily live stream, while Fr Con also celebrated this year’s Light Up a Memory Mass with Missions Office Director Fr John Fitzgerald MSC, who introduced Fr Con as “our brand new parish priest – and an old warrior at the same time!”
It is with grateful hearts that we thank Fr Tom for his dedicated ministry as parish priest, and welcome Fr Con and Fr Des into the heart of a wonderful local community – and indeed beyond, as so many friends become part of our parish family daily through Masses on our live stream. Please keep our MSCs in your prayers as we set out on this new chapter together.
Images: Michael English
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Nov 10, 2022
November is a sacred time to remember, as we keep in our prayers family, friends, and loved ones who have gone before us. This year, we are glad to invite old friends and new to take part in our annual Light Up a Memory Mass, which will be celebrated on Saturday, November 26th. The candlelight memorial service will take place at 6.30pm the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, and will be streamed live for those who cannot attend in person.
Bereavement and grief touch us all, and the Month of the Holy Souls is a special time to honour fond memories and to pray for friends and family who have gone to their eternal rest in the Lord’s love. 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.
Now in its ninth year, our annual MSC Light Up a Memory Mass has become a much-anticipated tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls. Each year, we invite mission friends to send the names of their dearly departed for remembrance, and the list is kept on the altar throughout the month as we pray for their perpetual peace. In a beautiful ceremony to mark the end of the month of remembrance, the Light Up a Memory Mass is a beacon of light and love in honour of our faithful departed.
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.
All are welcome to join us in reflection on this special night, and to submit the names of departed family, friends, and loved ones for remembrance. 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. You can then submit the names of your departed loved ones online, and our MSC priests will remember them specially during our Light Up a Memory Mass.
Through the dark winter nights, the light of remembrance warms our hearts, and the flame of hope continues to burn brightly. Please join us for an evening of reflection and remembrance in honour of the loved ones who are always in our thoughts.
Find out more about our annual MSC Light Up a Memory Mass.
Please click here to watch the Light Up a Memory Mass, and all November Masses for the Holy Souls, on our live stream.
