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Celebrating the sacraments: A joyful day in Metuge, Mozambique

Feb 17, 2022

The end of January marked a day of momentous celebration in Metuge, in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.

On Sunday, January 23rd, MSCs in Metuge, Mozambique, celebrated confessions, baptisms, First Holy Communions, and the marriages of two couples.

On Sunday, January 23rd, MSCs in Metuge presided over a host of celebrations in the community of SĂŁo Mateus of the Parish of Santo AntĂŽnio de Metuge, including confessions, baptisms, First Holy Communions, and the marriages of two couples.

A day of true unity and community, the spirit of celebration was a joy to behold for all involved.

 

The Mozambique mission began in March 2018, with MSCs from Brazil ministering in the Pemba diocese – an area of extreme poverty and hardship, where up until that point, local families had no access to church infrastructure or pastoral ministry.

Our MSCs have been tireless in their work to bring about positive changes for local communities, in spite of a number of serious challenges, including the impact of two devastating cyclones which took place just six weeks apart, a year and a half after the mission began.

MSC missionaries had already been working to rebuild struggling communities in the area before the cyclones hit, and in the wake of these disasters, they continued to help those who had lost friends and family members in the disasters, as well as over 21,000 people who had been left homeless.

Our MSC missionaries have been helping local families to rebuild their lives and livelihoods over the past four years, continuing in their mission to share the message of God’s love in this area of real need. The strength, resilience, and spirit demonstrated by local communities is an inspiration to behold, and days such as these provide much-needed encouragement and motivation to all involved in the mission. This wonderful day of celebration in Metuge has been a great success for the local community; with blessings and good wishes to our MSC brothers and all who took part!

Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.

On Sunday, January 23rd, MSCs in Metuge, Mozambique, celebrated confessions, baptisms, First Holy Communions, and the marriages of two couples.
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Fr Alan in South Sudan: A Bigger Shovel

Feb 11, 2022

It is an Irish truism that if you dig a good ditch, you don’t get time off, you get a bigger shovel. Apparently this is not just Irish wisdom, but South Sudanese as well. In addition to the work in Loreto College, I have been drafted by the Diocese of Rumbek to help run the local Catholic University. At this point of life you’d imagine I’d have learned to keep my head down.

 

It may sound a grand affair, but it is certainly a lot more simple than you’d imagine. We have a roof, but no ceiling; windows, but no glass; and floor with no tiles. The less said about the two pit toilets that serve the campus the better. Just today we had the cleaner in to take care of the bat infestation in the library, that also serves as the office. Having droppings continually fall on the desk during an academic meeting is distracting to say the least.

the central library in South Sudan

“Group photo from the My First Mass at the University showing the library with all the bats right behind!”

Initially I took on the role with the expectation that it would be a short term appointment. In fact, early on there was even a discussion around closing the University altogether. Still, it is one thing to consider in a meeting room, surrounded by pages of accounts, and entirely another to act out once you have met our students.

At the moment we have a sum total of 59 women and men studying either business administration or teaching with a focus on English literature.They are almost all from Rumbek, with only a couple from further afield. Some have come straight from school, while others are looking for new opportunities later in life. All are committed and enthusiastic about their third level studies. It is something to see really.

It takes a lot of energy to get worked up about a computer class, without computers, but with a drawing of a Windows home page on a blackboard.

This was one of the first classes I visited when I began. Since that experience of ‘theoretical computing’ we have been able to set up a relationship with a Jesuit community not so far away that runs a computer course – with actual computers!

We are also seeing an exciting new development. In traditional culture here, once a woman has her first baby she leaves formal education to focus full time on child rearing and subsistence farming. However, so far I have met a number of young mothers who are coming back to study, with their new born under their arm. It is unprecedented and we are looking at ways of supporting them and their young families. I mentioned the idea of a creche, but so far I’ve been met with looks of incomprehension. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the initiative of a particularly creative Donegal MSC setting up a parent and toddler group in one of my old parishes I wouldn’t have a clue either. We’re working on it. Watch this space.

first mass at Uni

“My first Mass at the University.”

 

For me the main reason the University is so important is that we are the newest country in the world and we really need to develop the local economy. It has to be stimulated by well trained, committed teachers and hardworking, innovative business people. Charity is excellent for crisis situations. It’s an act of solidarity and compassion for someone you will never meet, but who you are ready to call brother or sister. However, charity is not a long term strategy and instead we need to increasingly invest in people on the ground to effect their own change, not just raising up themselves and their families, but entire communities as well.

 

The motto our small University is, The Truth Shall Set You Free. Our faith underlies everything we do here. Religious sisters, brothers, and priests are among the best educated in the area and they are working as lecturers in ethics, management, business, and education. We have great local educationalists who are taking the lead too. I spoke with one them today, as we were cleaning up the last of the bat droppings from the top of my desk, that in five years we’ll look back and have a good laugh at everything we went through to become a real third level college. In the meantime there is a lot of work to do. I’d better get my shovel.

Bi Nhialic arrer kek yin,
Fr Alan

 

Read more from Fr Alan’s missionary journey in South Sudan:

PLEASE HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN

Farm to table: Sustainable living in the Philippines at the MSC Centre for the Poor

Feb 10, 2022

Established in 2018, the MSC Centre for the Poor is located in the city of Butuan in the Philippines, and focuses on harnessing the gifts of the natural world to combat poverty, unemployment, and the exploitation of the ecosystem – work in which “everyone is called to be a partner in the contribution of healing our land”.

The Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have a long-standing friendship with the community at the MSC Centre for the Poor, and community leader there, Fr Richie Gomez MSC, has recently been in touch with an update on the work going on in the centre, following their most recent “Be a Food Security Frontliner” campaign.

Established in 2018, the MSC Centre for the Poor is located in the city of Butuan in the Philippines, and focuses on harnessing the gifts of the natural world to combat poverty, unemployment, and the exploitation of the ecosystem – work in which “everyone is called to be a partner in the contribution of healing our land”.

“An alternative lifestyle that is good for the well-being of all”

The goal of the community at the Centre is “to promote an alternative lifestyle that is good for the well-being of all”, with a co-operative running across the two MSC Centre for the Poor locations, one in Butuan City and one in Del Monte Agusan del Sur. Focusing on the development of a self-sufficient community, where those involved nurture the earth and reap the benefits in return, the current programme incorporates the following goals:

  • The development of healthy soil and fresh organic produce, to contribute to a plentiful and nutritious diet for members of the co-operative.
  • The development and use of safe, ecologically balanced technology to tie in with the concept of organic sustainable farming employed by the MSC Centre for the Poor.
  • The development of a deeper consciousness of managing waste with the aim of a zero-water lifestyle in all kitchens across the co-operative.
  • The development of income-generating projects and additional efforts to raise the quality of life of the rural poor.
  • The continued raising of awareness of the necessity of caring for the environment in response to the ongoing climate emergency.

“From the tiniest seeds to a grown tree, from the fertilization of eggs to completely matured animals, from planting to nurturing, growing, and harvesting, all of these processes are realized because of tender love and care, whether by nature or by a responsible steward,” writes Fr Richie. “We have to stop abusing and poisoning the soil, water, air and our bodies, for us to allow the natural regeneration process of our environment.”

The goal of the community at the Centre is “to promote an alternative lifestyle that is good for the well-being of all”, with a co-operative running across the two MSC Centre for the Poor locations, one in Butuan City and one in Del Monte Agusan del Sur.

“Farm-to-table connections”

The MSC Centre for the Poor community are continuing work on the establishment of a fair-trade system based on an inclusive economy, whereby nobody will be left out through “farm to table connections” that bypass large commercial traders. Consumers are educated about the lives and work of the farmers that grow the produce they buy, and all of this produce is grown organically, without chemical interference.

“We have a sincere desire for change – not to make false promises but to be true to our conviction for total transformation from ‘ego-system’ to ‘eco-system’,” explains Fr Richie. “We value the collective efforts of our co-op members through the establishment of their own farms, and we bring them together at the Centre’s Trading Post Harvest Facility. Then, we become the green producers and bring our products to the green consumers.”

The MSC Centre for the Poor is conscious of upholding their responsibility to the consumer, noting that each member of the co-operative must “fulfil its obligation to produce and supply with the corresponding demands. Each member of the co-op is tasked to be part of the responsibility and must be prepared for the assigned crops or livestock productions.”

The MSC Centre for the Poor community are continuing work on the establishment of a fair-trade system based on an inclusive economy, whereby nobody will be left out through “farm to table connections” that bypass large commercial traders. "We have a sincere desire for change – not to make false promises but to be true to our conviction for total transformation from ‘ego-system’ to ‘eco-system’". ~ Fr Richie Gomez MSC, community leader at the MSC Centre for the Poor in the Philippines

“As long as there are people who believe and trust in us and in regaining one’s relationship with the environment, this work will sustain.”

The community at the Centre for the Poor benefit greatly from a wonderful team of volunteers. “Volunteerism is one of our core values to meet our goals, as we believe that by helping others, we help ourselves.”

“As long as there are people who believe and trust in us and in regaining one’s relationship with the environment, this work will sustain,” continues Fr Richie. “We are an emerging social enterprise that allows individuals to create regenerative livelihoods that nourish the soul and take care of the planet.”

“The honing of the land to its full potential will create multiple revenue streams, while we will implement a model of an assets-based community. This is a closed-loop system that generates and replenishes the earth’s resources without creating waste and ecological harm.”

“As long as there are people who believe and trust in us and in regaining one’s relationship with the environment, this work will sustain,” writes Fr Richie Gomez MSC. “We are an emerging social enterprise that allows individuals to create regenerative livelihoods that nourish the soul and take care of the planet.”

The MSC Centre for the Poor also operates a “Living Museum” of farmland in Del Monte Agusan del Sur. “Our farmland will be stewarded by the members of the co-op who are ready and willing to embark on a pathway of alternate living,” says Fr Richie. “The goal is to allow for choice around intentional community and to create the opportunity for lifelong learning for everyone.”

“Our priority is to meet the needs of each member and the land. We will create a full-featured settlement that allows all of the functions of everyday life. The community will provide a place to live, make things, enjoy leisure, and honour social connections. We will encourage individuals to find their own niche for self-expression, livelihood, and growth. Everyone will have the opportunity to co-create the change they seek.”

“A fertile community allows for the emergence of a new culture rooted in a deep connection to nature and the self, collective consciousness of ecology, and mutual respect between all living beings.”

“A fertile community allows for the emergence of a new culture rooted in a deep connection to nature and the self, collective consciousness of ecology, and mutual respect between all living beings.” ~ Fr Richie Gomez MSC, community leader at the MSC Centre for the Poor in the Philippines

Congratulations to Miguel Ibarra and Yordy Blanco: Celebrations for the MSC Missionary Community of Venezuela

Feb 3, 2022

The beginning of 2022 has brought great joy for the MSC community in the Venezuelan Region, with Miguel Ibarra MSC renewing his vows on Saturday, January 29th, and Yordy Blanco MSC making his First Profession on Wednesday, February 2nd.

Vow renewal of Miguel Ibarra MSC

Miguel Ibarra MSC, a member of the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the Missionary Community of Venezuela, made his First Profession in February 2021 and renewed his temporary vows in Caracas on January 29th, 2022. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the celebration was a small, private one, attended by some family members, but nonetheless special for it. A beautiful Mass was celebrated by Fr Tom O’Brien MSC and Fr John Jennings MSC, while Miguel’s vows were received by Fr Yonys Mendoza MSC.

Miguel Ibarra MSC, a member of the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Venezuela, made his First Profession in February 2021 and renewed his temporary vows in Caracas on January 29th, 2022.

After spending some time at home with his family, Miguel is due to return shortly to São Paulo, Brazil, to continue his theology studies in the MSC Scholasticate.

A beautiful Mass was celebrated by Fr Tom O’Brien MSC and Fr John Jennings MSC, while Miguel’s vows were received by Fr Yonys Mendoza MSC. Joyful family members joined Miguel Ibarra MSC in Caracas as he renewed his missionary vows on January 29th.

First Profession of Yordy Blanco MSC

Miguel will soon be joined at the MSC Scholasticate in São Paulo by Yordy Blanco, a fellow member of the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the Missionary Community of Venezuela, who took his First Profession vows in Brazil on Wednesday, February 2nd (the Feast of the Presentation and the 2022 World Day of Consecrated Life). Yordy completed his noviciate year in Itajubå in Brazil, and made his First Profession alongside his fellow novices, Diego Zambrano, Guicherme Bernal, Mateus Borodiak, Pedro Henrique, and Valmir Silva. These six young men are members of the Provinces of Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and Sao Paulo, the Section of Ecuador, and the Missionary Community of Venezuela.  The Mass was presided by Fr Humberto Henriques MSC, Assistant General, and the vows were received by the Provincials of the three Brazilian Provinces. (If you would like to watch the full First Profession ceremony, please click here.)

Yordy Blanco, a member of the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Venezuela, took his First Profession vows on Wednesday, February 2nd, alongside his fellow novices, Diego Zambrano, Guicherme Bernal, Mateus Borodiak, Pedro Henrique, and Valmir Silva.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Yordy and wish him and all his fellow novices a beautiful celebration,” wrote Irish Provincial Leader Fr Carl Tranter MSC, ahead of the profession ceremony. “May their lives as MSCs be filled with joy and fulfilment. Congratulations also to the MSC community in Venezuela as they welcome Yordy to their small but powerful group of missionaries.”

“I extend our special thanks to the São Paulo Province for welcoming Yordy into their common Brazilian Noviciate,” continued Fr Carl, “and especially to Fr Getulio Saggin MSC, Novice Master, for his kind, gentle and close accompaniment of the novices throughout the year.”

We add our prayers to Fr Carl’s as we wish both Yordy and Miguel every blessing for the next step of their missionary journeys ahead.

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MSC World Projects Appeal 2022: “Bakery Bread at the Table” in Brazil

Jan 27, 2022

The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Itajubá, located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, are raising funds to launch a new project titled “Bakery Bread at the Table”. The funds raised will purchase the machinery to equip a bakery, which will primarily feed 200 children, with the additional aim of providing training workshops for adolescents who are in a situation of social and financial vulnerability, allowing them to gain valuable skills and qualifications which will help them in seeking employment.

The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in ItajubĂĄ are raising funds to launch a new bakery programme, which will primarily feed 200 children, with the additional aim of providing training workshops for adolescents who are in a situation of social and financial vulnerability, allowing them to gain valuable skills and qualifications which will help them in seeking employment.

Some of the issues encountered by young people in the region include drug trafficking, prostitution, violence, and criminal activity. This project, with its introduction to both practical skills and a creative element, is a wonderful vehicle to promote healthy development in local youths, offering them an opportunity for alternative ways of living outside of their harsh reality.

The OLSH bakery project will serve approximately 200 children and teenagers from needy and low-income families, aged between 5 and 13 years.

This project will serve approximately 200 children and teenagers from needy and low-income families, aged between 5 and 13 years. The youths involved will learn to cook and bake a variety of foods, including bread, pies, pizzas, and cakes. Students will be engaged throughout the entire process, from gathering and mixing the ingredients to cleaning the machines and equipment in the aftermath of a cookery session.

It will cost €8,300 to get the bakery up and running,
providing invaluable opportunities for local youths and their families.
Can you help?

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH BAKERY IN BRAZIL

MSC World Projects Appeal 2022: OLSH Global Outreach

Jan 27, 2022

The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) are a vital part of our Sacred Heart Family,
working all over the world, often in partnership with MSCs, under our shared motto:
“May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.”

OLSH MINISTRY IN BRAZIL

There are currently 30 Sisters living in a house for aging members of the OLSH community in Vila Formosa, SĂŁo Paulo. Several of these Sisters need special care, and Sisters in Vila Formosa are raising funds to purchase 3 bath chairs, 2 hospital beds, 2 hospital chairs, a digital pressure device, and 10 sets of linen for the hospital beds.

€2,600 will provide enormous comfort for aging OLSH Sisters who are in ill health.

There are currently 30 Sisters living in a house for aging members of the OLSH community in Vila Formosa, SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil.

OLSH Sisters in Alfenas run a second-hand clothing shop, where money raised from sales is used to buy food supplies for poor families in the area.

Every month, OLSH Sisters in Alfenas distribute 65 food parcels to families in real need. The Sisters are currently renovating the shop to make it more practical and attractive, for the dual purposes of encouraging donations, and also to make the shopping experience a more pleasant one for those in need, who go to this shop to cater for their own needs.

The Sisters need €2,000 to continue the necessary renovations,
and €400 for washing powder to launder the clothes for resale.

OLSH Sisters in Alfenas, Brazil. run a second-hand clothing shop, where money raised from sales is used to buy food supplies for poor families in the area.

OLSH Sisters in Marahao are asking for your help in buying essential liturgical items for Mass, such as missals, chalices, and lectionaries, for several of the 18 mission stations they cover in remote locations across northern Brazil.

€2,300 will provide liturgical items for families in remote communities
to continue to celebrate Mass together.

OLSH Sisters in Marahao are asking for your help in buying essential liturgical items for Mass, such as missals, chalices, and lectionaries, for several of the 18 mission stations they cover in remote locations across northern Brazil.

The Daughters of the Lady of the Sacred Heart in SĂŁo Paulo run a social centre which facilitates a number of workshops, including English lessons, yoga, and crafts for the aged. In addition, the elderly are taught how to comfortably use computers and smartphones.

The centre is currently using 15 old computers, 12 of which are in serious need of repair. The Sisters are working to raise funds to bring their computers back to working order, and continue to provide a comfortable, pleasant space for local people to learn valuable skills and share friendships.

€7,500 will repair the computers, allowing the Sisters to continue
to provide a space for people to meet, to learn, and to share.

The Daughters of the Lady of the Sacred Heart in SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil, run a social centre which facilitates a number of workshops, including English lessons, yoga, and crafts for the aged. In addition, the elderly are taught how to comfortably use computers and smartphones.

HEALTH CARE IN MAKA KAHONE, SENEGAL

The OLSH Sisters in Maka Kahone, Senegal, run a health centre named for MSC founder Fr Jules Chevalier. Caring for the medical needs of families and vulnerable individuals who are living in conditions of severe poverty and hardship, the Sisters experience serious and concerning issues with security. The threat of violence and theft is an extremely worrying one, and the OLSH Sisters in Maka Kahone are appealing for funds to erect a security fence at the medical centre, along with metal grilles on the windows.

€9,200 will give the Sisters the opportunity to minister to their patients safely,
providing patients with peace of mind to recover.

MSC World Projects Appeal 2022: OLSH Global Outreach Programmes

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH

EMPOWERING YOUTHS IN INDONESIA

OLSH Sisters in Indonesia are appealing for help in running an Empowerment and Basic Leadership Training Youth Programme in Central Java.

The programme will provide leadership training for young people, giving the youths involved a wonderful skill set to use as they embark into the world of work, along with the confidence to implement it.

€4,000 will pay for four retreats, an LCD projector, a guitar, a keyboard,
20 floor mats, and a projector screen.

MSC World Projects Appeal 2022: OLSH Global Outreach Programmes

OLSH OUTREACH IN AFRICA

OLSH Sisters in Burkina Faso are responsible for the running of the Jules Chevalier School in the town of Zagtouli, where 198 students currently attend the pre-school, and 321 students are enrolled in the primary school.

Over 500 children are provided with one main meal and two nutritious snacks every day – a lifeline to children coming from backgrounds where poverty is rife and diet is poor, who are in real need of sustenance and good nutrition.

The OLSH community in Burkina Faso are working to raise
€19,465 to install a solar energy system in the school,
and to renovate a large area of the school to create a safe learning area for students.

OLSH Sisters in Burkina Faso are responsible for the running of the Jules Chevalier School in the town of Zagtouli, where 198 students currently attend the pre-school, and 321 students are enrolled in the primary school.

The Bakhita Village Outreach Project is run by OLSH Sisters in Dwars River. This programme allows for OLSH Sisters to visit vulnerable girls in their villages twice weekly, ensuring their safety and healthy development, teaching basic life skills, and keeping up with their educational progress, including school attendance, homework, and general behaviour. The carers also deliver food parcels, toiletries, and clothing.

The Bakhita Village Sisters need €10,000 to cover daily costs,
allowing them to continue to support and encourage young girls.

The Bakhita Village Outreach Project is run by OLSH Sisters in Dwars River, South Africa. This programme allows for OLSH Sisters to visit vulnerable girls in their villages twice weekly, ensuring their safety and healthy development.

The Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart has a long-standing friendship with the Holy Family Care Centre in Ofcolaco, a residential home that cares for children up to the age of 18, who suffer with life-threatening illnesses and have often been orphaned or abandoned.

The care centre is home to 75 children, from newborns to teenagers. Sr Sally Duigan, OLSH Regional Leader and community leader at Holy Family, is currently raising funds to help with the daily costs of running the centre.

€10,000 will be allocated to vital health care for seriously ill children, essential educational supplies,
and outreach programmes for children who are being reunited with their families.

The Holy Family Care Centre in Ofcolaco, South Africa, is an OLSH-run residential home that cares for children up to the age of 18, who suffer with life-threatening illnesses and have often been orphaned or abandoned.

The OLSH South Africa Outreach Programme cares for 150 families in Nzhelele, including children living with HIV/AIDS, and families who have suffered bereavements or abandonments, and are run by grandmothers or older children.

The Nzehele Outreach Team are working to raise €10,000 to establish a vegetable garden project,
which will contribute to the nutritional needs of children living with HIV/AIDS,
while teaching valuable skills and promoting self-sufficiency.

The OLSH South Africa Outreach Programme cares for 150 families in Nzhelele, including children living with HIV/AIDS, and families who have suffered bereavements or abandonments, and are run by grandmothers or older children.

RENOVATING A MATERNITY WARD IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The Jules Chevalier Health Centre was established by the OLSH community in Mbandaka, in Democratic Republic of Congo, 10 years ago, and serves as a maternity clinic for local women in the extended area. Many of the women who use the health centre live across the Congo River, and even making the journey can in itself prove hugely difficult.

Currently, whenever it rains, a significant amount of water gets into the maternity ward at the centre, making conditions extremely uncomfortable and unsanitary for women in varying stages of pre- and post-natal care.

Renovations to stop the leaks will cost a total of €9,887.
Can you help?

The Jules Chevalier Health Centre was established by the OLSH community in Mbandaka, in Democratic Republic of Congo, 10 years ago, and serves as a maternity clinic for local women in the extended area. The Jules Chevalier Health Centre was established by the OLSH community in Mbandaka, in Democratic Republic of Congo, 10 years ago, and serves as a maternity clinic for local women in the extended area.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH