Jun 10, 2025
The community at the MSC Centre for the Poor (MSC CFTP) in the Philippines are hard at work alongside the MSC Centre for the Poor Agriculture Cooperative (MSC CEPAGCO ) as they continue in their mission to build and nurture an ethos of self-sufficiency and sustainability as we care for the world around us and reap the benefits for our society in turn.
The new year began with a two-day strategic planning course run by Fr Richie Gomez MSC, where, as the Facebook page for the MSC Centre for the Poor reports, the groups involved “yielded innovative solutions, come up with clear directions and pave way for common goal.”
A general meeting for the Centre for the Poor in Butuan followed in February, to discuss the results of the planning session and develop a programme of future activities for the centre. These include “new initiatives, innovative plans and events to support our community,” partnerships with other organisations, and further development of programmes for students at the centre, to promote “personal and social growth”.
“A huge thanks to all the members of the community, our partners, stakeholders, and supporters for your dedication and contributions to the MSC Center’s growth and success,” said the Centre for the Poor team on their Facebook page. “Let’s work together to shape a brighter future!”
A food handling and hygiene course also took place in February, run by restaurant owner and expert in food handling, Ms Ezeil Cervantes. This proved extremely beneficial to students in learning about the correct way to manage food safety and hygiene in the restaurant industry, and when working with large groups of people.
Finally, March saw the arrival of three MSC pastoralists who will stay with the MSC CEPAGCO community for a year, studying their practices and programmes and learning from them. Bro Erick Bryan de Mattos MSC travelled from Brazil, while MSCs Bro Hendrick Qoqietkop and Bro Anthony Tongala both travelled from Papua New Guinea to take part in the MSC CFTP/CEPAGCO Exposure Programme. “Let us pray for them as they embark on a new and challenging ministry as MSCs,” posts the Centre for the Poor team on their Facebook page.
As ever, the MSC CFTP/CEPAGCO communities are a hive of activity and productivity in Butuan and beyond! We wish them continued success and every blessing in their invaluable work, and we ask our mission friends here at home to join us as we keep our MSC brothers in the Philippines, and the communities they serve, in our prayers.
All images via the Facebook page for the MSC Centre for the Poor
Jun 5, 2025
Pilgrimage Diary
On May 25th 2025, a group of 100 pilgrims took off on a five-day pilgrimage to Lourdes, led by Irish Provincial Director and Spiritual Leader Fr Joe McGee MSC. Celebrating the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, each of our pilgrims joined us with their personal prayers and hopeful hearts on this very special journey. Mary Morrish, one of our pilgrims from the MSC Missions Office in Cork, shares her pilgrimage diary with us.
Day 1
Our journey got off to a promising start as we took off from Cork Airport on what turned out to be a perfect flight, which only took an hour and twenty minutes before we touched down on French soil. We were at our hotel before we knew it, and our true Lourdes experience began right away, with a trip to visit the famous Grotto and an opening Mass presided over by MSCs Fr Joe McGee, Fr Tony Horgan, Fr Charles Sweeney, and Fr Des Farren.
After a busy day travelling and finding our feet, we unwound in the evening with a beautiful dinner and we watched the candlelight procession together – an extremely moving and powerful experience to finish the first day of our pilgrimage.
Day 2
Day 2 of our pilgrimage began with Mass at the Holy Grotto, an experience like no other. It was incredible experience to hear Mass in these magnificent surroundings, which we are all so familiar with from photographs, and the atmosphere of prayer and unity was something sacred indeed, with the pure emotion of it drawing tears from many of our pilgrims.
After a delicious lunch, we went on a walking tour of Lourdes, visiting some of the places that were special to St Bernadette in her lifetime. We visited the cemetery where her family are buried, the Boly Mill (her birthplace), and Le Cachot, the abandoned prison where she and her impoverished family lived. We had the opportunity to see quite a bit of Lourdes and it was fascinating to learn so much about the area.
On our return, we enjoyed a truly beautiful penance service, where our pilgrims had the opportunity to talk to our MSCs and be absolved of any sins they might have been carrying with them. It was absolutely wonderful.
That evening, we celebrated a special 87th birthday at dinner, and Fiona and Ann, two of the ladies from the MSC Missions Office, hosted a fantastic evening of Bingo. This was swiftly followed by a sing-song, where Gerry and Dee, our group musicians for the entire trip, had everyone singing along! We all crawled into bed at about 1.00am after a great night.
Day 3
Tuesday marked Day 3 of our pilgrimage, and the morning began with a special ceremony for the anointing of the sick. The one-and-only Fr Charles presided over the blessing of the sick and it was wonderful – despite an extremely inconvenient jackhammer doing its best to interrupt the proceedings from outside! It would take more than a persistent jackhammer to stop Fr Charles, and the ceremony was a very moving experience for everyone. Afterwards, we enjoyed a short presentation about the miraculous healings in Lourdes, before gathering for a very tasty lunch.
We spent the afternoon in the extremely charming village of Saint-Savin. We stopped for coffee, with the breathtaking sight of the Pyrenees as our backdrop. We had Mass as well, before returning to Lourdes for dinner and the candlelight procession – and of course, another round of singing before bed!
Day 4
Wednesday began with Mass in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, and then there was time for everybody to go for a bit of a wander. I went to the City of the Poor with one of our pilgrims, Idah Kamau, to make a donation to the wonderful sanctuary there on behalf of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. We collected over €600 in donations and were delighted to be able to present it to them to help them in their great work.
In the afternoon, we visited the baths, which was an incredibly profound experience. The group then did different Stations of the Cross – Fr Joe & Fr Des led the Lower Stations, and Fr Charles & Fr Tony took the Upper Stations. On our last evening together with the full group, we had further celebrations over dinner, marking another birthday and a 30th wedding anniversary. We assembled at the Chapel of Lights to pray together and light the group candle for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, with a final walk together in the candlelight procession. The MSC banners were up on the steps of the altar of the Virgin Mary, which was just lovely to see. We had one last sing-song with the entire group together – an evening of celebrations all round!
Day 5
Thursday was the final day for some of the group, and Fr Joe celebrated one last Mass for our pilgrims returning to Cork that day in the Chapelle de l’Adoration, colloquially known as the Dollars Chapel. The chapel is run by local nuns and is a delightful space. In the meantime, the remainder of the group attended the International Mass in the Lower Basicila. While we bid farewell to some of our pilgrims today, the rest of the day was then free for the others to enjoy Lourdes and its surrounding area at their leisure, before a final Mass for the remaining pilgrims at the Dollars Chapel ahead of their return flight home on Friday.
On this and every day of the trip, our MSC priests prayed especially for our mission friends and benefactors at home and around the world, for MSCs everywhere and the communities they serve, and for the special intentions of everybody who had sent their requests ahead of the pilgrimage, with grateful and hopeful hearts.
Our MSC pilgrimages had to be put on hold for quite a while following the COVID pandemic in 2020, and this was the first year that we were able to return to Lourdes in person. It was a uniquely special experience celebrating the 2025 Jubilee of Hope with such a wonderful group of people in such a sacred space – a truly blessed time of reflection and prayer, while we also thoroughly enjoyed time spent with fantastic new friends, sharing new experiences and making memories that will last a lifetime. With sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who made our 2025 pilgrimage to Lourdes such a moving and memorable experience – until next year!
Jun 4, 2025
It’s business as usual at the Chevalier Training Centre in Wainadoi, Fiji, where staff and students work to give up to 75 young men from difficult or disadvantaged backgrounds the best possible prospects for the future. Established by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1992, the team at the CTC have since been working together to give underprivileged young men an opportunity to learn new and useful skills in the hope of building a better, more sustainable life for themselves and for their families and communities.
The end of 2024 marked the end of the academic year, when the community at the Centre bid farewell to their second-year students. Fr Mendhy Iva led a special Mass to mark the occasion, highlighting the importance of working together as a community. In a post on the Facebook page for the Chevalier Training Centre, the team there said, “We acknowledge that we wouldn’t have come this far without the gift of one another and the strength of living a shared life.”
A new year then began for the CTC team early in 2025, as new students were welcomed in a “wonderful and meaningful start to the new academic year”. Director of the CTC, Fr Lotu, was joined by Deacon Richard for a special celebratory Mass, followed by games, a barbecue, and plenty of fun! It was a “great way to spiritually align and set a positive tone for the year,” posted the Facebook page for the Chevalier Training Centre, allowing the community to “reconnect and strengthen the bonds within the Chevalier Family.”
A generous donation of new tools to the Cabinet Making Trade programme was a huge boost to the CTC team in February, with a Facebook post marking their joy and gratitude.
“What a wonderful and impactful moment for the Cabinet Making Trade program! The donation of modern tools is sure to have a lasting effect on both the students’ education and their future career prospects.
Mr. Lucas’s generosity is truly inspiring, and it’s amazing to see how it will directly contribute to improving the learning environment and equipping students with the skills needed for the industry.
We are forever grateful for the generosity towards the lives of the students under our care who are willing to gain a life skill and better their lives for themselves and their communities.”
As always, we thank our mission friends here in the Irish Province for their friendship towards our brothers in Wainadoi, and we wish the Chevalier Training Centre community continued success in their work, study, and play throughout 2025.
All images via the Facebook page for the Chevalier Training Centre, Wainadoi
May 30, 2025
An invitation to join us at our 2025 Novena to the Sacred Heart
Our annual MSC Novena to the Sacred Heart is a blessed time of reflection and thanksgiving, when we bring our prayers and petitions before the generous love of the Sacred Heart. This year’s Novena of Masses will take place from Thursday, June 19th to Friday, June 27th.
All are welcome to join in this year’s Novena Masses, which will take place daily at 10.00am and 8.00pm at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork. Daily Novena Masses will also be available to watch live, as we welcome those who cannot be with us in person.
The Sacred Heart Parish welcomes each and every one of our mission friends and parishioners, from near and far, to pray with us during this year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart.
Be part of this year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart
At this special time of year, you can help us to help others by supporting our ongoing mission projects, and in gratitude for your contribution, we will be glad to remember your intentions at our daily Novena Masses. You can then submit your personal prayers and intentions online, and our MSC priests will remember your petitions specially throughout the course of the Novena.
The theme of year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart will be “Anchor of Hope, Mercy & Courage for our ‘turbulent times!’”, and it will be celebrated several of our MSC priests and brothers over the nine days.
Each year, the Novena to the Sacred Heart offers great solace and comfort to all who take part, as we bring our prayers and personal intentions before the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As we continue to navigate the ongoing challenges of these turbulent times, we come together in the spirit of hope, reflection, and thanksgiving in the sacred space granted to us by the Novena. All are very welcome to join us, in person and online, for our Novena Masses as we come together to reflect and give thanks in the grace and love of the Sacred Heart.
Together, we pray that these nine days of prayer will be a grace-filled and blessed time for all involved.
MSC Sacred Heart Novena at the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork
Daily Novena Masses:
10.00am & 8.00pm
Day 1: Thursday, June 19th
Novena Masses celebrated by Fr Des Farren MSC
Introduction to Sacred Heart Spirituality
The MSCs – Founder, Vision & Mission
Adoration & Confessions after 10.00am Mass until 1.00pm
Day 2: Friday, June 20th
Fr Des Farren MSC (10.00am Novena Mass & 8.00pm Reconciliation Service)
Reconciliation – Joy in the Sacred Heart
“More joy in heaven over our repentant sinner” Lk 15:17
Confessions available after 10.00am Mass until 12.00 noon
*Please note there will be a Reconciliation Service in place of the 8.00pm Novena Mass*
Day 3: Saturday, June 21st
Novena Masses celebrated by Fr Des Farren MSC
A reflection & summary of the Encyclical on the Sacred Heart “DILEXIT NOS”
Revelations to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Confessions available after 10.00am Mass until 12.00 noon
Day 4: Sunday, June 22nd
Novena Masses celebrated by Fr Terry O’Brien MSC
Fellowship; Healing; Hope anchored in the Sacred Heart.
Day 5: Monday, June 23rd
Attention to the Breath (of God) by Cathy O’Sullivan
Sacred Heart – The Breath of Life
Adoration & Confessions after 10.00am Mass until 1.00pm
Day 6: Tuesday, June 24th
An invitation to experience & be refreshed
by the Healing Heart of Christ by Fr Seamus Kelly MSC
*Please note there will be an additional 3.00pm Mass of Healing in the Parish Hall (Deacon Thady O’Connor & Tom McAulliffe)*
Anointing available at all Masses.
Day 7: Wednesday, June 25th
Growing through “Bereavement, Grief, & Loss” by Julianna Crowley
“Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened
And I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28).
Day 8: Thursday, June 26th
Novena Masses celebrated by Provincial Leader Fr Joe McGee MSC
Jesus’ Eucharist Heart – An invitation to having a “Heart to Heart”
Adoration & Confessions after 10.00am Mass until 1.00pm
Day 9: Friday, June 27th – Feast of the Sacred Heart
Novena Masses celebrated by Provincial Leader Fr Joe McGee MSC
“Our hearts are made for Thee, O Lord, and They are forever restless until they rest in Thee” (St. Augustine)
Adoration will take place in the church from 3.00pm until 6.00pm.
For those who cannot be with us in person, you are very welcome to join us for our daily online Novena Masses on our live stream, united in spirit as we pray together as a great family of faith.
Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart
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…
Share your petitions silently with the Sacred Heart.
I admit I am most unworthy 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.
Amen.
May 21, 2025
Heartfelt thanks to all who took part in our recent fundraising event for the children of the Holy Family Care Centre, a care facility for young children run by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, with the support of the MSC, in Ofcolaco, South Africa. The fundraising event took place at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, after Masses on May 17th and 18th, and raised a current running total of €4,216.87 for the Holy Family community.
Our plant and cake sale takes place in aid of the Holy Family team each May, and it’s a much-anticipated event each year for our MSCs, parishioners, and local mission friends alike. This year’s fundraiser really and truly marked the beginning of summer in earnest, with beautiful blue skies and sunshine providing the perfect backdrop for a relaxed weekend for fun, chat, and delicious treats. Old friends and new acquaintances caught up over teas and coffees, while our beloved alpaca friends made a welcome return thanks to Nora Casey of Macroom – and were once again the stars of the show. Even Fr John, Director of our MSC Missions Office, couldn’t resist a visit to say hello to those furry faces!
Established in 2002, the Holy Family Care Centre in South Africa has been run by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart with the support of the MSC for over 20 years, under the leadership of Sr Sally Duigan FDNSC. The Holy Family Care Centre is an invaluable facility for young children who are very ill and who, in many cases, have been orphaned or abandoned. These children are primarily HIV positive and are in need of extremely specialised and highly care. With the resources to accommodate 70 children, the Centre’s facilities are stretched to full capacity and beyond on a daily basis; Sr Sally admits that the team at the Centre does its best never to turn a child away, and the Holy Family team currently have 82 children in their care.
With many children coming from very troubling backgrounds of violence and abuse, the Holy Family Care Centre is a sanctuary for children in need, and the Centre feels more like a home to one big happy family. However, the availability of funding is an ongoing concern, as the Centre relies on donations and the generosity of benefactors, including our MSC mission friends and the local community, for the upkeep of buildings and equipment, and to be able to continue doing the work that they do – “[giving] our children love, security, and care, in the hope they will thrive,” in the words of Sr Sally.
Our annual fundraiser is a wonderful way for our friends and parishioners here in Cork to support our friends across the miles in South Africa, as well as being a thoroughly enjoyable event for all involved! Sincere thanks to everybody who worked so hard to organise such a special weekend, and to all who contributed and took part even in the smallest way. It all contributes to the bigger picture, the global picture, and we are truly grateful for your kindness.
If you can, please support the Holy Family community
May 1, 2025
“He is Risen!” A worldwide celebration of Holy Week & Easter 2025
It is with joyful and thankful spirits that we look back at a wonderful celebration of Easter in just some of our MSC communities at home and around the world.
From darkness into light: Celebrating Easter in Mozambique
Holy Week was a time of great togetherness and prayer on our Mozambique mission, culminating in a joyous celebration on Easter Sunday, where three communities came together to pray and rejoice in the glory of the Resurrection.
The Facebook page for MSC Mozambique shared some wonderful posts from three different Palm Sunday ceremonies, including the Community Headquarters of Santa Marta Parish, at the community of St. John the Baptist in Sanbene village, and in the São Lucas Community, in Murrebue. Each of the celebrations were filled with faith and love, as “every gesture, every word, every prayer became a sign of God’s presence in the midst of His people.”
Celebrations continued throughout Holy Week, with a special ceremony on Holy Wednesday where our MSC brothers were joined by the Mercedary Sisters of the Eucharistic Jesus at Pemba Cathedral. “In an atmosphere of collection and faith, they lifted the morning praise to God, preparing the heart for the mysteries of Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection,” says the Facebook page for MSC Mozambique.
Holy Thursday saw a “remarkable” celebration of “service and gratitude” in the community of St. John the Baptist, with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper and the washing of the feet presided over by Fr Roney Lima MSC.
The Stations of the Cross followed on Good Friday, in the community of Santa Marta. The Exaltation of the Cross was celebrated by Fr José Eduardo Paixão MSC, where “The cross was presented as a sign of God’s love and the hope that comes from Jesus’ sacrifice. It was a simple yet meaningful celebration that helped the community live more intensely the spirit of Holy Week.”
Fr Roney Lima led the Easter Vigil in the village of Sanbene on the evening of Holy Saturday, with the faithful gathered and undaunted by rain and stormy weather. “Even with the wet ground and strong winds, the community stood firm and united, celebrating the Lord’s Passover with fervor and gratitude, a moment that became a true milestone in their spiritual walk.”
On Easter Sunday, all three communities of the Sede, St. John the Baptist, and St. Luke gathered together with Fr Roney and Fr José Eduardo to rejoice in the glorious Resurrection, celebrating the risen Christ and the hope and joy of Easter.
The following Wednesday, Fr Roney celebrated the Resurrection of the Lord at the Mieze Male Penitentiary. Sharing the ceremony on their Facebook page, our Mozambique MSCs wrote: “In an environment marked by suffering and hope, the light of the Risen Christ touched the hearts of inmates, offering reconciliation, renewal, and a new beginning. The celebration was a clear sign that God does not abandon anyone, and that in Christ there is always the way, the truth, and the life—even inside prisons. It was a moment of living faith, listening and communion, where the true meaning of Easter was felt: the transition from darkness to light.”
(Photos from the MSC Mozambique Facebook page)
Easter celebrations in the Province of the Pacific Islands
The Facebook page for the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands also shared some wonderful photographs of their Holy Week and Easter events.
The MSC community in Wailoku, Fiji, were joined by local students in reenacting a powerful performance of the Passion of the Christ on Good Friday.
This was followed by the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday, led by formator Fr Rataro Raimon MSC, and a special Easter Sunday celebration at the formation house in Wailoku. “We continue extend our gratitude and sincerely thanks to our families and friends for joining us in our Easter Sunday celebration which was held at our Formation House Wailoku,” says the Facebook page for the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands. “We also thanks our brothers for their wonderful preparation. Vinaka vaka levu and may God bless us all in this Easter season.”
(Photos from the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands Facebook page)
Dawn prayer at the Sacred Heart Church in Cork
Our much-anticipated Easter Dawn Mass took place once again this year at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, where mission friends and parishioners gathered to pray together as the sun rose on Easter Sunday 2025.
Over the course of Holy Week and Easter, almost 7,000 people joined us via our website to pray with us on our live stream, including viewers from Ireland and the UK, across Europe, America, Canada, and Australia, and far-flung corners of Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Africa.
Our annual Easter Garden lit up the altar of the Sacred Heart Church once again, and this year, we have also been blessed to have an outdoor garden at the MSC House and Missions Office on the Western Road. Visitors are very welcome to come and reflect and pray here, and we extend our sincere gratitude to all who have taken such care with the construction and maintenance of our Easter Gardens, both inside and out! In keeping with tradition, the Family Tree of Life Book has enjoyed a special place on our altar, celebrating the joy of family and the importance of unity as our MSCs pray for all those enrolled throughout the Easter season.
Filled with the strength and gladness of the Easter light, we welcome the brighter days ahead with hopeful hearts and joyful spirits. With every grace and blessing of the Sacred Heart to our mission friends all over the world, this Easter season and throughout the year ahead.
