Aug 17, 2019
Gospel Reflection
I am not here to bring peace, but rather division.
Reflection & Dialogue: The Church in dialogue with division.
The Gospel (Luke 12:49-53)
Reflection
Todayâs readings give us rich material for reflection. We, present-day Christians, are heirs to a great cloud of witnesses. From the very beginnings of the Churchâs history, the followers of Christ experienced persecution of one kind or another. Early in his ministry, we find Paul and his fellow missioner Barnabas encouraging new converts and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that âthrough many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of Godâ (Acts 14:22). In the passage from the Letter to the Hebrews read today, strong stress is laid on perseverance. The same messages holds true for our own day.
Dialogue
What Jesus says in todayâs Gospel reading on the connection between his person and division, even the absence of peace, provides us with a strong invitation for dialogue. Christ is the Prince of Peace who has made a strong plea for unity. All are well aware of his words that he is the good shepherd and that there were other sheep that were not of his fold, sheep that will heed his voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd (John 10:14-16). These words are often cited. But this does not permit us to forget the divisions connected with the person of Jesus by reason of the demands he makes and the mystery that is his person, continued in the Church which is his body. And indeed, already after his statement about himself as good shepherd, the Gospel text goes on to say that there was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Jesus came to the world and the world did not know him; he came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. In the early Church there was division between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. Division continued between Christians over the centuries, the major division in the West coming with the Reformation, and remaining with us today.
The examples we have considered concern divisions among Christian believers. The divisions today between Christ and what he stands for and much of contemporary society run far deeper, between the Christian vision and that of atheism, humanism, liberalism and other movements. For believers, Christ is the saviour of the world, and the Christian vision of personal and public morality covers many aspects of human behaviour. These other ideologies mentioned also have a vision of life and human society which they believe should be governed without any reference to, or influence from, the voice of God or of Jesus. The Church and believers must, as far as possible, engage in dialogue with the new reality.
It is a question of dialogue, not criticism. Both Christ, the Church and humanism have a rather absolute vision of the world, the human person, and matters relating to them. In the view of philosophical humanism faith is an impediment to human development. For Christ himself and his followers, Christ is the Saviour of the world. This dialogue implies that the arguments of humanism be examined and responded to by the Christian position. Believers should not be afraid of such dialogue. In a sense, fidelity to Christ and the Christian inheritance indicates it.
Fr Martin McNamara MSC
Aug 15, 2019
Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 2019
Our annual Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is a beautiful time of reflection and thanksgiving, when we bring our prayers and petitions before Our Lady.
Our Novena of Masses runs for nine days and will take place from Saturday, August 31st to Sunday, September 8th.
All are welcome to join in the Novena by watching our daily Masses live from the Sacred Heart Church in Cork. These Novena Masses will take place daily at 10.00am and 8.00pm.
Be part of this yearâs 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 yearâs Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart will be “Mother-Disciple”, and it will be led at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, by Sr Merle Salazar FDNSC.
Sr Merle was born, raised and educated in the Philippines. Prior to her joining religious life with the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in 1995, she was a certified public accountant. As a young religious sister, she taught accountancy, did treasury work in a parish school, and coordinated a nutrition program in the remote village of Cebu, located in central Philippines.
She also obtained a Masters degree in Religious Studies, majoring in Scripture. Following her final profession, she has ministered in Formation and Leadership. She has also taught Marian Theology and Scripture at three theology schools in Manila.
In 2011, at the General Chapter of her congregation, she was elected onto the General Council, and was re-elected at the 2014 Chapter. She is currently the First Councillor to the General and resides in Rome. We are delighted to welcome Sr Merle to Ireland, and especially to pray with us during our Novena at the Sacred Heart Church in Cork.
OLSH Novena at the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork
Daily Novena Masses:Â 10.00am &Â 8.00pm
Sacrament of Reconciliation: Tuesday, September 3rd
Sacrament of Anointing: Thursday, September 5th at 10.00am & 8.00pm
Special Mass of Healing: Thursday, September 5th at 3.00pm
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Thursday, September 5th at 10.00am – 2.00pm
All are welcome to attend. Tea and coffee will be served in the Sacred Heart Centre following all sessions (except Sunday morning). You are very welcome to come along and relax, meet new friends, and renew old acquaintances.
We welcome each and every one of you to this yearâs Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. We hope and pray that these nine days of prayer will be a grace-filled and blessed time for all of us.
TAKE PART IN OUR 2019 OLSH NOVENA
Aug 8, 2019
In July, the MSC community in Mozambique celebrated their first retreat together, with the community of Our Lady of Fatima in Meluco.
The Mozambique mission began in March 2018, when MSC missionaries from Brazil began ministering in the Pemba diocese, an extremely poor part of the country with no church infrastructure or functioning pastoral ministry. Here, they initiated construction of a community house from which they could undertake their ministry and parish outreach, and they immediately began working to bring positive change to the district.
A year after the mission began, in March and April 2019, two cyclones hit north-eastern Mozambique over the space of six weeks, killing hundreds and rendering over 21,000 people homeless. With many houses in the area built of mud, bamboo, and wood, floods and mudslides destroyed homes, crops, and livestock, with no means of recovery. âWe have lost everything,â said one survivor. âOur house and most of our belongings were taken by the wind and the waves.â
MSC missionaries had already been working to rebuild struggling communities in the area, and in the wake of these disasters, they have been helping devastated families to restore the shattered pieces of their lives.
Julyâs retreat was a wonderful opportunity for the MSC community and their parishioners in Meluco and beyond to join together in prayer, reflection, and unity. The MSC Mozambique Facebook page posted about the experience, saying that it was a special âmoment to withdraw and pray, deepening our experience of Godâ.
With blessings and best wishes to our MSC brothers and the communities they serve in Mozambique â may this be the first of many powerful and positive retreats for you all.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN MOZAMBIQUE
Aug 1, 2019
Two of our MSCs from the Irish Province returned to Venezuela in July, to minister to struggling families and communities who are currently trapped in the midst of the countryâs extreme social, economic, political, and humanitarian crisis.
Fr Christy Coleman MSC
Fr Christy Coleman MSC ministered in Venezuela many years ago, before moving to Texas in the USA as a pastor and prison chaplain. He also acted as MSC Superior in the US Province for a time, and most recently returned home to Ireland to minister as a hospital chaplain. Throughout his travels, Fr Christy kept in close contact with the Venezuelan mission, and was a great support to our MSCs there, particularly the community at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School in Maracaibo.
As Fr Vincent Screene, the current Regional Leader of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Venezuela, unfortunately has to return home for medical reasons, Fr Christy will be taking his place in on the Venezuelan mission. Here, he will work with members of the regional team to guide, motivate, and encourage MSCs ministering in parishes across the country as they provide life-saving aid and spiritual support in regions of extreme poverty and hardship.
Fr Tom Jordan MSC
Fr Tom Jordan MSC also spent some time in Texas following his ordination in 1966, before taking his place on the Venezuelan mission amongst the communities and parishes he has grown to love. Fr Tomâs generosity of spirit has been legendary in Venezuela; as Fr Vincent Screene said, âWherever there is a need, Tom is thereâ.
Fr Tom returned to Ireland due to ill health last year, and during his time at home, he was vocal about the ongoing struggles of the Venezuelan people. Chai Brady of The Irish Catholic recently reported on Fr Tomâs response to Clare Daly TD, who spoke out about the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, downplaying its severity. Brady writes, âAccording to the Sunday Times Clare Daly TD said in a YouTube video that âeven in the difficult days the poorest people get a box of basic food essentials every monthâ. She said although citizens have to register to receive the package there are no political strings attached, which Fr Jordan disputed.â
As reported by The Irish Catholic, Fr Tom has deemed these claims âabsolutelyâ false. âHe [Venezuelan president NicolĂĄs Maduro] gives out a little food maybe once a month and only to the ones who recognise him as the boss,â he said. âFor somebody like that to come back to Ireland and say thereâs no shortage in Venezuela, itâs very irritating.â
âItâs got worse, more people are getting out of it â those who can â and the electricity situation makes it worse. If your refrigerator goes in a climate like that you have no food, itâs wasted,â Fr Tom continues. âThen the escalation of prices to high heaven, and the income is virtually useless to buy food because the incomes hasnât increased worth a damn.â
Fr Tom has now returned to Venezuela following his recovery, and we wish both him and Fr Christy all the very best as they bring their invaluable ministry to the Venezuelan mission once again.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN VENEZUELA
Find out more about our missionary outreach in Venezuela
Read Fr Michael’s diary from his 2019 visit to Venezuela
Jul 25, 2019
Congratulations and very best wishes to Bishop Toussaint Iluku Bolumbu MSC, who was ordained bishop of the diocese of Bokungu-Ikela in the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 21st.
His ordination took place in Bokungo, celebrated by Bishop Fridolin Ambongo Besungo, Archbishop of Kinshasa and Apostolic Administrator of Mbandaka Bikoro.
We are delighted to share the first official photograph of Bishop Toussaint, whose ministry in his new diocese has now begun.
Previously named superior of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart for the French-speaking African region, Bishop Toussaint is the first MSC African bishop. He was appointed fourth bishop of the diocese of Bokungu-Ikela by Pope Francis in April, following a rich and varied missionary journey since his ordination as a priest in 1995. Some of his previous roles include parish priest, vice rector, bursar, and later superior and director of formation of the MSC School in Yaoundé, teacher of philosophy and theology, vice president of the Association of Major Superiors of the ecclesiastical province of Mbandaka-Bikoro, assistant to the secretariat general of the General Chapter of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Rome, and moderator of the General Conference of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Yaoundé.
Please join us in sending well wishes to Bishop Toussaint, and we keep him in our prayers as he embarks on his new ministry.
Jul 18, 2019
Our Sacred Heart family at the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines recently reported on their current education project in the Hapag Community in Amparo, North Caloocan, where a helping hand has been extended to disadvantaged youths in the community whose parents cannot afford to send them to school.
This project has aimed to support students in order to allow them to continue their studies, despite difficulties with poverty and hardship in their home lives. Students have been provided with the supplies they need to attend school and complete their class projects and homework, as well as nutritious food to ensure their physical and mental health.
Not only has the programme relieved a huge amount of stress for young students and their families, but it has also addressed the growing issue of drop-outs from the local school. The drop-out rate has been a serious concern as families struggling to put meals on the table simply canât afford to send their children to school. However, since the implementation of this educational assistance programme, there has been a zero drop-out rate in the 2018/2019 school year â all remaining students have successfully continued with their studies, many with consistently rising grades.
â[Our students] have continued their sense of paying it forward by leading our Big Brother and Big Sister Tutorial schemes, by participating in regular community clean-up duties, and by running a weekly youth prayer group,â reports the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines.
The MSC community in the Philippines now hopes to focus on building livelihood programmes in the area, to provide employment opportunities for parents and to give local families valuable tools for self-sufficiency. Thanks to the support of our mission friends and benefactors around the world, our MSCs in the Philippines can continue to shine the light of hope for communities and families in need, where the future once looked bleak.
Keep up to date with the MSC Missions Office Philippines on Facebook.
Visit the new website for the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines.
