Nov 27, 2018
On Saturday, November 24th, the Sacred Heart Church in Cork was aglow with the light of hundreds of candles, each flame commemorating a beloved soul who is now with the Lord.
Since our first candlelight memorial service in 2014, the annual Light Up a Memory Mass has become a much-loved tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls, and this year’s Mass was another wonderful occasion for all involved.
From 6.30pm on Saturday evening, the Sacred Heart Church was a beacon of welcoming warmth in the winter darkness, with each candle burning brightly in celebration of lives and the memories of those we will always hold dear. This year, Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, Director of the MSC Missions Office, was the main celebrant of the Mass, with sermon by parish priest Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC. With a beautiful musical accompaniment led by Gerry and Deirdre Tuohy, this was a very special evening of reflection and remembrance to mark the ending of the month of remembrance.
“The church looked stunning,” said one parishioner. “It was so warm, inviting, and very appropriate for the occasion. It was also lovely to see so many MSC priests concelebrating Mass. It brought back nice memories for me.”
A “poignant and meaningful” evening of remembrance
The Light Up a Memory Mass is an opportunity for families to come together in prayer and remembrance each November. Bereavement touches us all and the service is a lovely way for families to remember together. “My son was very impressed with the celebration,” said another Mass-goer on the night. “He was delighted to bring a candle to the altar.”
We were glad to welcome familiar faces of old friends on the night, and we also had many visitors who come specially to celebrate the service with us. “It was a beautiful Mass,” said one. “The altar looked amazing, and the atmosphere was lovely.”
“It was a lovely ceremony – even if I only came upon it by accident on the way home!” said another attendee on the night. “My dad passed away late last year, so this was very poignant and meaningful for us.”
We also welcomed viewers from all over the world on our live stream, as hundreds tuned in to watch the Mass live and take part in this beautiful memorial. “That was lovely,” said one online viewer. “I’m so glad I got it!”
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. It was a truly special evening of reflection and remembrance for all involved.
Nov 21, 2018
Welcome to the Winter edition of the MSC Message!
• Read all about MSC Missions at the World Meeting of Families 2018.
• Catch up with the latest news from the mission fields, with updates from our ongoing projects in South Africa and the Philippines.
• Find out about this year’s Jubilee celebrations in the Irish Province.
• Read a special winter message from Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, Director of the MSC Missions Office.
• Walk the Camino de Santiago with Fr Alan Neville MSC and the MSC Vocations Team.
Reads the MSC Message Winter 2018
Nov 20, 2018
Remind family, friends, and loved ones that they’re always in your thoughts this Christmas with a beautifully designed Mass card from the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
In an age of email, text, and social media, it’s something special to find a surprise popping through the letterbox, and never more so than at Christmas time. Whether you’re sending festive greetings to friends and family you see every day, or reaching out to loved ones around the world, our Christmas Mass Bouquet cards are a wonderful way to let those you hold dear know that you’re thinking of them at this special time of year.
Each card is designed with care and brought to life with stunning gold highlights and embellishments. Cards can be ordered individually, or in sets of five, with a selection of different designs to choose from. Every card contains a thoughtful blessing and is signed by MSC Missions Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC for inclusion in our annual Christmas Triduum of Masses in December.
Don’t forget, when you choose to send one of our Christmas Mass Bouquet Cards, it is far more than a kind festive gesture. Your support helps us to continue bringing the gift of hope to vulnerable families and communities across the globe, at Christmas and throughout the year. While we celebrate in the warm embrace of home and family this festive season, our MSCs are continuing their work in regions of extreme poverty and hardship, bringing vital aid to people who have nowhere else to turn – and every order we receive makes a real and valuable difference.
The best Christmas gifts can’t be wrapped in a bow – capture the true spirit of Christmas and give the gift of prayer to your loved ones this year.
MSC Christmas Mass Bouquet Cards are available to order online, and from our MSC Missions Office on the Western Road in Cork.
A lovely range of Christmas gifts is also available.
BROWSE OUR RANGE OF CHRISTMAS MASS BOUQUET CARDS
Nov 15, 2018
A project that began two years ago is now nearing its final stages of completion at the church of St Francis Xavier in Tsakane, South Africa. Parish priest Fr Martin Morrissey MSC is leading the project, which sees a new church put in place for the growing congregation.
A township located just outside Johannesburg, the name “Tsakane” actually translates as “happiness” or “joy”. As is the case in many parts of South Africa, however, Tsakane struggles with significant social and economic issues, and our MSCs are on hand to provide practical aid and spiritual guidance to the local communities.
The congregation of St Francis Xavier are delighted with the development of the new church, having previously gathered to pray in a school classroom. Getting the site was a huge achievement, with the titles handed over just over a year ago, and new church is growing, step by step. An altar and sanctuary area have been set up, and the windows have been put in, while a new ceiling still has to be put in place.
Fr Martin and the community are working hard to bring their plans to fruition, although the budget is tight. Fr Martin was able to source benches from another church around 80km away, acquiring 28 church benches for 50,000 South African Rand (approximately €3,500). The same benches would have cost 300,000 Rand, or around €18,500, if they had to be bought new.
The community of St Francis Xavier now numbers over 100 people, and is growing steadily. In October, parishioners enjoyed a day of great celebration when a total of 27 adults celebrated the sacraments of Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation.
On a recent visit to Tsakane, Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter MSC visited with Fr Martin, and was welcomed with open arms by the parishioners of St Francis Xavier. Fr Martin and the community extended their sincere thanks to all of our mission friends in the Irish Province for their ongoing support, and we send our very best wishes to them as they approach the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the church of St Francis Xavier!
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Nov 6, 2018
While many children all over the world look forward to the school holidays with anticipation and delight, this is not always the case in regions where an education is not something students can take for granted, and school days can often bring a welcome break from the difficulties of home life. When they are not at school, many students of the Loreto schools in Rumbek, South Sudan, might only have as little as one meal in five days during the dry season.
The Loreto Rumbek blog shares some of the challenges that their students encounter when they are not at school, from hunger and hardship to the threat of not being able to return to their education.
School Holidays and the challenges they bring to our students
Child education for girls is an efficient strategy for breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and lifting families and communities from a place of marginalization. Thousands of girls are kept from school due to poverty, financial constraints, early marriage and conflicts in some areas in South Sudan.
For the lucky ones, their parents send them to school despite the challenges, not only as a chance to improve their futures, but also to boost the family’s fortunes.
When Loreto Girls Secondary School breaks for holidays, the students have the chance to spend time with their families and relax from their studies. At the end of the short vacation students and staff alike return and press on together, as the Loreto family.
Some of the students come from far away places and the roads are poorly constructed and insecure, so the school hosts them over the holidays. During this time, the girls are provided with more freedom with school facilities to encourage them not to miss being home and also to enjoy the break. They get ample time for activities like volleyball, watching movies, singing, and dancing together.
But, they also do some work while here. In the morning hours, the girls are given some light tasks to perform. They earn a small stipend in return, which helps them purchase a few personal items. For those students who are in greater need of some extra money, for school fees or shopping, they are given specific jobs to perform.
As Collet explains, “I enjoyed the holiday at school. I also communicated with people from home so I don’t miss home much. I did some little work and got some money which I used to buy soap and some other things. We also spend time with the other students harvesting groundnuts and making the school a better place for us like cleaning the compound. We relaxed as we enjoyed stories and movies after.”
Healing Programmes
They enjoy the stay and also have the chance to share life experiences and stories in groups of peers. With guidance from one of the school nurses, Nicole Hess, a group of girls attended a five-day trauma healing program. One of the goals was to help them learn how to manage their emotions during hard situations that directly affect their life, like forced marriages.
They also learn about suffering, grief, forgiveness, and resilience. It’s a spiritually based program that teaches them to carry their burdens and suffering to the cross. It emphasizes that full healing can only come from God.
For those at home, the stay may not be that easy and the holiday can come with challenges. Some of the girls have to work hard to afford transport back to school and for personal effects. Others face threats of forced marriage which is a major challenge. They have to advocate for their own education with the hope of coming back to continue learning, so as to be ambassadors of hope to the larger society.
With the holidays comes uncertainty
According to Hellen Agapic of Senior Three, “My holiday was a bit tough this time. My younger sister is 14 years of age and was forced to get married to a man who has 12 wives. My sister told me if she’s forced to marry that man she will go to hiding. School has taught me the disadvantages of early marriages so I advised her not to accept. My father wanted cows to pay for the crime my brother committed. My father told me I will not go to school because I advised my sister not to get married or he will take me to the prison or I will also get married. I convinced my father to allow me to continue with education so as to have a bright future. When Sr Orla knew about it, she sent someone to talk to my father to allow me to come to school and he accepted.”
This is just one case. Although most of the girls report back to school, sometimes Loreto may lose a few students that do not return. It is always a risk when the girls go home that some may be forced to get married, having no choice but to succumb to this fate. Currently Loreto has many girls trying to attain their education.
The hope is that one day all young women in South Sudan will not only have the opportunity to go to school, but will supported and encouraged to pursue their education.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are proud to support the wonderful work done by the Loreto Sisters for the young women of South Sudan.
For more photographs and further information about Loreto Rumbek, read the original blogpost, or visit their Facebook page.
You can also find out more about how MSC Missions work with Loreto Rumbek – and how you can help to make a difference to the young women of South Sudan.
Oct 31, 2018
During the month of November, we take time to remember specially loved ones who have gone before us, and whose memory still burns brightly in our hearts and minds. Every year, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart mark the end of the month of the Holy Souls with our annual Light Up a Memory Mass, a beautiful candlelight service that celebrates the memories of those we hold dear.
Each November, we invite our mission friends to send the names of their dearly departed for remembrance, and this list is kept on the altar throughout the month as we pray that they are granted peace in their eternal rest. This time-honoured tradition is a source of great comfort and solace, and the annual Light Up a Memory Mass is a wonderful way to mark the end of this month of remembrance.
On this special night, the Sacred Heart Church will be a beacon of welcoming light in the winter darkness, illuminated by the glow of hundreds of candles. With uplifting choral music and prayerful reflections, we come together to pray by the glow of candlelight, with each flame burning brightly in memory of those whom we have lost.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to remember those who are no longer with us,” says Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, Director of the MSC Missions Office. “The light of a candle is a welcome sight on a dark winter night, and each of these flames is a beautiful symbol of remembrance in honour of the loved ones who are always in our thoughts.”
All are welcome to take part in this year’s ceremony on Saturday, November 24th at 6.30pm. Tune into our live stream to watch this year’s Light Up a Memory Mass live, along with all of the Masses for the Holy Souls throughout the month of November.
If you would like more information about our Light Up a Memory Mass, please contact the MSC Missions Office by phone on 021 4545704 or by email at info@mscmissions.ie.
