Sep 22, 2022
Warmest congratulations to our MSCs Fr John Jennings, Fr Charles J. Sweeney, and Fr Diarmuid O’Murchu, who each celebrated their Golden Jubilee this summer.
Golden Jubilarians (L-R): Fr John Jennings MSC, Fr Charles Sweeney MSC, and Fr Diarmuid O’Murchu MSC
On August 23rd, each of the three MSCs celebrated 50 years since their ordination, with their Sacred Heart brothers on the Western Road, Cork. A beautiful Jubilee Mass was followed by a special celebratory lunch, attended by MSCs from across the southern communities.
Fr John is originally from Cork City, and has spent much of his missionary life ministering in Caracas, in Venezuela. Fr Charles, from Ardara in Co. Donegal, is currently based in Galway, where he is dedicated to pastoral ministry in Salthill. Fr Diarmuid, originally from Inchigeela in Co. Cork, is now based in Dublin, and is well renowned as an author and social psychologist.
Golden Jubilarians celebrate with their MSC brothers on the Western Road, Cork.
Director of the MSC Missions Office, Fr John Fitzgerald, joined the Jubilarians on the day, offering his congratulations and good wishes:
“These are three MSCs who were ordained on the same day; they have completely different sets of gifts, they have travelled different roads in their ministries, they have each served very different groups of people, and yet, they still share one ambition in life – that the love of God will be known and experienced throughout the world.”
“At the Jubilee Mass, the benefactors and friends who supported the education and subsequent ministries of our three MSCs were remembered and prayed for in a very real way,” continued Fr John.
Our prayers and blessings echo Fr John’s as he says: “I wish our Jubilarians well, I wish them good health, and I pray that they will continue to serve their call for many years to come.”
The old and the new, together in harmony: MSC Jubilarians celebrating 50 years, with Br Giacomo Gelardi MSC (far right), who is preparing for his ordination to the priesthood in November,
A true commemoration of fellowship and unity, the Jubilee celebrations were a wonderful opportunity to recall the challenges and triumphs of the years gone by, and to look ahead to a future filled with hope, promise, and enduring love. We join Fr John in congratulating the Jubilarians, with every blessing on 50 years of dedication and care in their ministry, and with every good wish for enduring health and happiness as their individual and shared journeys continue.
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Sep 15, 2022
Sincere thanks to all who participated in our 2022 Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which took place from Tuesday, August 31st to Wednesday, September 8th at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork.
It is with great delight that we were able to welcome friends and parishioners back to the Sacred Heart Church for this year’s Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, after such a prolonged period of private prayer due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition, almost 7,500 people joined us in prayer via our live stream over the course of the nine days, from all over the world, reminding us once again of the remarkable spirit of our extended Sacred Heart family, at home and across the globe. This is always a special time of year to put aside for prayer before the late Autumn and Winter seasons come upon us, and it was with grateful hearts that we celebrated the much-beloved and sacred tradition of prayer to our Blessed Mother.
The theme of our 2022 Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was “Mary, Mother of Compassion,” and Masses were celebrated by several of our MSC priests and brothers over the nine days.
Fr John Finn opened the Novena, welcoming those present in person and via our live stream, and starting us off with a simple thought: “We begin simply by inviting Jesus to touch our hearts and our lives. We ask Mary to lead us to the heart of forgiveness, the healing love and compassion of Jesus her son.”
Having reflected on the meaning of compassion during our first Novena Masses, Br Giacomo Gelardi returned with a second sermon on Day Two, reminding us that, “We need to return to the simplicity and enthusiasm, to the beauty of realising that we are instruments of the spirit.” In essence, “Let your heart beat in harmony with God’s heart,” he told us.
Day Three saw Fr Tom Mulcahy sharing the powerful message that “God is forgiveness – it isn’t that God gives forgiveness, God is forgiveness, God is compassion, God is mercy.” Following this, Day Four saw Fr Seamus Kelly pray for us all to listen to God’s signs to us as we bring his love to others, and “for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit on each and every one of us, that we too can bring the love of Christ to people throughout the world.”
On the fifth day of our Novena, Fr John Finn returned with a homily on faith, and the importance of our attitude towards our daily lives – whether we live, or simply endure. “Each day you have, each moment you live, is God’s gift, it is given to us as a gift, as something to be lived, not as a torture to be endured,” he reminded us. “Faith calls us to life. Faith calls us that when moments hit us and pierce our soul, we too would have that trust, that no matter what happens, God is present, God is there.”
Fr John Fitzgerald celebrated Mass on Day Six, with a reflection on Mary and Suffering, reminding us of the fact that Mary was human too, and “that is how we connect with her, on these days of suffering, the days when we need her”. Drawing from the theme of suffering the light of hope, Fr John prayed “that we might have patience, that we might be courageous as well, and that we might hold hope in our hearts.”
Fr John returned on Day Seven of the Novena, a special day of healing. “Our prayer today is for healing in our bodies, for healing today, physical and emotional and spiritual,” he said, along with praying for the healing power of acceptance of those things that we may not be able to change. Together, we prayed for all who are sick, suffering or in pain, for those who are healing from a broken heart in any form, for those healing through learning to walk with their past, for those suffering with anxiety, darkness or depression, addiction, and mental health issues, and for those learning to accept sickness and heal in a recovery of the soul. Fr John finished for a prayer for healers everywhere, giving thanks for the “magnificent people who are carers and healers in our world”.
Fr Joe McGee journeyed from Dublin to celebrate the final two days of the Novena, bringing a blessed nine days of prayer to a beautiful close. “My wish for all of us at the end of the Novena, for all of us here and those joining us online, that in some way this Novena will bring us closer to Mary, who brings us closer to the Lord, who helps us to ponder the mysteries of our lives,” he said.
At the closing Masses, parish priest Fr Tom Mulcahy paused to thank everyone who contributed to making this year’s Novena such a special one, particularly as it is the last Novena that he will prepare as parish priest of the Sacred Heart parish. Giving sincere thanks to everybody involved in the preparation and the celebrations, Fr Tom also prayed in gratitude for all who took part in this year’s Novena Masses, in the Sacred Heart Church and on our webcam streaming service. “We thank God for your presence,” he said. “I hope it has been a blessing for you as it has been for us.”
“May God bless you, and all your prayers that you have placed in the hands of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart; she is the hope of the hopeless,” Fr Tom continued.
“The Lord knows how to work, and the mother of the Lord is always with us. God bless you all.”
Year upon year, the MSC Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart offers great solace and comfort to all who take part, as we bring our prayers and personal intentions before our Holy Mother. Once again, we send our heartfelt thanks to everyone who took part in what was a truly blessed occasion this year, and for your ongoing friendship and support. God bless you all.
If you would like to watch this year’s Novena Masses,
please click here to view recordings of all nine days.
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Sep 8, 2022
On August 21st, Fr José Eduardo Paixão celebrated with the Holy Baquita community in the district of Metuge, posting pictures on the MSC Mozambique Facebook page to mark this wonderful occasion.
A very special day for the community, Fr Eduardo presided over the sacraments of baptism and First Holy Communion, in “a moment of great faith and participation”.
Our mission in Mozambique is in its fourth year, ministering to families in need in what is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. The mission is based in the Diocese of Pemba, in the province of Cabo Delgado, a region that has been subject to the terrors of war since 2017. To date, over 850,000 people have been displaced from their homes by war, with many seeking a place of safety in refugee camps in Pemba.
Fr Eduardo and the Mozambique mission are tireless in their ministry, welcoming those who have nowhere else to go, while also helping local families who are struggling with extreme poverty and hardship. This summer, the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are supporting our Mozambique mission by raising funds for two projects that will help the people of Pemba to regain a sense of self-sufficiency, dignity, and hope.
A day of celebration such as this one in the Holy Baquita community is a great and worthy reminder of the inestimable power of faith, unity, and love. Please keep Fr Eduardo and our Mozambique mission in your prayers as they continue to share the message of God’s love in the most challenging circumstances.
Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page, with credit to Manara Abudo.
PLEASE HELP OUR SACRED HEART FAMILY IN MOZAMBIQUE
Sep 1, 2022
The latest update from the Typhoon Odette mission response team in the Philippines comes from Gilutongan Island, Cordova, where the MSC Typhoon Odette Housing Project is continuing in its work at full force.
With the first batch of materials arriving at the end of July, work commenced speedily, and in early August, the Facebook page for the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines reported that construction of the first batch of homes had begun, with the local community “working together” to ensure successful and efficient progress. A real community affair, the people of Gilutongan Island are coming together to help in the construction of houses for themselves and for their neighbours in a great display of unity and generosity of spirit.
The MSC Typhoon Odette Housing Project aims to help more than 160 families on Gilutongan Island, following the initial phase of construction which took place in Bayagnan Island in Surigao City in March. With early reports in the aftermath of the typhoon stating that 90% of the houses in this community had been completely destroyed, the establishment of these new homes is an invaluable part of helping the people of Gilutongan Island regain a sense of security, self-sufficiency, and hope.
As local families slowly piece their lives and their communities back together, nine months after the initial devastation caused by the typhoon in December 2021, the construction of safe, secure homes is a great step in the right direction as they look towards a hopeful future.
Gilutongan Island images via the Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc.
PLEASE HELP OUR SACRED HEART FAMILY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Aug 25, 2022
Our most recent update from the Philippines comes from Fr Richie Gomez MSC, community leader at the MSC Centre for the Poor. The Provincial Conference for the Philippines took place in August, in person for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck, and Fr Richie writes with the highlights of a report on the latest progress of the MSC Centre for the Poor.
“What has happened at the Centre for the Poor since it was established four years ago, up to this moment, is beyond expectation!” writes Fr Richie. “It has given birth to an agricultural cooperative movement among farmers that expresses our concerns, especially regarding the poor and the marginalised in our society. Our Centre is a grass-roots, non-profit organisation dedicated to taking care of the environment and well-being of the people by providing services to the community in terms of spiritual, pastoral, and socio-economic needs.”
    
“A working arm of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.”
“The MSC Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative (MSC-CEPAGCO) is a working arm of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, responding the many difficulties that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, by organising the farmers’ sector to ensure food sustainability and care of our common home,” Fr Richie continues.
The Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative has been recognised by the Cooperative Development Authority in the Philippines, and in June received an award from the Department of Agriculture naming them one of the most outstanding Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country, and running one of the most successful agri-farms in the Caraga region. “This is a great honour for the Centre,” writes Fr Richie, “reinforcing our unique position as we help and better improve livelihoods and the quality of life of the community.”
Empowering the disadvantaged and marginalised
The cooperative currently has 30 young college students, all from disadvantaged backgrounds, working with them in their shared mission to “produce affordable, healthy food for all”. Not only is the cooperative focused on taking care of our earth, and creating sustainable food sources for local communities, it also prioritises development opportunities for young people, or marginalised individuals, who struggle to go beyond backgrounds that may be rooted in severe poverty, hardship, and social issues. “We want to empower the small-scale farmers, youths who are out of school, indigenous cultural communities, those who are working to overcome addiction, and repatriated OFWs (people from the Philippines who have been living and working abroad),” Fr Richie explains. Teaching these young or marginalised people invaluable skills, the cooperative allows them to find a place for themselves, playing valuable roles and being an important part of a bigger picture, while also learning useful skills that will help them to find employment opportunities as they move forward in life.
In essence, “The Centre for the Poor aims to help rural and urban poor communities to develop sustainable livelihoods that will benefit them and will support their daily lives”. Two centres are currently in operation, one in Butuan City and the other in Del Monte, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, which is also home to the cooperative’s demonstration farm.
From “me to we.”
Responding to the “wake-up calls” that our earth is giving us, the MSC Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative are promoting the shift from “me to we”, from “monoculture to diversity”, and from “competing with nature to partnering with nature”. From the construction of brick cooking stoves in several locations, to the installation of rainwater filtration systems, along with a host of further developments and partnerships, the Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative has been going from strength to strength. We send our heartfelt congratulations to Fr Richie, his MSC brothers, and the MSC-CEPAGCO community on their tremendous achievements to date, with every blessing and good wish as they continue in their vital work.
    
IF YOU CAN, PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MISSIONARY WORK
Aug 18, 2022
At the end of July, our MSC Mozambique mission visited Ibo Island, an island situated just off northern Mozambique in the Indian Ocean. Situated over 70km from Pemba, where our mission is based, Ibo Island is also in the province of Cabo Delgado.
Fr Eduardo visited Ibo Island with Fr Girley, who travelled from Brazil to visit the mission, and spent three days on the island from July 29th to 31st.
“We were greeted with great joy and affection,” posted Fr Eduardo on the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.
“After almost two years I can say that it was a great joy for us, for Father Girley who came from Brazil to visit us, as well as for the Christians living on the island.”
Upon their arrival, our MSC group met with the local community and celebrated Mass together. The second day of their visit incorporated a Confession service and a Sunday school programme, along with a celebration of the Liturgy of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, who is the patron saint of the Ibo Parish. The final day of their visit saw further celebrations, with a total of 18 baptisms and seven young people marking the First Holy Communion.
    
“It was indeed a weekend of great joy for us and the entire Catholic community of Ibo Island,” concluded Fr Eduardo.
As our Mozambique mission continues in its ongoing work to minister to local families, alongside those who have been displaced by war, we ask you to please join us in keeping our brothers in the Sacred Heart, and the communities they serve, in your prayers.
Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.
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