May 12, 2022
The Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart has bid farewell to MSC Superior General Fr Absalón Alvarado, following a three-week visit throughout April and May. Spending a great amount of time travelling around mission projects and ministries across Ireland and the UK, Fr Absalón met with MSC members across the Province and gained a true sense of the challenges and triumphs of mission and ministry here.
Arriving in Ireland from Rome on Easter Monday, Fr Absalón enjoyed a fruitful visit that took in trips to MSC communities in Cork, Dublin, and Galway, visits to schools and nursing homes, a four-day stay with MSC communities in Kirkby and Princethorpe in England, and meetings with the Irish Provincial Council in Dublin.
Speaking during Fr Absalón’s trip, MSC Missions Office Director Fr John Fitzgerald said, “Our Superior General is here on a visit; firstly, to meet all the members individually, to experience all our ministries, here, there, and yonder, and he’s also conveying an awful lot to us about the rest of the provinces throughout the world.”
“When Fr Absalón says he wants to meet everybody in the Province, he actually means everybody!” continued Fr John. “He goes into every street alley, every foundation… Anything at all that happens, this man calls to see the place, he knows what it’s about, and he makes sure that the job is done.”
Fr Absalón enjoyed the Irish sunshine with Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter (left),
and with MSC Missions Office Director Fr John Fitzgerald (right).
Making life possible
One highlight of our Superior General’s visit was a beautiful ceremony at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, where Fr Absalón concelebrated Mass with his MSC brothers Fr John Fitzgerald and Fr John Finn on Sunday, April 24th. Over 700 people tuned into the live stream of the ceremony, joining the parishioners and mission friends who filled the church in Cork City.
In his sermon, Fr Absalón expressed his gratitude to the mission friends and benefactors in the Irish Province who make it possible for our MSCs to do the work they do, at home and abroad. “I am originally from Guatemala, in Central America,” said Fr Absalón. “Through my service as Superior General, I have had the opportunity to visit many projects throughout the world, where you, and the Mission Office of Ireland, have made life possible. All of you have made it possible.”
“Thank you so much for being with us, for being part of our history, for being part of our lives,” he said. “You are the reason for us to be MSC, you give sense to our consecration as Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. Thank you so much for that.”
Our Superior General also spent some time in England, meeting with MSC members in
Kirkby and Princethorpe.
Building hope together
Fr Absalón also acknowledged his MSC confrères in the Irish Province for their “testimony of missionary life”.
“May we continue to build together hope for today’s world, convinced that the Risen One walks the path with us,” he prayed.
We are very grateful to Fr Absalón for his time, his enthusiasm, and his dedication, and we wish him every blessing as he leaves our shores having brought these great gifts to the members of our Province, as we continue to journey together in the Way of the Heart.
MSC Superior General Fr Absalón Alvarado meets with the members of the Irish Provincial Council.
Please click here to watch a recording of Mass concelebrated by our MSC Superior General.
*
May 10, 2022
Novena to the Sacred Heart 2022
The Feast of the Sacred Heart is fast approaching, and with it comes our special Novena to the Sacred Heart – a beautiful time of reflection when we bring our prayers and petitions before the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Our Novena of Masses runs for nine days, up to and including the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
This year’s Novena will take place from Thursday, June 16th to Friday, June 24th.
All are welcome to join in the Novena by watching our daily Masses live from the Sacred Heart Church in Cork. Novena Masses will take place daily at 10.00am and 7.30pm.
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 this year’s Novena is “Jesus – The Compassion & Mercy of God”, and it will be celebrated by Fr Paul Clayton-Lea.
Fr Paul will make a welcome return to the Sacred Heart Church to celebrate this year’s Novena, following his wonderful contribution to our 2021 Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Fr Paul is a priest of the Archdiocese of Armagh, who has enjoyed a wide and varied ministry to date and is currently the priest in residence in the parish of Termonfeckin, Co. Louth. Having studied Education and Family Ministry at Fordham University in New York in 1988, he also ministered in the Riverdale area of the Bronx at the time, and has since served as a teacher of politics and religion, a college chaplain at DKIT, a Diocesan Advisor for Religious Education, and a parish priest. Author of In The Light Of The Word: Family Life Through The Lens Of Scripture, which was published by Veritas in 2018, Fr Paul is also editor of Intercom, the monthly magazine of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference. We very much look forward to welcoming Fr Paul to the Sacred Heart Church once more as we celebrate this year’s Novena together.
Novena to the Sacred Heart at the Sacred Heart Church
Daily Novena Masses: 10.00am & 7.30pm
Dates to note
Sunday, June 19th
Novena Mass at 10.00am
Corpus Christi at 7.30pm
(beginning with Rosary & Benediction, followed by Mass)
Monday, June 20th
Penitential Services at 10.00am & 7.30pm
Thursday, June 23rd
Novena Masses at 10.00am & 7.30pm
Mass of Healing at 3.00pm
Each year, the Sacred Heart Novena is a time of great solace, peace, and prayer, as we bring our intentions before the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All are very welcome to join us for our daily Novena Masses on our live stream as we come together to reflect and give thanks in the grace and love of the Lord.
We welcome each and every one of you to this year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart.
We pray that these nine days of prayer will be a grace-filled and blessed time for all of us.
TAKE PART IN OUR 2022 NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART
May 5, 2022
The community at the MSC Centre for the Poor, located in Butuan, in the Philippines, continues in its ongoing ministry to help survivors of Typhoon Odette, which struck in December of last year and left hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes.
As well as working towards the repair and construction of new houses for families whose homes were left badly damaged or destroyed by the typhoon, MSCs in the Philippines are also working on the provision of a rainwater filtration system for affected communities, to ensure a safe supply of water for drinking. “The Centre for the Poor Cooperative designed a water filtration machine that processes or treats rainwater for safe consumption,” reports Fr Richie Gomez MSC, community leader at the MSC Centre for the Poor.
“The Potable Water System Programme was established as one of the most important components to consider in our developing farms,” continues Fr Richie. “After the onslaught of Super Typhoon Odette, which devastated Surigao City and caused further damage in Butuan City, people were distressed because there was no food or water. The Centre for the Poor in Butuan were able to supply potable water because of its water filtration facility and MSC-CEPAGCO (MSC Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative) was able to supply food because of its farm.”
“As we continue to reflect on the ordeal of the most vulnerable people, the Centre for the Poor has established the Potable Rainwater Filtration System Programme,” Fr Richie says. “We plan to set up water filtration centres in strategic places to ensure a clean water source for communities in need through rainwater collection.”
One water filtration unit costs 100,000 Philippine pesos – just over €1,800 – and will provide an invaluable supply of clean, safe drinking water for people who have found themselves in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. In addition, each unit provides an ongoing, renewable supply, as it takes rainwater at the source and renders it safe for consumption.
As relief efforts continue in the rebuilding of communities and society in the wake of Typhoon Odette, Fr Richie and his team persevere in their endeavours to help those most in need, in keeping with the ethos of the MSC-CEPAGCO and thus “bound by the spirit of generosity and resilience [as we work] towards a healthy, sustainable, and empowered society.”
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MINISTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Apr 29, 2022
It is with grateful hearts that we thank all who joined us in prayer throughout the glorious Easter season this year – a triumphant celebration of the Resurrection that was all the more beautiful for seeing friends and parishioners in person at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, after all of the lockdowns and restrictions of the past two years.
Over the course of Holy Week and Easter, over 6,000 people prayed with us via our live stream, from here at home in Ireland and the UK, to far-flung corners of the globe including Malaysia, Mauritius, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago – and everywhere in between! On Easter Sunday alone, over 1,300 people tuned into our live stream to join in with our Easter celebrations, beginning with our Easter Dawn Mass at 6.00am.
Our Easter Garden took pride of place in the Sacred Heart Church once again this year, with our sincere gratitude to all who took such care in its construction and maintenance. Our Family Tree of Life Book, a lovely Easter tradition that celebrates the joy and value of family at this special time of year, was positioned on the altar as our MSCs pray for all those enrolled throughout the Easter season.
On Easter Sunday morning, MSC Missions Office Director Fr John Fitzgerald celebrated our annual Easter Dawn Mass, reflecting, “There is something there that seems to stretching us, to imagine that from this winter and from this darkness, something is coming, something is coming forth. There is a stretch. There is a stretch in the evenings, the grasses are stretching, and the catkins on the trees are stretching, the lambs in the field are stretching… There is an awakening, a pushing of a boundary, and we are asked to respond.”
“We need this time of the year”, Fr John continued. “We need this time of the calendar year and the liturgical year to survive, where we plant new seeds, where we plant new crops, and we move from the darkness and the harshness, and we take a chance getting up in the morning, knowing that even with the cloud, the sun will rise.”
In celebration of the Resurrection, the theme of hope and light sprang forth on Easter Sunday morning – a theme that resonates with each one of us, as we continue to navigate a global landscape of war, violence, political unrest, and the ongoing pandemic. “We are a people of hope,” said Fr John. “We are a people who must hope a lot, and we dare to hope… It seems like a dangerous world, and yet we dare to come here today to celebrate hope and encouragement.”
It is with this hope singing in our hearts that we welcome the light, the stretch, and the brighter days of spring and summer to come, with every grace and blessing of the Sacred Heart to our mission friends everywhere, this Easter season and throughout the year ahead.
Click here to watch a recording of our 2022 Easter Dawn Mass.
*
Apr 28, 2022
Dear Mission Friends,
Please note that as of May 1st, 2022, there will be some minor changes to suggested donations and delivery charges for Mass enrolment books ordered through our Cards & Gifts section.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the suggested donation for several of our Mass enrolment books will be increased slightly. These changes are unfortunately unavoidable, as current rates of inflation and mounting energy costs have caused a significant rise in the cost of our supplies, in addition to the increased cost of postage and delivery.
Revised rates
From the beginning of May, the following suggested donations will be in place:
As An Post have also recently increased their charges, the following delivery rates will come into effect from May 1st:
| COUNTRY |
STANDARD
LETTER |
LARGE
LETTER |
PARCEL |
| Republic of Ireland |
€2.00 |
€3.00 |
€7.50 |
| Northern Ireland |
€2.00 |
€3.00 |
€7.50 |
| UK |
€3.00 |
€5.00 |
N/A |
Thank you
The MSC Missions Office is run as cost-effectively as possible, with every single donation we receive being put to the best possible use. Even so, the progressively rising cost of necessities such as postage and utilities means that we face a constant challenge to manage our organisation efficiently and effectively. It has been 10 years since we last found ourselves in the position of having to raise our rates; however, as daily costs continue to rise, we’re struggling to do more with less, and in line with current circumstances, we have no choice but to reflect this in these small changes to our online service.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our mission friends and benefactors, old and new, for your support of our ongoing missionary work. Every single order makes a real difference to our MSC community, and to our Sacred Heart family across the world. Like many charities, we have keenly felt the effects of the last two years; our fundraising abilities have been severely limited, coupled with the reality of an urgent cry for help from the mission fields, where the poorest people had been fighting a daily battle to feed their families even before the complications of COVID came into play. Every order, no matter how small, helps in some way. Every donation is a significant one. Thank you for your understanding; your friendship and support are quite simply invaluable, and you are in the prayers of our MSCs around the world.
BROWSE OUR MSC MASS CARDS AND GIFTS
Apr 28, 2022
On Sunday, April 24th, we were blessed to have our 10.00am Mass in the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, concelebrated by MSC Superior General Fr Absalón Alvarado, along with MSCs Fr John Fitzgerald (Director of the MSC Missions Office) and Fr John Finn. The Sacred Heart Church was filled with local mission friends and parishioners, while over 700 people tuned in to pray with us via our live stream on the morning of the Mass.
Fr Absalón, who is originally from Guatemala, is currently on a three-week visit to the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, where he is travelling around Ireland and England, meeting MSC members and witnessing various projects and ministries that are currently underway around the Province.
Bringing his vast experience and a great sense of understanding to Sunday’s celebration, Fr Absalón invited all present, in person and online, to reflect “on a culture of encounter, on a culture of mission”. Emphasising the value of togetherness and unity, a particularly important point in the wake of the enforced isolation and separation brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, Fr Absalón noted, “Once we are far from the community, from the family, we start feeling that our faith is weak, and sometimes we lose our hope as well.”
Following from this, our Superior General encouraged us all “to be workers of peace, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation,” especially at a time such as now, when the world is racked by war and violence. “In a general atmosphere of tension and exclusion, it is urgent that the Church, the community of disciples today, be a promoter of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation, starting from ourselves, our families, our communities, our Church, and it can spread through all the world,” he said.
“You have made life possible.”
Fr Absalón placed particular emphasis on his gratitude, and the gratitude of MSCs all over the world, to our mission friends and benefactors here in the Irish Province.
“Each of you, who are watching us on the live stream of this Mass, each of you who is present here in the church, have shared and collaborated for many years in the development of this culture of mission around the world,” he said. “I am a missionary from Latin America; I am originally from Guatemala, in Central America. Through my service at the moment, as a Superior General, as a leader of the Congregation, I have had the opportunity to visit many projects throughout the world, where you, and the Mission Office of Ireland, have made life possible. All of you have made it possible.”
“As you know, we are a missionary Congregation, present in 50 countries on five continents. Each one of you, with your financial contributions and your prayers, makes it possible for the Risen One to be hope and life for so many suffering people in the world, in different parts of the world. Please, do not feel alone. You are part of this great family, of this great network of mission, of the MSC mission through our world. On behalf of the entire MSC Congregation, I thank God for the life of each of you, and I thank you all, parishioners, friends, and benefactors, as well as the people who work and have worked in the Mission Office next door [to the church] here; thank you very much for your generosity and support. I pray to the risen Lord that God may multiply abundant blessings in your lives and in your families.”
“May we continue to build together hope for today’s world.”
Our Superior General also gave his thanks for our missionary communities of MSC members across the Irish Province, who have worked and continue to work at home and abroad in our shared mission of making the Sacred Heart of Jesus known and loved everywhere. “I thank God for those who are here in this community of Cork,” Fr Absalón reflected. “They are living missionary witnesses who have spent their lives for the good of so many human beings, in Ireland, in England, in South Africa, in Texas, in Russia, and in Venezuela. Thank you very much, my confreres, for your ministry, for your testimony of missionary life.”
“So, brothers and sisters, let us ask as well to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, that we may all continue to go and build the project of life that the Risen One invites us to realise in this uncertain world, full of wars and injustices, that we face today. May we continue to build together hope for today’s world, convinced that the Risen One walks the path with us.”
As he concluded his sermon, Fr Absalón reiterated his appreciation to the friends and benefactors that make our work possible. “I say it again – thank you for your generosity. We have been praying for all of you, for all the people that have been following us through the internet, and for those here in the church. Let’s continue praying for our mission. We pray for you, and you pray for us, for all the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart throughout the world. Thank you so much for being with us, for being part of our history, for being part of our lives. You are the reason for us to be MSC, you give sense to our consecration as Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. Thank you so much for that.”
It was our privilege to have Fr Absalón lead us and join us in prayer here in the Sacred Heart Church in Cork, and we wish him well as he continues on his journey around the Irish Province in the coming days and weeks.
Please click here to watch a recording of Mass concelebrated by our MSC Superior General.
*
