Dec 9, 2021
Wednesday, December 8th marked a day of double celebrations for the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, and for our extended MSC family around the world, as we celebrated the ordination of Giacomo Gelardi MSC to the Diaconate on the 167th anniversary of the foundation of the Society of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
Having made his Perpetual Profession to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in September of this year, Giacomo was ordained to the Diaconate by Bishop Fintan Gavin, at the Church of Our Lady and St John in Carrigaline, Co. Cork, on the morning of December 8th, 2021. In the immediate wake of Storm Barra, which had put Co. Cork on a red alert status just the day before, Bishop Fintan Gavin began the ceremony by thanking everyone who had travelled to celebrate this very special day with Giacomo, despite all the challenges the weather had thrown in the way.
âI feel particularly honoured to be here today ordaining Giacomo,â said Bishop Fintan. âMy own connection to the MSCs goes back to the mid-90s, with Fr Pat Duffy and Jim McCormack, when I worked with them in Killinarden. I was always made to feel part of the community, very much welcome. I came to know Giacomo while teaching in Maynooth, and then, through the Italian Chaplaincy in Dublin, where Giacomo not only participated, but he worked with me on the Confirmation programme and the preparation for marriage over one of the years. Today we pray that the Holy Spirit will be with Giacomo, giving him strength and comfort, and that the spirit will accompany him in his witness and service as a Deacon, on his path to priestly ordination.â
âGiacomo, today we celebrate another very significant moment on your journey to saying yes to Godâs plan for your life,â continued Bishop Fintan. âThis is a journey that began in your own home with the faith shared by your family and your family community in Urbino; a journey that would take you to World Youth Day in Cologne, that would deepen and mature over the years, through time spent in Verona and York, and discerning eventually a particular call to missionary religious life with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, which led to your final profession. Today, we celebrate a further deepening of that âyesâ, as you respond to the invitation to become a Deacon in the Church.â
Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter MSC also added his own congratulations to Giacomo on his ordination. âFor us Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, this is our foundation day,â he reflected. âItâs a very special feast day for us, and no better or more fitting day to celebrate your ordination to the Diaconate, Giacomo, so weâre particularly delighted. I know all who are gather here today, and all that are joining us over the internet, are with you in spirit, and wholeheartedly congratulate you and wish you well. We wish you well for your ministry of service as Deacon, a ministry that will continue for the rest of your life. Your Diaconate may be transitional, but the ministry to which youâve been ordained today is a ministry for life; and so our prayers, our support, our love, and our accompaniment are with you for the rest of your journey, for the rest of your life.â
âToday, we are here to celebrate with Giacomo,â Fr Carl continued. âWe are here to share his day of joy, but Giacomo, over the days, months, and years ahead, we will continue to be with you, to pray for you, to journey with you and to support you with all of our hearts.â
We join Bishop Fintan and Fr Carl in sending our heartfelt congratulations to the newly ordained Deacon Giacomo Gelardi MSC, and our prayers and blessings are with him as he continues on the path of his missionary journey.
Click here to watch the ordination to the Diaconate of Giacomo Gelardi MSC.
Dec 2, 2021
Remind family, friends, and loved ones that theyâre 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, itâs something special to find a surprise popping through the letterbox, and never more so than at Christmas time. Whether youâre sending festive greetings to friends and family nearby, 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 youâre 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 John Fitzgerald MSC for inclusion in our annual Christmas Triduum of Masses, which will take place this year from December 17th to 19th 2025 at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork.
Donât forget, by choosing to send one of our Christmas Mass Bouquet cards, youâre supporting the life-saving work our missionaries are doing across the world. Over the past two years, our ongoing mission projects have come under tremendous strain as a result of the challenges introduced by the pandemic, and our missionaries are working tirelessly to combat the effects of COVID-19 in areas where even basic resources like clean water are sorely lacking, while also maintaining ongoing ministry in the provision of education, healthcare, and community support in vulnerable and disadvantaged regions. By choosing to send one of our Christmas cards this year, youâre giving families and communities in need a real reason to celebrate this festive season.
The best Christmas gifts canât be wrapped in a bow â 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
Dec 2, 2021
Our Light Up a Memory Mass has become a much-loved annual tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls since our first ceremony in 2014, and this yearâs candlelight memorial Mass, which took place on the evening of Saturday, November 27th, was another beautiful commemoration of the memory of treasured loved ones who are now with the Lord.
As we come to the end of another year of uncertainty and anxiety, with all the challenges presented to us by living with the COVID pandemic, it was a truly wonderful thing to be able to safely welcome mission friends and parishioners, old and new, to the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork. We were also delighted to welcome many, many more friends who joined us via our live stream on the night, with almost 900 viewers joining us in prayer from across Ireland, the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, France, Bulgaria, Romania, and Malta.
At 6.30pm on Saturday evening, the Sacred Heart Church was filled with the light of hundreds of candles, a beacon of light and of hope on a dark November night. The Mass was celebrated by Fr John Fitzgerald and Fr Michael OâConnell, and was a particularly special evening for both MSCs, as Fr Michael celebrated the Light Up a Memory ceremony for the final time as Director of the MSC Missions Office, before handing over the reins to Fr John in the new year. With a beautiful musical accompaniment led by Gerry and Deirdre Tuohy, this was a very special evening of reflection and prayer to mark the ending of the month of remembrance.
âWeâre here to give thanks to God for the gift of those who loved us, to give thanks to God for the gift of those who shared our lives.â
Fr Michael began the ceremony with a special reflection on the purpose of the evening, of a âvery specialâ Mass. âWeâre here to remember those who have shared their lives with us,â he said. âWeâre here to remember those who have gifted us their love, their presence, to remember those who have given us so much. Weâre here to acknowledge the loss, the grief that might still be present in us. Weâre here to give thanks to God for the gift of those who loved us, to give thanks to God for the gift of those who shared our lives, for those who gave birth to us, who brought us into this world, for those who told us they loved us, those who maybe brought us for Christening. And so we pray with those who are in Heaven, who we join in that great family of God, everyone at home and here in the church, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.â
Fr Johnâs homily incorporated a selection of poems and prayers, from W.H. Auden to Cardinal Newman, each one a fitting reminder of the power of grief, of faith, and of love everlasting. As Fr Michael lit candles on the altar, Fr John reminded us, âThe symbol of light is the symbol that Jesus picked himself: âI am the light of the worldâ.â
âLight is the symbol of Christ because light leads us in the dark,â he continued. âThere is something about light that makes distance seem that bit closer⊠I would love tonight to go all over the country, or wherever you are, and give each one of you a candle, and ask you to hold that candle in your hand, and look into that candle, and say, âGive me time and space and peace to see the light of Christ here as I remember my loved one.â The symbol of light is the light of Christ.â
Remembering the recently bereaved and those struggling with grief, Fr John prayed: âWe pray for the light of Christ to light up the emptiness of your soul, the place they have left there in your soul, and the rawness of your soul, that you might get warmth there now in the frostiness of grieving. For you tonight, who are lately bereaved, may the blessing of light be upon you, light without and light within.â
A ceremony of faith, love, and hope.
The Mass ended on a note of hope, as Fr John reflected, âthis is a ceremony of faith and love, and it is a ceremony of hope,â while Fr Michael finished the Mass with the lighting of the Advent wreath, reminding us to look to its light as we begin our Advent journey towards the birth of Christ.
We would like to extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who took part in this yearâs Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. At a time when so many of us are separated, the Light Up a Memory Mass is a lovely opportunity for families to come together in prayer and remembrance of their dearly departed, no matter where they are in the world. It was a beautifully poignant and truly special evening of prayer, reflection, and fond remembrance for all involved.
Click here to watch a recording of our 2021 Light Up a Memory Mass
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Dec 1, 2021
Please note that the MSC Missions Office will be closed over the Christmas period,
from 4.00pm on December 23rd to 9.00am on January 4th.
With warm wishes to our mission friends everywhere for a happy, healthy, and safe Christmas season.
Dear Friends,
Christmas greetings to you and your loved ones! While we have all endured another year of uncertainty, it is a great blessing to be able to look to the festive season and the coming year with hopeful hearts.
This will be a particularly special Christmas for me, as it will be the last that I celebrate as Director of the MSC Missions Office. As such, this is the last time that I will have the opportunity to send you my Christmas wishes as Director, ahead of Fr John Fitzgerald MSC taking over the role in the new year. The ending of one year and the beginning of the next strikes me as an especially fitting time for change, and it is with fondest regards that I thank you for your friendship throughout the years. It has been a gift beyond measure, and Iâm sure that you will welcome Fr John with the same generosity and kindness that I have been so privileged to receive in my time as Director.
Over the past two years, our ongoing mission projects have come under tremendous strain as a result of the challenges introduced by the pandemic, and our missionaries are working tirelessly to combat the effects of COVID-19Â in areas where even basic resources like clean water are sorely lacking, while also maintaining ongoing ministry in the provision of education, healthcare, and community support in vulnerable and disadvantaged regions. With each year that passes, we are trying to do more with less, and the past two years have proved particularly challenging, in ways that none of us could have imagined. Thanks to you, our dear mission friends, we can continue to face those challenges head-on; your support provides a real and vital lifeline to countless families who would otherwise be without hope. Together, we are a powerful and wonderful force, a force that can continue to combat the fear, sorrow, and anxiety that plagues our world in current times.
Christmas can be a difficult time for many, and that has, of course, been exacerbated by the pandemic in its second year. Whether you are fortunate enough to be surrounded by the warmth of family this festive season, or whether you may be struggling with your own personal challenges, please know that you are in my prayers this Christmas, and in the prayers of our MSCs everywhere.
As we approach a new year and a new chapter for the MSC Missions Office, my prayers are with you and those you hold dear. May the light of the Lordâs love shine in your heart and in your home this Christmas season, and guide your path throughout the new year and always. May you be blessed with the spirit of Advent, and may God grant you and your loved ones a peaceful, prayerful Christmas and a safe, happy, and healthy New Year.
Wishing you and yours a happy and holy Christmas,
Fr Michael O’Connell MSC
Please click here to read letters from Fr Michael, Fr John, and Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter MSC, as we begin a new chapter for the MSC Missions Office in 2022.
Nov 24, 2021
âTis the season of goodwill to all, and of course, the season of giving â and thereâs no better way to celebrate than with a gift that gives back to the people who need it most.
Our wonderful selection of Christmas keepsakes make the perfect gift for someone special â and by choosing one of our festive gifts, youâre supporting the life-saving work our missionaries are doing across the world. Over the past two years, our ongoing mission projects have come under tremendous strain as a result of the challenges introduced by the pandemic, and our missionaries are working tirelessly to combat the effects of COVID-19 in areas where even basic resources like clean water are sorely lacking, while also maintaining ongoing ministry in the provision of education, healthcare, and community support in vulnerable and disadvantaged regions. By choosing to send one of our Christmas gifts this year, youâre giving families and communities in need a real reason to celebrate this festive season.
Explore our range of festive cards and gifts and bring Christmas joy to your homeâŠ
Delicately crafted angel ornaments inscribed with messages of peace and inspiration will bring a seasonal warmth to any Christmas display.
A beautiful nativity scene captures the essence of the Christmas season, with the Holy Family wrapped in the peace and goodwill of angelic protection.
A selection of battery-operated candles offer everything from prayers to the Holy Family to blessings for your home, while the LED flickering flame means that you can enjoy the warmth and glow of candlelight in safety, year after year.
You can also find the perfect Christmas Mass Bouquet Card to send seasonal greetings to loved ones at home and abroad, with inclusion in this year’s Christmas Mass Triduum, which will take place from December 20th to 22nd at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork.
Whether youâre choosing a festive ornament for your own home, or sending a seasonal surprise to brighten a loved oneâs day, youâll find the perfect Christmas keepsake â and a gift that keeps on giving â in our seasonal range.
This Christmas, please consider giving a gift that makes a difference. Your goodwill is a gesture that reaches far beyond the holiday season, and gives real and lasting hope to those in need.
BROWSE OUR CHRISTMAS GIFT RANGE
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Nov 18, 2021
In October, the MSC Indonesian Province celebrated its 50th anniversary. Founded on October 6th 1971 by the MSC General Conference in Rome, the Indonesian Province has since gone from strength to strength, working to provide vulnerable communities with everything from opportunities in education to emergency aid in the face of natural disasters.
As the Indonesian Province continues to grow and to serve in the love of the Lord, we wish our MSC brothers there every blessing, and heartfelt congratulations on this very special anniversary. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved!
Below, you can read a letter from Yoseph Harbelubun MSC, originally published on the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Australia website in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the MSC Province of Indonesia.
“In this part of the world, we have our largest province, Indonesia. We have PNG, Australia, Pacific Islands.
On October 6th, 2021, the MSC Indonesian Province celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the province. Before it became an autonomous province, MSC Indonesia was under the Dutch MSC Province. However, after going through various preparations, the MSC General Conference in Rome in October 6th, 1971 erected the MSC Indonesian Province and appointed Fr. P.S. Hardjasoemarta to be the first Provincial Superior.
The Acts of the MSC General Conference, held in Rome from 5 to 15 October 1971, states: ‘On October 6th, 1971, the General Conference erected the MSC Province of Indonesia. Consequently, Fr Hardjasoemarta is the first provincial superior of the new province.’ The preceding text says: ‘Indonesia has been a Vice-Province, or Provincial Administration since 1961. The special Provincial Chapter held in June 1971 judged that the time had come to ask for the erection of the Indonesian Province. The number of native-born Indonesians has been steadily increasing: 32 priests, 21 brothers, 20 students. Furthermore, there are still many foreign-born MSC working in Indonesia (136). These are free to decide whether they become members of the new Province or remain members of their Province of origin’ (Analecta MSC, N. IV, Anno LXIX â 1971, p. 322). Since then, MSC Indonesia has been independent, managing its life and ministry independently, apart from the Dutch Province.
‘Becoming Disciple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who Remembers, Celebrates, and Renews His Being and Doing.’
Many events have shaped the MSC Indonesian Province as it is today and towards the future. Therefore, celebrating the 50th foundation anniversary is a historical moment that deserves to be remembered and celebrated â remembering the great works of God experienced in the history of God’s People, especially the journey of the MSC Congregation in Indonesia. This 50th foundation anniversary is not only an opportunity for Indonesian MSC to remember and celebrate, but also to renew their being and actions. Therefore, the theme is ‘Becoming Disciple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who Remembers, Celebrates, and Renews His Being and Doing.’
In order to make this 50th foundation anniversary meaningful, the Provincial Superior with his Council launched the Jubilee Year in October 6th, 2020. The opening ceremony of the 50th Jubilee began with the celebration of the Eucharist, followed by a short ceremony to mark the start of the Jubilee Year. The launching ceremony took place in the Chapel of the Mother House in Jakarta and was broadcast virtually. In addition, following the launching ceremony, members of the province also marked the opening of the Jubilee Year in every District and Local Communities with different planned activities.
The Provincial Superior with his Council formed a committee in the province, headed by Fr. Florianus Miranta MSC (the vicar) to coordinate various activities to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the MSC Indonesian Province.
The committee worked to construct the history of the MSC Indonesian Province; to organize materials for reflection on the theme of the jubilee year; to construct a survey questionnaire and to present the results on the ‘being and doing’; to compose prayers; to prepare liturgies and to deepen understanding of the special prayers of the MSC; to prepare events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the province ; to produce publications and documentation; to hold social services and to raise funds to support activities of the 50th anniversary of the MSC Indonesia Province. Apart from the Province Committee, local committees were also formed in each District and Local Community.
The journey and growth of the MSC Indonesian Province cannot be separated from cooperation and partnership with the dioceses, institutions, diocesan priests, religious congregations, lay people and other partners. Therefore, this 50th Jubilee celebration is not merely a celebration of MSC but is expected to also involve our partners and all the faithful people. However, due to the Coronavirus pandemic situation, many activities were carried out internally, such as the preparation and publication of a book series on the history of the MSC Indonesian Province; prayers and novenas for the Jubilee Year; webinars on special prayers of MSC; recollection and reflections to deepen the theme of the Jubilee Year in the District and Local Communities; webinars on the theme ‘communio, missio, leadership and the future’. The committee has been preparing a memorial book and a ceremony for the 50th Anniversary of the Province. In addition to the activities coordinated by the Committee in the Province, each District and Local Community also carried out various activities to celebrate the Jubilee Year according to their context.
Thus, as a Province that is growing and developing, and remembering the historical milestones that have formed the province, together with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, all members of the MSC Indonesian Province exclaim: ‘My soul magnifies the LordâŠâŠ. For the Mighty One has done great things for us’ (Luke 1:49). Let us gratefully remember this historical moment: ‘May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved!’ (Ametur ubique terrarum Cor Jesu Sacratissimum).”
Yoseph Harbelubun MSC
(Province of Indonesia)
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN INDONESIA
Images via the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Australia website.
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