Apr 29, 2021
The advent of May, the month dedicated to Mary, brings us longer evenings, warm sunshine, blossom in abundance – and above all, a sense of hope and quiet joy in the certainty of brighter days to come.
This May, we remain restricted in our movements as we take tentative steps towards emerging from national lockdown. In keeping with the time-honoured tradition of honouring Mary throughout the month of May, we invite you to create your own May altar in your home, a daily opportunity for reflection, thanksgiving, and peaceful prayer to Our Lady.
You can prepare your altar on any small, flat space, such as a table, a shelf, a windowsill, a bookshelf, or a mantelpiece. A statue or picture of Our Lady is placed in the centre of the space, on a white or blue piece of cloth, and the altar is then adorned with flowers of all types. Many people choose to use wild flowers, which are in plentiful supply at this time of year, while others prefer to use flowers traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, such as white lilies (symbolic of her purity) or roses (a symbol of her love of God).
Complete your altar with a candle. Take some time each day to light this and pause in quiet prayer, on your own or with family, in a moment of rest and reflection amid the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.
Many people pray the rosary daily at their May altar, asking for Our Lady’s intercession. Below, you’ll also find Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary during the coronavirus pandemic.
You can browse a selection of Our Lady statues and candles in our Cards & Gifts section, if you would like to find something special for your May altar at home.
With every grace and blessing of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart for a peaceful, prayerful, and healthy month of May.
Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary
O Mary,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People,
know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the cross,
to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.
Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Apr 28, 2021
As Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours Ltd. have ceased trading, we are now unable to fulfil any outstanding 2020 pilgrimage bookings, which were awaiting a rescheduled date due to COVID cancellations.
Any mission friends who had booked a place on our 2020 Lourdes or Fatima tours with JWT may submit an Aviation Regulation claim form to apply for a refund.
Each claim must be made by the individual who was booked on the pilgrimage; unfortunately, we cannot make a claim on your behalf. You can download a copy of the claim form here for your use.
For further information, the following helplines are available:
- Aviation Regulation: (01) 661 1700
- JWT Helpline: (01) 242 0800 (Monday – Friday: 9.00am – 1.00pm & 2.00pm – 5.30pm)
Please visit www.aviationreg.ie for further updates.
We look forward to journeying together on pilgrimage once again when it is safe to do so. In the meantime, you are very welcome to join our community of faith in daily prayer from the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, via our live stream.
Apr 23, 2021
Blessed are the martyrs of El Quiche Guatemala. Faith’s response to injustice.
Article from the Italian newspaper, Avvenire 23/04/2021.
Ten missionaries, priests, catechists, pastoral workers and also a 12-year-old boy are raised to the altars. Their engagement was against violence during the civil war.
It was a day in August 1995. The farmer was working in his field, as usual. The hoe inadvertently moved a stone, stuck in the dark earth. It was then that he noticed the strange object: a closed book in a plastic bag. With difficulty, on the thick black
cover, he can still read the golden writing: “Holy Bible”. The photo of its ruined pages, on display at the Human Rights Office of the Archdiocese of Guatemala (Odha), is the most authentic memory of the civil war that bloodied the nation between 1960 and 1996.
Genocide took place in the highlands of Quiché: tens of thousands of civilians were massacred. Women, men, children and old people; the overwhelming majority poor and indigenous: a tragically “normal” situation in a country where poverty has the colour and
features of the Mayan people. A people, however, deeply believing, capable – riding the wave of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, of the Latin American Bishops’ Conferences and of the work of evangelization carried out by Catholic Action – of reconciling
the Gospel and their daily commitment to the construction of the Kingdom. Thus was born the prophecy which incited priests, bishops, laity, catechists and pastoral workers to denounce the vicious system of exclusion fostered in the blood by the small land elite
and its representatives in the military governments. It was enough to have a Bible in the house to be tortured and killed. Violence has not extinguished faith. The sacred books and symbols were buried, but people continued to read and pray them, in secret.
“They buried the Bible, put flowers and candles in it,” says Fernando Bermúdez, a missionary for thirty years in Guatemala with his wife, theologian and author of digital religious affairs. In the evening, the community met there to remember certain passages,
thus resuscitating the Word. Witnesses to the end. Like the Spanish priests, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart José María Gran Cirera and Juan Alonso Fernández and Faustino Villanueva, the sacristan Tomás Ramírez Caba, the catechists Rosalío Benito Ixchop,
Reyes Us Hernández, Domingo Del Barrio Batz, Nicolás Castro, Miguel Tiu Imul and Juan Barrera Méndez, just 12 years old. All murdered in hatred of the faith between 1980 and 1991, as recognized by the decree which Pope Francis authorized for promulgation on
January 24. And as such, they will be beatified today at the Rosary Institute of Santa Cruz de El Quiché. The Mass will be presided over by Cardinal Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri, Bishop of Huehuetenango.
The city is decorated with flowers and murals for this great celebration that not even the pandemic can erase. “It is a recognition of the faith of the people of God who go on pilgrimage to Quiché. There, the Church was persecuted, paradoxically, by “co-religionists”.
“The soldiers and paramilitaries who massacred civilians and tortured priests and catechists professed to be Catholics. To justify themselves, they accused the victims of being subversive and communist. Nothing is further from the truth. Their non-violent defence
of the dignity of the oppressed was rooted in the Gospel “, explains Nery Rodenas, director of Odha. It was precisely this latter office – created by Juan Gerardi, longtime bishop of Quiché and also a victim of death squads – that exposed the “official lie”
of the “Nunca Más” (Never Again) report. A meticulous work of reconstructing the historical memory by collecting testimonies on the ground: 6,000 arrived from Quiché alone. “I accompanied the future blessed Nicolás Castro and Reyes Us. One day, they asked me
to help them hide consecrated hosts in a container with corn husks. It was the only sure way to take them to their villages, a day’s walk away. They knew they risked horrific death if found. But they told me that neither they nor their communities could renounce
the Body of Christ”, Bermúdez remembers. “They killed Nicolás on the night of September 29, 1980: a commando broke into his house and tried to kidnap him. He resisted and they hit him with three bullets in front of his wife, mother and children. He was 35.
Less than two months later, it was Reyes’ turn.” “The example of these martyrs”, concludes Rodenas, “prompts us to work with an even greater impetus for the truth and justice of the Kingdom, for which they lived. And for which they died.”
Archdiocesan Television
https://www.youtube.com/…/UCaX9JrFxj84pLq3lbAp…/featured
https://canalcatolico.tv/ click on live TV.
Apr 21, 2021
Looking back on my previous entries, I think I begin all of them with the same idea, namely that it is a busy time here in Loreto Rumbek. Being something of a traditionalist, I’ll continue in that vein, at least for now anyway. Since I wrote last, we have had a number of welcome visitors and one big celebration.
The first arrival was the truck. Once a year a large container lorry trundles northward from Nairobi to the border post of Nadapal between Kenya and South Sudan, before passing through Juba and finally arriving at our school. It is a mammoth journey at the best of times, but with the terrible road conditions, the beginning of the first rains, and persistent insecurity it can be perilous. Its arrival is greeted with great enthusiasm and I think the best description is that it is like Christmas with really sensible, practical presents. The basics that we can pick up in any Dunnes, Spar or Woodies back home are luxuries here. There are really no local shops that can supply the needs of a school, let alone a clinic or an agricultural project. The truck was filled with mundane essentials like school uniforms, tools, desks, two sowing machines, medical equipment, and textbooks. There was also a small fridge for me. The absolute luxury! While I’m writing this in 40C, I’m sipping some ice-cold water. It is like a little corner of Heaven!
Last Wednesday the Governor of Lakes State, along with the local Minister for Education and the Minister for Labour paid our school a visit. They took the time to walk around the compound with Sr. Orla, dropping into the clinic and taking look at our primary school. The clinic is tearing busy, looking after over four thousand patients a month, while the primary school is closed due to Covid restrictions. Thankfully, we received word last night that they will begin to reopen on May 3rd, allowing life to return to some measure of normality. Anyway, back to the Governor and the Ministers. They spoke at length to the students about the importance of education and how they were committed to fighting early forced marriage. How these words will be transformed into action remains to be seen, but even the public commitment itself is a powerful witness for the rights of young women to be allowed to determine their own future.
On Thursday we welcomed Bishop-Elect Fr. Christian Carlassare to Rumbek. Our Diocese has been without a bishop for almost ten years and his arrival was greeted with wonderful enthusiasm. He is originally from Italy, but has lived and ministered in South Sudan since 2005. As the only two schools currently open in the state, the students from Loreto joined the boys from La Salle Catholic Secondary School to provide a guard of honour. In his opening speech he shared his vision for the future drawing on Galatians Chapter 3 to have a community of faith unified in the love of Jesus. He dropped by the school yesterday to say thank you to the students and to meet the team here. There will be exciting times ahead. Please do keep him in your prayers.
In addition to all the arrivals, we also had to celebrate a birthday. Loreto Secondary School officially became a teenager last Tuesday, celebrating thirteen years educating the girls in Rumbek. To mark the occasion Sr. Orla, the director, and Mrs. Njuguna, the principal of the school, turned a sod for a new grotto for Our Lady. We had a simple prayer service with all the students, teachers, and support staff, followed by a celebration of music and dance in the dining hall. Considering its humble beginnings, it is a truly remarkable achievement. We have gone from a situation where people were predicting no girl would want to attend the school when it opened to today, where we had an entrance exam for ten places in Senior 2 and Senior 3 and over 160 applicants turned up! It has been a long road, but people here and those who support the school have kept the faith.
We are beginning end of term holidays this coming Friday, so many of the girls and staff will be heading home. We will have around sixty students staying with us, because they come from far away or they are at risk of an enforced marriage. It should be a quieter, gentler couple of weeks. After all they busyness, it will be welcome.
Ben Nhialic areer keg a way,
Fr. Alan.
Read more of Fr Alan’s journey:
– Looking for a Sign on the Way to South Sudan
– Building a Better Future in South Sudan
– Chirstmas greetings from Fr Alan in South Sudan
– A Cup of Sugar and Maybe a Goat
– Mock Exams and Real Life in South Sudan
– As Easy as Baking a Cake
– Holy Week on the Move
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Apr 9, 2021
Further to MSC’s Centre for the Poor in the Phillipine’s Beat the Plastic and Building for Sustainability effort they sure have kept themselves busy during the pandemic thanks to all the support they received.
” The global pandemic (COVID-19) phenomena, with its imposed health protocol and restrictions on social gatherings, hampered our activities and renovation project of the Center for the Poor. Nonetheless, the Center made small efforts by patiently responding to the present needs and struggles of the people around us. We made some unprecedented adjustments in our operations regarding the budget, personnel, priorities and concerns. Through out this Pandemic period, we were able to focus in developing our Farm and tried to respond not only to pandemic but to the daily survival of the farmers with all the challenges in the estate of Climate Emergency situation.”
“As of November 2020, we have done major renovations of the function hall and dormitories. Now we are ready to provide healthy and safe sleeping quarters to training participants in the District House and in the adjacent building. We also have a venue for worship and a place for large gatherings such as skills training, networking communication, deepening of spirituality of the Heart, raising awareness on environmental issue and livelihood development programs . Our center is open to different sectors in CARAGA region serving civil society organizations, parish mandated organizations, fisherfolks, urban poor, farmers, youth, women, Likha-Karaga Artists, transport groups, Lumads (Indigenous People), Chevalier Lay Associates, etc.”
The Multimedia Hall of the center wherein the Life’s Healing Journey Program was supposed to be held last year is now functioning as well (besides the usual venue at CFA in Manila). They have expanded/ maximized the floor area with awnings made up of Nipa and Bamboo materials to provide space for small group processing such as Focused Group Discussion. This place can also be our Demonstration Area for our Best Green Practices with an alternative Lifestyle introducing 9R’s-Zero Waste Management (Reuse, Reduce, Repair, Refuse, Recycle, Repurpose, Recover, Regift, RETHINK), Bokashi Technology, and sharing of resources to actualize the Spirit of Laudato Si.”
After the installation of the audio-visual facilities and the multifunction hall last January, the MSC Center for the Poor is now expanding the physical development efforts of the Living Museum in our Del Monte property. Fr. Tans and Fr. Richie MSC take turns in manning the Center in Butuan and the farm in Del Monte with the help of “Kuya Buddy” (Mr. Salvador Tursar). We always want to make sure that the center and farm are both important venues in implementing our aspirations to help the poor. At the farm, we are able to set up the Farm House, Nursery, Livestock area, Demo Farms, and Livelihood Programs for the farmers. It is also important to note that we are able to organize our MSC Lay Partners as Cooperative to effectively respond to the needs of the local community. In addition, to sustain our Center for the Poor is to strengthen our Lay Empowerment Programs in every location. “
SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Apr 8, 2021
It’s a busy time here in Loreto Rumbek. I have just arrived back from leave and we are straight into Holy Week. As we are a boarding school, we have been able to maintain a rigorous lockdown and this has allowed us to celebrate the Easter Triduum. What a gift! When I was back in Ireland at the beginning of March, I had not realised the inability to join my parish would have affected me as much, but it did. There is something in the coming together; the meeting of old friends and new; and the raising hearts and minds to God as a community of faith that is an integral part of who we are as Catholics. It’s something I don’t think I’ll take for granted again.
Well now I’m back and we’re moving. It’s not just Holy Week that has me running around the place. Our final year students are sitting their Leaving Cert as I write this. It would normally happen earlier in the year, but understandably everything has been thrown up in the air. Each day I pass by the hall to wish them well. As I have explained before, there is a lot riding on the results of these exams. In fact, their outcome will determine the students’ future for themselves and their family. If they can do well and maybe even get a scholarship to university, they could raise an entire family out of poverty, while securing a better future for themselves. Simply put these two weeks will make all the difference in the world. Please do keep them in your prayers.
As the final year girls finish their exams, they begin their journey home, leaving Loreto for the last time as students. We saw a number of them off during the week with plenty of songs of joy and more than a few tears. God willing, they will return to the school when the results are published, but this time they will do so as graduates. Some will take part in the school’s intern programme. Here they work in the various departments for a two-year commitment, including translating for the patients in our clinic, acting as a teacher’s aid in primary school, helping with logistics, supporting the development programme, and working in the secondary school. Once they have completed their time, we fund their university course entirely. Many who are considering a future in teaching, nursing, or business get wonderful hands on training in the field. The intern programme has been a great success to date. It gives people an opportunity to study at third level that would never have been possible before.
Our celebrations for Holy Week were especially beautiful. On Holy Thursday for the Mass of the Last Supper we had the washing of the feet, with our builders, cooks, nurses, staff, students, and interns acting as the apostles. Good Friday was suitably quiet and reflective. The girls led the Stations of the Cross in the morning across the compound, finishing up at a large, simple metal cross we have by the clinic. In the afternoon we were well up towards 40C, but we still had the Passion and adoration of the Cross. On Holy Saturday our students spent a time of quiet prayer, waiting at the tomb of Jesus. Finally, for our Easter Vigil we began with a truly spectacular bonfire for the blessing of our Paschal candle. Then, under a perfectly clear African night, we processed by candlelight to begin our Mass. It was joyous, with all the readings, hymns, and rich liturgical symbolism. This time of Resurrection marks a new beginning, as we commit ourselves to be an Easter people of hope and joy. Alleluia is our song!
Happy Easter or as they say around here Miet puou jot rot Yesu Kristo,
Fr. Alan
Read more of Fr Alan’s journey:
– Looking for a Sign on the Way to South Sudan
– Building a Better Future in South Sudan
– Chirstmas greetings from Fr Alan in South Sudan
– A Cup of Sugar and Maybe a Goat
– Mock Exams and Real Life in South Sudan
– As Easy as Baking a Cake
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
