Nov 23, 2020
In the Bible signs are a part of any great journey. Noah had his rainbow. Moses followed a pillar of fire. Jonah had a whale. I had a taxi. I had just arrived into Addis Ababa on an overnight flight and had an impossible task ahead of me. In a short transit window, I had to negotiate an unfamiliar city, unravel a bureaucracy, and be back with my South Sudanese visa in hand before my flight to Juba in the afternoon. I grabbed the first taxi and as I searched for the seat belt, I knew things would be alright. The interior of the cab was decorated by the driver with image after image of the Sacred Heart. It might not be a dove with an olive leaf, but it would do.
Travelling to South Sudan can be a challenge, even under the best of circumstances. My first trip in 2014 was by pickup truck from Kenya in the company of the wonderful Kiltegan Missionaries. It took us three separate attempts, because the road was flooded and completely impassable. In 2017 I arrived by air and was delayed again because the local flight I was waiting for missed the runway in another airport and hit a fire truck. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but plane, the truck, and all the luggage went up in smoke.
With all of the restrictions around the current pandemic, I approached my new appointment to Loreto School for Girls in Rumbek with both optimism and realism. News and air schedules changed regularly and two of my flights had already been cancelled. From the moment I took the Covid travel test on a Tuesday morning in November, I had just seventy-two hours to arrive in Juba, South Sudan’s capital. Any later and I would be denied entry. The clock was ticking and there was no margin for error.
It had taken an Aircoach, followed by two flights through strangely empty airports in Dublin and Heathrow, to get me to Addis. Armed with a sheaf of documentation provided by the school in Rumbek I presented myself to the Irish Embassy. Their incredible team were going to help push the application process as fast as it could go. In the company of the Irish Ambassador’s driver we pulled up the South Sudanese Embassy just as its Deputy Ambassador arrived. A tall, red bearded Catholic priest is an incongruous sight in Ethiopia and after he came over to see what was happening, he invited me into his board room. My paperwork and passport was whisked away and I sat down to the Irish Times cross word puzzle. While I was still trying to figure out 13 Across “Able to bounce back from adversity” 9 letters, my visa was processed and we were off again.
Arriving in South Sudan’s capital on Thursday afternoon with my Covid test and passport firmly clenched in my fist, I passed through the necessary health, visa, and customs checks, before spending the night in a local hotel. Over breakfast, purely by chance, I met two members of our sister congregation, the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. They were on their way back to their mission in Mapuordit, and were taking the same flight as myself with the UN World Food Programme.
Finally, after four days of cars, buses, and planes I arrived in Rumbek. It was a glorious reception with hundreds of children turning out in uniform, who began singing in wonderful harmony once we disembarked the plane. The moment was spoiled somewhat, when halfway through their song they all just stopped and wandered about chatting and joking with their friends. They were there to greet to a Christian archbishop and they mistakenly thought he was with us. Still, a team from Loreto was there to give us a warm welcome. The sisters stayed the night, before leaving early the following morning. They would have to drive for an hour, then get out and wade through flood waters for another hour, before picking up a lift on the far side to continue their journey home. Sr. Wendy has been in South Sudan on mission for twenty years serving her local community. There are plans already on the go to meet up again. For my part, it was time to unpack and discovery my new home. But we’ll hear more about that next time.
God bless or Bi Nhialic arrer kek yin as they say here.
Fr. Alan
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Nov 20, 2020
Our dear Fr Alan MSC has left us to join our Missionaries in South Sudan. Fr Alan has been Vocations Director here and has done some amazing work with us since 2011, having previously spent time ministering in Ireland, the UK, South Africa, and Venezuela.
As Vocations Director, Fr Alan helped people who were trying to discern a call to priesthood and religious life. Fr Alan had closely with those who were exploring the nature of their vocation, providing support and guidance during their period of discernment.
Within his role, Fr Alan was youth minister for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. Here, he worked with a team of dedicated youth workers to support young people as they celebrate their faith. Fr Alan has been involved in Catholic youth festivals, pilgrimages, the MSC overseas volunteering programme, and World Youth Day celebrations, helping young people from all walks to life to embrace God’s love.
We wish him the best of luck and look forward to his reports!
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are always 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, visit their website 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.
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Nov 9, 2020
On November 1, 2020, the Philippines was hit by the strongest typhoon recorded this year (Typhoon Rolly). One of the most affected areas was the Bicol Region (south of Luzon). Houses were buried, livelihoods were destroyed and families were displaced. Our Mission Partners in Gunobatan, Albay are now preparing for the Relief Operation Program in evacuation centers that are being set up by the local government.
Meanwhile, the MSC Philippine Province through the MSC Mission Office Phillippines organized a Call for Donations Campaign to send help to our brothers and sisters in the province. They conducted a 15 Day Donation Countdown that started last November 3, 2020 until November 18, 2020. In this way they can gather enough funds for the Mission Outreach for the affected families. According to our Mission Partner, sending the support later would be a great strategy since at this time lots of support are coming from different organizations and institutions. In their experiences before, they really had a hard time sustaining the people in evacuation centers especially during the later part of their stay in the centers. It is in this regard that they would appeal for donations to you and help us gather funds for our brothers and sisters who were greatly affected by Typhoon Rolly. Your support will be a great help to bring back the lives of the affected families in the region.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Oct 21, 2020
“As we continue to live through these challenging, troubling, anxious times where we are stripped of so many certainties and usual ways of living and ministering, we remain men of hope, men with a mission, men of the present and the future – why? … because we are men who have been found, touched and transformed by the love of God revealed in the heart of Jesus.
Today, we remember our Founder, Fr. Jules Chevalier. We appreciate and thank God for all the activities and initiatives you are doing all over the MSC world to celebrate this day. It is in this spirit that we present this Videoclip in memory of Fr. Jules Chevalier. We hope that for all of us, this 21st of October 2020 will be a significant day that will encourage us to keep on committing ourselves to the Mission.
The greatness of Fr. Chevalier is that despite so many negative experiences throughout his life, setbacks in the growth and development of the little Society, internal divisions and many, many personal sufferings, he did not allow his life and view to be dominated by negativity. It always amazes me, reading the writings of his latter years: he clearly did not belong to those people who only blame the darkness; he always tried to light a candle and to make a difference in the world by being a missionary, by being a man of hope, a man of heart. His whole life is summed up in the title chosen by himself: Missionary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
We are MSC! We are God’s heart on earth!”
Fr Carl Tranter
Provincial superior,
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
Oct 2, 2020
It’s been a busy few months for our friends in Rumbeck in South Sudan. The fields are harvested and after 6 months absence, the students and the teachers are returning back from their different places of quarantine.
We have experienced many emotions but overall there has been great joy that we can return to teaching.
While malaria season continues they have been counting their blessings that they haven’t seen the obvious signs of coronavirus, but continue to take extra safe measures and hope and pray that they can prevent it from prevailing. Their delicate infrastructure simply would not be able to cope.
Earlier in the month of September, the Councils of Ministers in South Sudan made a decision concerning the reopening of schools and Loreto Rumbeck has decided to stagger the return of their students by 2 week intervals as a quarantine measure and to enforce social distancing measures.
Also in September “Mary’s meals” assisted the Rumbeck community by distributing food to local schools supported by the Diocese of Rumbek (DOR) through DOR Education. Loreto Primary School is one of the beneficiaries of Mary’s Meals. The distributions consisted of maize, beans, oil, salt, and soap. Since the students were still at home, parents and guardians collected the supplies on behalf of the students. This was done to encourage the pupils to continue their focus on education even while they were at home. Mary’s Meals has supported the Loreto school for many years and this has heavily impacted our high levels of school attendance – especially in the lower primary grades.
Recently an extra room, “a space for healing” was built for counselling at the school. The youths find great benefit in Sr Petra’s counselling sessions and as they were previously been held in the computer lab, it wasn’t ideal as they were being continuously interrupted. This was facilitated by you the donors support and Loreto Rumbeck are extremely grateful.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are always 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, visit their website 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.
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Sep 23, 2020
“The Covid-10 Pandemic has affected each of us around the world in different ways. Some have experienced losing loved ones; hunger, idleness, uncertainty and vulnerability, while others are still in great crisis emotionally, mentally and financially. On the other hand it has united people and this year being the 40th year of Missions in the year of ecumenism, inter-religious dialogue and indigenous people in the Philippines despite the pandemic there in a sense of blessing for these celebrations.”
Indeed, Covid-19 pandemic cannot stop the celebrations of Love and life-giving force of the Holy Spirit. The year 2020 is also a great blessing to the MSc Philippines Province and the people entrusted to our care. With deep gratitude and joy, we celebrate our 40th Anniversary as a Province in a unique way. Temporarily forgoing mass celebration due to Covid -19 does not lessen the inspiration it conveys to everyone.
“On March 15, 1980, the MSC Philippines became the 14th Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. This year, March 15, 2020, the MSC Philippines celebrated 40 years of being a Province. The years may seem to have passed quickly but in reality, decade after decade, year after year, the MSC Philippine Province has experienced its own share of challenges, trials and disappointments. But beyond all these challenges, we are one in proclaiming that after 40 years, we MSCs of the Philippines have JOY, GRATITUDE AND COURAGE. Joy, gratitude and courage because, most importantly, it’s due to the faithful, abiding presence and guidance of God who has called us to be Missionaries of His Love in what ever missionary and ministerial undertakings we are in. Joy, gratitude and courage because of the countless people, partners and companions, who have journeyed with us these forty years. MSC Philippines continues to remember with gratefulness our “Mother Province” – MSC Netherlands – to all our Dutch MSC confreres who came to the Philippines from 1908 onwards for their sacrifice and gift of themselves for the people and the Church in the Philippines.
“ONE HEART, NEW SPIRIT “- may these words guide us as we move forward as a Province after the grace of this milestone of 40 years. “One Heart, New Spirit” – united and renewed as MSC Philippine Province in our continuing desire to be like Jesus whose love is our inspiration and driving force as we continue to dedicate our lives to the works of our mission.
We give special mention to our ongoing mission engagement with the communities of indigenous people on this “Year of Ecumenism, interreligious dialogue and Indigenous people”. The MSCs are constantly challenged to respond in dialogue with our indigenous brothers and sisters for their welfare and protection, for their human and cultural rights. Concretely, the MSC is doing indigenous people ministries in our parishes in San Luis, Agusan del Sur and Bangkal, Abukay, Bataan.”
As individuals, our personal contributions may be small, but when united in common cause, we can change the world.
“Our membership statistics on December 31, 1979 show that we started our province with 85 professed members, of whom 16 were still under the initial formation program. The 69 “working members” were – with one exception – all ministering within the Philippines. In our forty years as a province, we were blessed with 184 new members who made their first profession – of course, not all on these stayed with us, for a good number their first profession was also their last, and actually less than 120 reached their final profession. We counted 89 ordinations to the priesthood in our 40 years as province.”
Indeed, our members are our greatest asset for our present and future mission.
“Becoming a Province, feels a bit like reaching the age of maturity, of adulthood, within the large MSC community. It is not so much a matter of new rights and privileges, as a matter of new responsibilities. For more than seventy years (1908-1980) the MSC community in the Philippines was at the receiving end of MSC generosity. Provincehood brought also a greater co-responsibility for a mission in common with the MSC Society all over the world. From mainly receiving, we became a contributing province. We were able to provide the general administration with one general bursar and two general councilors, we opened our novitiate for MSC novices from Korea, India and Vietnam, we took the initiative that led to APIA and hosted – as long as they lasted – its yearly spirituality seminars; and lately we are the host of Cor Vitae and its formation activities.
…while we have also experienced disappointments when missions were less successful as we had hoped it will not stop us from sending more of us abroad. ”
“An even greater grace than all this is that from just receiving missionaries, we have become a community that has actively joined the MSC mission to the world by sending missionaries. In 1985, the Philippine Province sent its first two missionaries to South Korea. They would be followed by two more in 1986 and 1988. It is a story that deserves a more extensive telling, but for this article it should suffice to mention that a mission that the Philippine Province accepted in 1985, found its happy conclusion only thirty-three years later with the elevation of the Korea MSC region to MSC provincehood. While Korea can definitely be considered the crown of our “mission ad extra” experience, we may be equally proud of the missionaries we sent to Japan, the Marshall Islands, Brazil and the Netherlands. And while we have also experienced disappointments, when missions were less “successful” as we had hoped, it will not stop us from sending more of us abroad. From here on, international mission has to remain a constituent part of being Philippine Province. Our next step will be Lebanon and it cannot be the last, for sure.
There are many more blessings to celebrate, graces to be thankful for in our jubilee celebration: new initiatives to spread the spirituality of the heart also outside of our traditional parish context, the growing number of lay people associated with us who joined us in our spirituality, the solid initial formation program that our formators were able to design and implement and all the often unseen and unsung commitment and perseverance of our members assigned in difficult places. ”
Extract from PARTNERS Province V0l 12, ISSUE NO.1
(Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Philippines publication)
Fr. Ad Van Hest, MSC
