Nov 6, 2017
The 2017 Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award was awarded to Sr Orla Treacy, a Loreto Sister working in South Sudan. Sr Orla, from Bray, Co Wicklow, was presented with the award by Cllr Niall Kelleher, Mayor of Killarney Municipal Authority on Saturday 04th November at an award ceremony which was held in the Killarney Avenue Hotel, Killarney.
Sr Orla with pupils at Loreto Secondary School Rumbek
Born in 1973, when she was two years old, her family moved to Tralee where her father Blaise Treacy took up the position of Kerry County Secretary.
She was educated initially at Presentation Convent Tralee until at the age of 6 when her family moved to Bray, Co.Wicklow, where she attended Loreto in Bray, completing her Leaving Cert in 1991. Having studied at the Mater Dei Institute she subsequently taught in Presentation College Cork, Loreto Letterkenny, St Muredach’s Ballina and Loreto Crumlin.
Having spent a summer in India with the Loreto sisters, at the age of 24 she decided to join the congregation. Based at the Loreto convent in Rathfarnham, she was professed as a Loreto nun in September 2005. A year later she headed to Sudan with four other Loreto nuns to establish a mission in a diocese the size of Italy with just two secondary schools.
She has spent the last 11 years in Sudan, experiencing the trauma of South Sudan becoming an autonomous independent state in 2011 which was followed by civil war in 2013. Today, South Sudan is widely considered one of the most fragile states in the world with continuing conflict and unrest. The violence has resulted in the displacement of thousands of people and has stunted the progress of this young country. Lakes State has become home to many displaced people.
Sr. Orla is the Principal of Loreto Secondary School in Rumbek in Lakes State which has 200 girl students who are boarders because it is too dangerous for them to travel long distances to and from the school. Adopting the missionary holistic approach, Sr. Orla and her team give responsibility to the girls, for example, tasks like looking after their class, equipment, the farm or animals, or looking after the young students in the primary school, or measuring the food or organising the dining room. The adjacent Loreto Primary School has 500 pupils but could have 1,000 if they had the accommodation.
Chairperson of the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Committee, Jerry O’Grady said: “Sr Orla possesses and displays the bravery and humanitarian commitment we have come to associate with the recipients of this award. At a young age and with a bright future ahead of her in Ireland, she decided instead to dedicate her life to those in need in what was already then a virtual war zone”
When told that she had been selected for the Hugh O’Flaherty Humanitarian Award, Sr Orla said: “The work of Mgr Hugh O’Flaherty has inspired so many in their fight against injustice and for the protection of vulnerable populations. I am genuinely very humbled to receive this award. On behalf of Loreto Sisters, our supporters, and all our staff at Loreto Rumbek South Sudan, I graciously accept this honour. The girls and young people we work with fill us with hope for a better future for this country.”
Congratulations Sr Orla on receipt of this prestigious award, truly well deserved!
What is the Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award?
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty (1898 – 1963)
This year marks the tenth year of the memorial commemoration of the Monsignor which is organised to raise awareness of the humanitarian work carried he carried out during World War II. Together with his colleagues in the Rome Escape Line, he saved over 6,500 people from the clutches of the Nazis who had occupied Rome at the time. In October 2013 – the 50th anniversary of the Monsignor’s death – a permanent memorial to him was unveiled in Killarney town centre. The memorial is a life-size sculpture of him by Valentia based artist, Alan Ryan Hall. In May 2016, a plaque commemorating him was unveiled at the German College, Vatican City, Rome where he lived from 1938 until 1960 and from where he organised the Rome Escape Line.
Hugh O’Flaherty was awarded the highest honours including a CBE, the Congressional Medal of Freedom, and was the first Irish man named Notary of the Holy Office. When he died in 1963, his death was mourned throughout the world, including a personal tribute in the New York Times. The Gregory Peck film – The Scarlet and the Black – featured his life, as does the book – The Vatican Pimpernel – written by Brian Fleming.
The Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society
In 2008, the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society was formed in his home town of Killarney. It was decided we should honour his memory by acknowledging his humanitarian works during the 1930’s in Haiti & San Domingo and the early 1940’s during World War II in Rome. He was posthumously awarded the inaugural Killarney International Humanitarian Award. It was presented to members of his extended family at a special ceremony in Killarney on 15 November 2008. At this ceremony, it was announced that from then on, the award would be known as the Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award and would be presented annually to worthy recipients.
Information sourced from hughoflaherty.com and independentcatholicnews.com.
Photo courtesy of Paul Jeffrey/Loreto Sisters.
Nov 3, 2017
During, what was described by Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter MSC as, “a very warm and informal Papal Audience”, our new Provincial Leader had the honor of personally meeting Pope Francis himself.
Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter MSC with Pope Francis at the private MSC Audience in Rome, September 2017.
Fr Carl commented on how the MSC brotherhood were both encouraged and challenged by the Holy Fathers’ words, “Return to your first and only love. Keep your gaze fixed on Jesus Christ and learn from him how to love with a truly human heart, to care for the lost and hurting members of his flock, to work for justice and show solidarity with the weak and the poor. Learn from him to give hope and dignity to the destitute, and to go forth to all those places where people are in need of acceptance and assistance. This is the first Gospel that the Church entrusts to you by sending you out as missionaries to the world: to show by your lives and by your works the passionate and tender love of God fro the little ones, the underprivileged, the vulnerable and those who the world has disregarded.
May your common life be marked by the true fraternity, which welcomes diversity and values the gifts of all. Do not hesitate to continue and expand your communion with the lay persons who participate in your apostolate. Let them share in your ideals and projects, and in the rich spirituality arising from your institute’s charism. With them, and with the sisters of your female congregations, you will form an ever greater and stronger “charismatic family”, one that will better demonstrate the vitality and relevance of your founder’s charism.”
Fr Carl noted how Pope Francis’ words beautifully capture and crystallise the MSC mission to the world, the MSC brotherhood with each other, and their partnership within Chevalier Family: “to be on earth the heart of God”.
“This personal exhortation of Pope Francis to us as MSC, together with the orientations and priorities that have emerged from both our Provincial and General Chapters, offer a direction for our common journeying over the coming six years.” – Fr Carl Tranter, Irish Provincial Superior
MSC Private Audience with Pope Francis, September 2017.
Nov 2, 2017
The following piece was written by Sathish Clement Raj A, a 28 year old MSC from Bangalore, India. In his own words, Sathish tells of his family life, education, his journey with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and what being a member of the MSC community means to him.
Sathish Clement Raj A
I, Sathish Clement Raj A, come from Arch-Diocese of Bangalore. I was born on 27–01–1989 at Madurampattu in Thiruvannamalai in the diocese of Vellore. My father is Anthony Dass, a cook and my mother is Mary Stella, a helping staff in a school. I also have two younger brothers.
I joined the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart on 30th June 2007 having completed my PUC studies. After two years of Probation, I entered the Novitiate on 1st June 2009 and I made my First Profession a year and a day later on 2nd June 2010. I completed my Philosophical studies in Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram and I graduated my BSc Visual Communication in St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, Bangalore. I was also awarded a gold medal for scoring the highest mark in the language, Tamil.
I am, at present, in my second year of Theology in Dharamaram Vidya Kshetram, Bangalore. I also go for my weekend ministry to the parishes and the experience is so meaningful and profound. I enjoy my ministry by giving communion in the Eucharistic celebrations, teaching Catechism to the students, going for House Blessings, giving Communion to the sick, etc… My interests are; singing, listening to music and I am a sportsman. I also enjoy writing articles, designing, photography etc. and I am very much interested in charismatic preaching, attending retreats and other social work and mission activities.
Sathish taking part in an MSC service
Having renewed my vows after six years, I made my Perpetual Profession on 28th May 2016. I am truly inspired by the charism and mission of the congregation especially by our founder’s conviction that the remedies of the ill of the world are found in the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. And also, to love and to spread the love of God which is poured out in the Heart of Christ, thus, I dedicate and commit my whole life to the congregation.
It may seem to be so simple but it’s been a wonderful experience for me living my religious life as an MSC. I have learnt to love my community and accept them all. I have developed a great love for my community and all the members in my community; this is because, I accept them as “they are” and not “as I want them to be”. I feel at home and I have a family atmosphere with my fellow MSC brothers as one Chevalier family. Though many years have passed, the love we share with one another and the care we have for each other remains evergreen and ever vibrant. They always stand by me and help me to grow in all the areas of my life and as a result, they are instrumental in making me joyful and cheerful in living my life as an MSC. I have learnt to love the Heart of Jesus, which is pierced, more by carrying patiently the suffering, pain, and difficulties of my daily living.
And thus, I am happy in my MSC way of life as well as preparing myself to “be on earth the Heart of God”. At the same time, I am also proud to say that we, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart love God’s people with the Heart of Jesus who loved us with a Human Heart. May the Sacred heart of Jesus be loved everywhere.
Sathish amongst the congregation
Nov 1, 2017
DON’T JUST TALK THE TALK
Do as they say, not as they do. That is what Jesus said about the religious leaders of his time. Could he say that about leaders in the Church today? Could he say that about Christians today?
Speaking as a cleric, a religious brother and a leader in God’s family, today’s reading always gives me pause. “Call no one father for you have only one Father who is in Heaven.” Does Jesus actually mean that? If so, then why do we call priests father?
The heart of what Jesus is saying I think is that in the family of God, no one is better than anyone else. We are all a mixture of saint and sinner. We are all equally loved by God our Father, our Abba.
At the time of Jesus many religious leaders used to lord it over the people. They demanded taxes from the people without a thought for whether this would push people into poverty or homelessness. In medieval times many bishops and priests saw themselves as aristocrats.
This is not Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom or of the Church. Jesus reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters. He tells us that we have one teacher or rabbi, His Spirit.
Sure we have different roles. Some are chosen for leadership but in the Church leadership is a service. It is a service of listening, of empowering, of involving and of raising up. It is trying to serve as Jesus served.
Oct 18, 2017
Sangeetha Raj is a married father of two from Bangalore, India. In this piece, Sangeetha shares with us, in his own words, his experience as a Sacristan at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Bangalore and detail of how the MSC Fathers have helped him and his family in many ways over the years.
Sangeetha Raj with his wife, Japamala Mary, his son, Stalin, and his daughter, Anitha.
My name is Sangeetha Raj. I have been working in Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church (Bangalore) for the last 12 years as the Sacristian. I am married and we have one son and a daughter. MSC Fathers have been helping us in a number of ways. They gave me the job as Sacaristian of the church. The MSC Fathers have been helping me and my family in a number of ways.
Before coming to work with the MSC Fathers, I worked with Don Bosco Salasians for six years in Mysore which is about 160 km from Bangalore. After moving to Bangalore I worked with Norte Dam sisters for seven years in their school. Though I have been working with religious organisations and priests for a number of years, I found the MSC fathers to be really very different. They are very friendly, kind and generous. My work here in the parish is very good. Over the past 12 years the church has grown considerably. When I started working in the parish, the parish was very small. There were just three masses celebrated on Sundays; one in English, one in Kannada and one in Tamil. Now the church has grown so big that there are seven masses celebrated on Sunday – this number is still growing. There are a number of parishioners MSC fathers have been helping with their spiritual needs. Working with the MSC fathers and for the parish is really fulfilling. They are very hardworking in teaching faith to the faithful and helping them to lead a good Christian life.
My wife’s name is Japamala Mary. She works as a maid. She helps out in a few houses every day. During the times when my wife was sick I helped to treat hear.
My son’s name is Stalin. He is doing his 11th standard. Every year I invite our MSC fathers to my house for a meal on my son’s birthday. They all come and dine in our house. It makes all of us very happy. They have also helped with our son’s education too. Ever since his first standard they have been helping us a lot. By God’s grace both my children are doing well in the school. My daughter’s name is Anitha. Her educational needs have also been supported by the MSC fathers ever since she went to kindergarten. She is now in her 5th standard.
Apart from their educational help, the MSC fathers have been helping us with medical treatment in times of sickness. We are indeed very grateful for their help. I sincerely thank all the MSC fathers for their generous help and support. I have been able to support my family because of their help. There is a lot of differences in my life from before coming to the MSCs and after I started working with them.
Sangeetha Raj
Oct 13, 2017
Reflection & Dialogue: All welcome within the Church, but a wedding garment of grace called for.
The Gospel (Matthew 22:1-14).
Invite everyone you can find to the wedding.
The Church likes to portray herself as an open church, open to 
everyone, irrespective of race or social class, with compassion and understanding for the poor and the marginalized. This can even be proclaimed from the altar: all are welcome here. But in our own day, in the society in which we live and within the Church itself, there are individuals and groups who do not believe that they are welcome within the Church, such as the divorced and remarried who are barred from receiving Holy Communion, active homosexuals, those in gay unions or gay marriage, people involved in extra-marital sexual activity, advocating freedom of choice with regard to abortion, and others besides. Those who condemn or do not accept such persons are sometimes, if not often, accused of laying heavy burdens on them, and occasionally even compared to the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, of whom Christ said that they tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
This question is being closely examined today by the Church authorities themselves. It is an old problem, going back probably to the days of the evangelist Matthew, and it is possible that today’s Gospel reading may give a better understanding of the problem. Everybody, sinners and others, are called by God to enter the Church, and the Church must be the messenger of God’s mercy for the entire world and for its own members. Christ invited all, weary and carrying heavy burdens, to come to him to find rest, saying that his yoke is easy and his burden light. We should also remember, however, that he also told disciples that if they wanted to be his followers that they should deny themselves, die to themselves, take up their cross and follow him. Central to the Christian message is that of dying and rising again with Christ, dying to an old way of life and living a new life in Christ.
To return to the questions under discussion: we may, indeed we must, say that the Church, that is all of us, must be understanding and compassionate, not putting on other people’s shoulders burdens hard or impossible to bear. But with regard to the questions currently being raised, the Church must examine closely whether all or some of them belong to what is regarded as the deposit of faith and morals, that is unalterable truths, or are just part of a way of life and belief that belong to past ages. Although there have been, there are, and there will be, sinners within the Church, all are constantly called by God to repent. The Church is a light for the world. The followers of Christ are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, through their good works. These are truths to be considered in the consideration of the questions now being raised and discussed.
The teaching of the Church, of the Gospel, must be looked on as Christ’s teaching. It is Christ who is speaking through his Church. Christ invites the weary to come to him and take a rest, today as he did while on earth. He would still say that his yoke is easy and his burden light. But Christ also said that his followers must die to themselves, take up their cross and follow him. Let us pray that the present questioning and discussions will issue in a better knowledge of Christ and his yoke and the burdens he asks believers to carry.
