Jan 2, 2013
Vocations ministry in 2012 hit the ground running. From the launch of our website in February we’ve been around the world and back again and we’ve taken part in loads of exciting festivals, events and celebrations. 2013 however is going to be bigger, better and even more exciting!
We’ll continue with many of the events of last year. There’ll be a pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Irish Pilgrimage Trust after Easter. The exploreAway discernment programme will run through Spring, as six young people consider their call to religious life and priesthood. The Knock Summer Festival and the Brightlights WYD gathering are among the highlights of the summer. (more…)
Oct 1, 2012
It wasn’t a promising start. It was a morning of driving rain and misty drizzle as our bus headed through West Cork on the way to Kealkill. Whatever else it was it definitely wasn’t a morning for a pilgrimage. However with a simple prayer we began our 18km walk to Gougane Barra in honour of the feast of St. Finbarr. (more…)
Apr 21, 2012
On April 22, more than one billion people around the globe will participate in Earth Day 2012 and help Mobilize the Earth. People of all nationalities and backgrounds will voice their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection. Together we will stand united for a sustainable future and call upon individuals, organizations, and governments to do their part. As part of the Earth Day 2012 Campaign we are looking for a billion people to commit to some small or large Acts of Green. As I write this blog the number of those who have committed to make a difference is up to 997,806,501.
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You can sign up to make a difference at www.earthday.org/ You can take action in Ireland. In Dublin in the Lighthouse Cinema they will be showing One Day on Earth at 1:00pm Sunday 22nd . This movie creates a picture of humanity by recording a 24-hour period throughout every country in the world. Founded in 2008, One Day on Earth set out to explore our planet’s identity and challenges in an attempt to answer the question: Who are we?
Creation is a living, visible sacrament showing us God’s invisible presence all around us. What is most surprising for me at times is how we can lose sight of this. For a day like this pictures I think speak louder than words.
Apr 4, 2012
As we ready ourselves for the celebration of Easter it’s probably a good time to pause, to reflect, and to ask ourselves how are we feeling at this time. What is going on in my heart? What are the things I am truly thankful for? Are there any blocks or struggles in my life that I need to let go of and surrender, so that I can enter these days of prayer unencumbered by useless baggage? What is God saying to me this year? What are the quiet words that he is speaking in the silence of my heart?
Diarmuid O’Murchu, a Missionary of the Sacred Heart, has spoken a great deal of the central message of Jesus’ vocation, especially as it is lived out in the reality of Easter. He talks not in terms of the Kingdom of God, but of the Companionship of Empowerment. To illustrate what he’s saying he points to Palm Sunday. On the one hand we have Jesus, coming from the east, representing in his way vulnerability, empowerment, non-violence and prophetic action. He is living out something entirely new and challenging to the way the people of his time saw their world. (more…)
Mar 26, 2012
Fr. Jules Chevalier MSC
When our founder, Fr. Jules Chevalier, established the group in 1854 he did not believe we should be tied to just one type of work. As a result you will find Missionary of the Sacred Heart ( MSC ) brothers and priests living and working throughout over 50 countries, engaged in all sorts of ministry. Hospitals, prison, schools, colleges, universities, parishes, local community projects, counselling centres and many more locations provide the settings for MSC members to carry out the overall mission of being and bringing the Good News of God’s love to the people we meet. (more…)
Mar 16, 2012
St Patrick, Apostle of Ireland
“Who am I, Lord, and what is my calling that you should co-operate with me with such divine power? Today, among the people, I praise and proclaim your name in all places, not only when things go well but also in times of stress. Whether I receive good or ill, I return thanks equally to God, who taught me always to trust him unreservedly.” Confessions of St Patrick.
When I went looking for some material on this post online today I was amazed at the amount of ‘Happy St. Patrick’s Day’ paraphernalia that I had to wade through. There are only so many dancing red headed leprechauns a man can put up with! But this isn’t a blog bemoaning commercialism. It’s about celebrating one man’s faith. It’s about looking at the example of his courage and his capacity for forgiveness. It’s about reminding us where we came from as Catholics and challenging us to live out this message in the future. (more…)
Vocations ministry in 2012 hit the ground running. From the launch of our website in February we’ve been around the world and back again and we’ve taken part in loads of exciting festivals, events and celebrations. 2013 however is going to be bigger, better and even more exciting!
