Nov 21, 2019
It is a pleasure to share these wonderful pictures from a recent Children’s Liturgy at the Holy Family Care Centre in Ofcolaco, South Africa, which took place at the end of September.
Founded in 2002 and run by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) with the support of the MSC, the Holy Family Care Centre is an invaluable facility for young children who are very ill and who, in many cases, have been orphaned or abandoned. These children are primarily HIV positive and are in urgent need of care. The Holy Family Care Centre can accommodate 70 children, and its facilities are stretched to full capacity on a daily basis.
The priority of this centre is quality of life. The sisters and volunteers at Holy Family see these children as God’s gift, and the simple joy, excitement, and love of the children make the Holy Family Care Centre a place of laughter, fun, and activity.
“The children and staff have benefited enormously from the funding received from the MSC Missions Office in Ireland,” wrote Sr Sally Duigan FDNSC, who runs the care centre, in a letter to our MSC Missions. “We are so grateful.”
“Above all, we continue to give our children love, security, and care, in the hope they will thrive.”
The photos from the Children’s Liturgy celebrations demonstrate perfectly the sense of joy, unity, family, and faith that are at the core of the Holy Family ethos. We are delighted to continue to work closely with the Holy Family team in building a brighter future for the children of the Limpopo Province and beyond.
Find out more about our work with the Holy Family Centre: https://www.mscmissions.ie/about-us/what-we-do/our-projects/ofcolaco-south-africa/
Photos via MSC Mission Office on Facebook.
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Nov 14, 2019
At the end of September, our MSC mission in Mozambique had their first youth meeting in the community of Our Lady of Fatima de Meluco, bringing together young people from the region in a celebration of faith and unity.
Together, the youths and their leaders prayed that they will be able to work successfully as a group to bring about a “revolution of tenderness” in the community, focusing on the importance of acceptance, understanding, and the sharing the message of the love of the Lord in the region.
The group met again in early October, and were joined on this occasion by the co-ordinator of pastoral work for the youth of the region of Pemba. Once again, the meeting was a great success and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
“With the grace of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we continue to walk with the youth of the community of Our Lady of Fatima de Meluco,” posted the MSC Mozambique Facebook page. “May this group be the builder of bridges and not walls.”
With continued blessings to all involved on our Mozambique mission, particularly the newly formed youth group in the community of Our Lady of Fatima de Meluco.
Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.
Nov 7, 2019
At the end of September, the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines paid a visit to the Badjao community in Canlanipa, Surigao City.
The Philippine Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart support a literacy programme for disadvantaged children in the area, encouraging much-needed education for vulnerable children, as well as the development of social skills and emotional growth. The scheme also provides nutritious food for the children where possible, as many of these youths come from severely impoverished backgrounds and suffer from malnutrition as a result.
Together with Sr Cathy, a member of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and other group leaders, representatives from the MSC Missions Office ran talks and lessons for the Badjao children, as well as a feeding programme which provided nourishing meals for hungry youths on the day.
With poverty, hunger, and hardship being real and pressing problems for many families in the Philippines, our MSC brothers are continuing their work around the country to being aid to families who often don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Education is key, and many MSC projects in the Philippines focus on promoting self-sufficiency – essentially, the aim is to give vulnerable families and communities the tools to build a better life and a brighter future for their children through various sustainable ventures. Most recently, the MSC Centre for the Poor in Butuan has called for support as they encourage local people to work in harmony with the environment, nurturing the gifts of the world around us while utilising them for the good of the community.
The literacy programme for disadvantaged children in Surigao City is yet another positive step in the right direction for the underprivileged youths in the area, giving them a chance to learn and to grow, and to pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.
Images via the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc. on Facebook
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Oct 31, 2019
This year, our MSC mission in Mozambique marked the Feast of St Matthew with a wonderful day of baptisms in the community of Ravia.
On September 21st, the people of Ravia and beyond joined together to mark St Matthew’s feast day. It was a joyous day indeed, as 80% of the members of the community who had not already been baptised celebrated the sacrament together.
“It was a great celebration,” the MSC Mozambique Facebook page posted on the day. “Now, the faithful people of Ravia have been baptised.”
The Mozambique mission began in March 2018, with MSCs from Brazil ministering in the Pemba diocese – an area of extreme poverty and hardship, where up until that point, local families had no access to church infrastructure or pastoral ministry.
Despite challenging setbacks, our MSCs have been tireless in their work to bring about positive changes for local communities – the most pressing being the two cyclones that hit north-eastern Mozambique over the space of six weeks earlier this year. Hundreds lost their lives, and over 21,000 people were left homeless by the disasters. Homes, crops, and livestock were destroyed by floods and mudslides, while wells were contaminated, leaving the local drinking water unsafe for consumption, with the threat of cholera and malaria a real danger.
Our MSC missionaries have been helping local families to rebuild their lives following this catastrophe, while also continuing in their mission to share the message of God’s love in this area of real need. The baptism day in Ravia has been a great triumph for the local community and our MSC mission in the region. Blessings and best wishes to all who took part!
Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.
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Oct 24, 2019
Our Mozambique mission spent a wonderful weekend marking the Diocesan Day of Youth in August, with the Bishop of Pemba, Bishop Luiz Fernando, celebrating the opening Mass.
At the opening Mass, Bishop Luiz reminded the young people in attendance that the young Catholic must always bear in mind the joy of the Lord and the workings of Christ within society, and to always keep an open mind to saying yes to God. “Only then”, he said, “will it be worth the participation”.
The Diocesan Day of Youth was a real moment of unity for the young people of the area. Throughout the weekend, the group reflected on celebrating faith in Christ, establishing a positive relationship between the local youths, acknowledging the challenges faced by the parish, and establishing harmony and peace in the region.
The celebrations served to greatly increase the sense of friendship and togetherness amongst the youth of the diocese, encouraging young people to come together in their faith and in the love of the Lord.
Above all, Bishop Luiz encouraged the young people present to be vigilant in hearing and understanding the call of the Lord, and being available to serve Him in any way they can. “In addition,” he said, “meet with God through prayer, have joy, says yes to God, and have faith.”
Oct 17, 2019
August saw great celebrations for our MSC community in the Democratic Republic of Congo, when four MSC novices came to the end of the novitiate journey and made their First Professions.
“First Profession takes place at the conclusion of the Novitiate, which is a one-year period of intense spiritual preparation for young men who wish to become Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. From this point on, they are now members of the Society, with temporary status, and they will continue their studies in preparation for the day when they will make their Final Profession as full members of the Society.” (Fr Joseph McGee MSC)
The ceremony took place in Kimwenza, outside the city of Kinshasa. The three-hour Eucharistic celebration was led by the Regional Superior of the Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fr Dieudonné Kenda MSC, and was a powerful and joyful celebration for all involved. There were approximately 130 priests and members of the religious community in attendance, along with family and friends of the newly professed MSC brothers, and members of the local congregation who all wanted to celebrated the beginning of a new chapter for these four young men.
The newly professed MSC members will now continue with their studies, while also engaging in different types of ministry and pastoral experiences as part of the MSC community. We wish them all the very best on the beginning of this new leg of their journey, and our prayers are with them all.
Congratulations and blessings to the newly professed Br Roland Kaboré MSC, Br Sylvain Mingou MSC, Br Alfred Gomis MSC, and Br Brinda Nguele MSC!
Images via @AmeturMSC on Facebook.
