by Karen Moloney | Jul 9, 2024 | News, News & Media, Publications, What we do
Welcome to the Summer 2024 edition of the MSC Message!
• Read a special greeting from Fr John Fitzgerald MSC, Director of the MSC Missions Office.
• Read all about the ordination of Fr Gabriel Shikongo MSC, which took place in Swakopmund, Namibia, as he celebrates his first year as an MSC priest.
• Catch up on the latest news from the mission fields, including updates from the Holy Family Care Centre in Africa, from our OLSH Sisters in Papua New Guinea and Burkina Faso, West Africa, and from our MSC brothers as they celebrated Holy Week & Easter around the world, .
• Join us as we celebrate the new Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in India.
• Find out the latest updates from the team at the MSC Centre for the Poor in the Philippines.
• Discover more from Centro Faustino Villanueva in Guatemala, where staff and students are celebrating 40 years of ministry at the MSC-run vocational centre this year.
• Fr Alan Neville MSC writes from South Sudan, where he is currently ministering with the Loreto team in Rumbek.
Read the Summer 2024 edition of the MSC Message
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by Karen Moloney | Apr 18, 2024 | News, News & Media, What we do
The MSC Centre for the Poor in the Philippines has launched the first phase of a feeding programme for vulnerable children in Libis Baesa, a highly populated region in the city of Calcoon.
The feeding programme will run for several months, with this first stage haven taken place over a six-week period throughout February and March, feeding 40 children in Libis Baesa Elementary School. The second phase of the programme will take place in April, in the regions of Libis Dulo and Reparo, and the third stage is planned for May, covering East Libis and Centro.
The Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office in the Philippines shared these photos from the programme, noting “Observe the joy on the faces of the children currently benefiting from the feeding program in Libis Baesa.”
The MSC Centre for the Poor is highly active in its ministry throughout several regions of the Philippines. Its core values centre on working together in harmony with the earth – nurturing our natural environment, while reaping its benefits in creating a sustainable lifestyle that will help poor and struggling families and communities to build the foundation for a brighter future. From agricultural programmes, to clean water projects, to plastic-free and zero-waste initiatives, the MSC Centre for the Poor encourages participants to develop the skills needed to create and maintain an improved quality of life for disadvantaged communities in both urban and rural areas.
The community at the Centre are also extremely responsive in terms of providing emergency aid where necessary, providing urgent care to survivors of the typhoons and tropical storms that frequently hit the country. From building and repairing homes to distributing emergency care packages, their outreach programmes provide practical and very necessary help to families and communities in real need; these photos of the Libis Baesa children receiving much-needed nourishment is a testament to the wonderful work they do at the most fundamental level.
A whole host of willing participants came together to make the food drive possible, with posts on the Facebook page expressing sincere thanks:
“On behalf of the MSC Center for the Poor, we extend our gratitude to the volunteer cooks, the Principal of Libis Baesa Elementary School, Teacher Myrna, the MSC Brothers, Chapel Presidents, Fr. Gab, and Fr. Sam.
Special thanks to our sponsors, RJF Primo Corporation, Felicidad T. Sy Foundation, and Casao Kids. May God bless you abundantly.”
“We are grateful for the visit from our donor, Mrs. Falcon, accompanied by her daughter Cazandra and her classmates from Miriam College: Aurora, Althea, and Jan Jan. The children greatly enjoyed their presence and were overjoyed with the gifts they received.
We also wish to express our thanks to our IC brothers, Bro Erwin and Bro Borge; to the Principal of Libis Baesa Elementary School, Ms. Maria Idel C. Malay; to the Teacher Coordinator, Mam Myrna; the Coordinator of MSC Center for the Poor, Ms. Joy; the MSC Mission Office Board of Trustees and Staff, and the MSC Manila District, Fr. Sam & Fr. Gabby.”
Please keep our MSC communities in the Philippines in your prayers as they continue in their remarkable work in bringing hope to people who people who have very little, and in putting food on the plates of children who would otherwise go hungry. We wish them every blessing in support and friendship as they look ahead to phase two of this vital programme.
Images via the Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc.
IF YOU CAN, PLEASE SUPPORT THE MSC CENTRE FOR THE POOR
by Karen Moloney | Mar 21, 2024 | News, News & Media, What we do
It is with glad hearts that we received recent news from our friend Sr Jenny Christie FDNSC, International Development Officer for the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, with an update from the OLSH Global Outreach Projects that are blessed with such generous support from our mission friends here in the Irish Province.
Educating children in Burkina Faso
In our 2023 World Projects Appeal, the Sisters asked for help in funding the development of classrooms at their school in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso, West Africa. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the Sisters in Ouagadougou have been working in the region since 2007 to help young children who would otherwise have no prospects of education and advancement. The demand for places at the school is overwhelming, and the Sisters strive to accommodate as many children as possible, which has led to severe issues with overcrowding in recent years.
Thanks to the wonderful response to our 2023 appeal, which raised funds to create separate classrooms in the existing school space, the work has already been completed to great effect. Teachers and students now have the use of four new classrooms, giving the children a safe, comfortable space to learn and grow together.
Caring for the elderly in Papua New Guinea
Sr Jenny also shared photos from her recent visit to Port Moresby, in Papua New Guinea, where funds raised by our 2021 World Projects Appeal funded a laundry area in the Hartzer Centre, an aged-care facility for elderly OLSH Sisters and MSC missionary priests. Prior to the installation of the laundry room, the nurses at the centre had to carry the residents’ dirty laundry through the dining room at the adjacent convent in order to reach the communal washing area, a significant hygiene issue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and in subsequent years.
Now, the centre has its own dedicated laundry area, with a drying spot outside to hang clothes, and indoor lines to dry washing in rainy weather. “The Sisters are deeply appreciative of the difference this has made to their lives,” writes Sr Jenny. “Sincere thanks once again to the very generous donors.”
With thanks to Sr Jenny for sharing these very welcome updates with us, and to you, our mission friends, for making this work possible through your ongoing support and friendship. Every day, your compassion is touching lives all over the world, in ways that you can’t imagine. On behalf of our OLSH Sisters and MSC missionaries everywhere, we thank you, sincerely, for your kindness. We keep the OLSH communities of Ouagadougou and Port Moresby in our prayers as they continue in their dedicated work, with gratitude for the encouragement of our extended Sacred Heart family.
IF YOU CAN,
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH
by Karen Moloney | Mar 14, 2024 | News, News & Media, What we do
Recent months have seen great activity at Centro Faustino Villanueva, the MSC-run vocational centre located in the rural region of San AgustĂn, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Situated in an extremely remote area more than eight hours’ drive from Guatemala City, the centre was founded by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1984 to bring opportunities for progression to adults from disadvantaged communities, and it has since grown into a large school for children that come from impoverished backgrounds or vulnerable family circumstances.
The community at the centre saw 2023 out in style with a wonderful graduation ceremony in November, celebrating students who had completed a two-year course in Business Administration.
    
A beautiful ceremony heralded a new year and new beginnings for students in January, with the Facebook page for Centro Faustino Villanueva sharing a collection of pictures with the caption, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”.
February brought a celebration of love in all its forms, with two students elected “Romeo and Juliet”, and teachers and staff joining in with the exchange of gifts in appreciation of friendship.
At the end of the month, the Villanueva community marked a special day honouring their country and culture, celebrating their language and showcasing traditional clothing and foods.
    
With the centre marking 40 years of service in 2024, this very special anniversary year is already off to a flying start! We look forward to seeing more great things from the staff and students at Centro Faustino Villanueva, and, as ever, we keep the community there in our prayers as they continue in their remarkable efforts to create new opportunities for employment and empowerment for young people in need.
Images via the Facebook page for Centro Faustino Villanueva.
IF YOU CAN, PLEASE SUPPORT OUR GLOBAL MISSIONS
by Karen Moloney | Mar 6, 2024 | News, News & Media, What we do
As we journey together towards Holy Week and Easter, we are united in prayer with our MSC communities all over the world – though separated by miles, we remain connected in prayer on our Lenten progress. The images below, shared by our MSC mission in Mozambique, show the beautiful ceremony led by Fr José Eduardo Paixão MSC to celebrate the first Sunday of Lent in the community of St Antonio de Metuge.
Our MSC mission in Mozambique marks its sixth anniversary this month, having originally been established in 2018 in what is a very poor part of Mozambique. Serving the Diocese of Pemba, the mission is continuously adapting to serve the many and changing needs of the vulnerable and displaced, from emergency response to natural disasters, to the brutal impact of violence and political unrest. In a volatile climate, our MSC community is working to adapt and act responsively in accordance with current needs.
    
The Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have a well-established relationship with our Mozambique mission, as we work to support them in their ongoing ministry. Thanks to the friendship and compassion of our mission friends and benefactors here at home, we have been able to bring about positive change to disadvantaged communities made up of thousands of people across the Diocese of Pemba. Civil war in the region has brought about huge hardship, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes and their lives since 2017, and many others killed or reported missing. In recent years, we have been working alongside Fr José to raise funds to support those in real and urgent need, helping to provide essential aid and brighter prospects in a region where hope is in short supply.
    
Though local issues persist, the people of Pemba are not alone, and throughout it all, the inestimable spirit of faith, hope, and perseverance prevails at the heart of our Mozambique mission. The enduring power of unity and community shines through in these wonderful pictures of their Lenten celebrations, and we ask that you please join us in keeping our friends and brothers in Mozambique in your prayers this Lenten season as they continue to share the message of God’s love in the most challenging circumstances.
Images via the Facebook page for MSC Mozambique, with credit to Abudo Manara.
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by Karen Moloney | Feb 27, 2024 | News, News & Media, What we do
OLSH Global Outreach
MSCs from all over the world continue to work in partnership with the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH), providing help and support to the poor and vulnerable on our shared mission: “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.”Â
OLSH ministry in South Africa
The Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart work together at the Holy Family Care Centre in Limpopo, South Africa, where they provide residential care for orphans and sick and vulnerable children.
At the Holy Family Care Centre, a community of Sisters, volunteers, and local staff care for between 75 and 80 children. Many of these children are living with chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDs, TB, and other critical conditions. The children are mostly orphaned, and all are vulnerable. The community here work closely with the Department of Social Development to provide the best possible opportunities for the children in their care.
At the moment, the boys’ dormitory accommodates 23 children and two staff members. It is very crowded, with no space between the beds. With your help, the Sisters would like to buy new bed linen and mattresses, as most of the current ones are now 15 years old, and to replace some of the beds with bunk beds to give the children who sleep here more space.
The Holy Family Sisters are currently working to raise a total of €6,000
to provide more space in the dormitory for boys aged 2 to 10 years.
The onsite crèche at the Holy Family Centre helps the Sisters, along with their volunteers, to care for up to 25 children. To cater for the changing requirements of the youths in their care, they would like to build an extra toilet block so that the children can be toilet trained on low junior toilets suited to their needs. Unfortunately, due to rising costs, the Sisters need your help to fund the construction and fitting of this toilet block.
€4,900 will make a great difference in the Sisters’ ability to provide comfortable facilities
for the toddlers in their care.
In South Africa, “load shedding” is an unfortunate and frequent aspect of daily life, when the electricity in the Care Centre has to be cut. The Centre has its own back up generator, but this is only used when it is vital, as the cost of diesel continues to increase. The Centre would like to install solar panels to power their bore water well and sewerage pumps. The solar panels would ensure savings on power, which in turn will help reduce costs and prevent major systems from failing.
€9,900 will enable the Holy Family community to pay for solar panels to be installed,
including batteries and labour.
“The Holy Family Centre hopes to help each child to regain their childhood. We aim to address their physical, emotional, psychological, educational, and spiritual needs. Our main focus is to create an environment where they feel safe, loved, happy, and to extend them kindness and guidance.”
“Our Vision” ~ OLSH Sisters, South Africa
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH
OLSH outreach in Brazil
In a Eldorado, a small city in Brazil, lives Sr Bruna. Here, she administers to the spiritual needs of the local community with the help of Eucharistic ministers. Together, they visit members of the parish who cannot attend Mass due infirmity or illness, bringing Holy Communion to those in need and providing spiritual solace to people who are often alone.
€900 will enable Sr Bruna FDNSC to purchase 12 pyx cases to help bring the Holy Eucharist
to sick, elderly, and infirm parishioners who cannot attend Mass.
The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in San Paulo, Brazil, run a special programme for senior parishioners. The Sisters here have reached out to the seniors in the community to give them access to computer classes, a local choir, and other activities such as yoga and crafts for the aged. These workshops are free and are held twice a week. The meeting place for the senior groups is in great need of renovation, including a new roof and the repair of the floors. The newly renovated roof will also capture rain water, which can then be used sustainably in the toilets and gardens.
€16,000 will provide immeasurable help to the Sisters as they continue to provide a place for the seniors of the parish to gather for friendship and personal development.
Sr Maria Jose is a teacher in San Paulo, Brazil, who works with a youth group who meet weekly. She is appealing for our help in raising funds to purchase some musical instruments, enabling local youths to learn new skills individually and as a group, and to develop their musical talents. Sr Maria Jose would like to buy a keyboard, an electric guitar, a cajon, and a ukulele, to bring the youth group together in harmony and in prayer.
€1,000 will buy musical instruments to encourage unity and personal growth
for members of the youth group.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH
OLSH ministering across Africa
The OLSH Sisters have a nursery school and primary school in Zagtouli, Burkina Faso, where they provide two snacks and a meal each day for the pupils. In this way, they guarantee that vulnerable children receive muchneeded nourishment. The Sisters would now like to build a dining room, so the children can eat in comfort, and will no longer need to eat in their classrooms or outside.
€20,000 will enable the Sisters to build a dining room for the children attending the school.
The Sisters also minister in the region of Fada N’Gourma in Burkina Faso, where they have been caring for the local community since 2013. The population of this town is 34,000, with 40% of the people living below the poverty line. Taking into consideration the needs of the people of this area, the Sisters have recently managed to acquire some land and hope to build three classrooms on this site. With your support, they can help local children and their families to look forward, with hope, to a better future.
€20,000 will provide the funds needed to start building three classrooms on the new site.
“To the wonderful benefactors in the Irish Province, we thank you sincerely for the assistance you give to us. It is very much appreciated! We remember you in prayer, with deep gratitude.”
~ Sr Jenny Christie FDNSC
International Development Officer for the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH
