Jul 11, 2024
The MSC community in Manila, capital of the Philippines, have been working on an ongoing project where discarded plastic bottles are repurposed and made into “ecobricks”, finding new life as fences, planter boxes, outdoor furniture, altar decorations, and even chapel walls.
Part of the “Sowing Hope for the Planet” campaign, a worldwide movement to promote environmental awareness, the ecobricks project is just one of many efforts in the MSC mission for ecological sustainability and care of our common home. MSCs in the Philippine Province are also extremely active in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, a Vatican initiative based on Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, not least with the remarkable efforts of the community at the MSC Centre for the Poor and their accompanying agricultural co-operative.
Fr James Espuerta MSC was rector at the Manila seminary from 2018 to 2023, where he led countless workshops in the construction and use of the ecobricks. Each brick is comprised of a 1.5 litre plastic bottle, which is then stuffed with smaller pieces of plastic, all compressed with a bamboo stick. Often, the plastics and bottles are painted in bright, appealing colours. The creation of a single brick is time-consuming, and can take a full day to be produced.
“If we have plastics, instead of throwing them away or into the trash or to the garbage cart, better to keep them and then organize ecobrick-making,” says Fr James.
A recent article by Earthbeat reports how the MSC ecobrick initiative began in 2019, at the seminary in Manila, and has since expanded into 15 parishes in the care of our MSC brothers. A chapel in Santo Nino Parish, on Camotes Island in Cebu, has been constructed using ecobricks, and several plastic banks are in operation, whereby people in need can trade plastic they bring from home, or pick up on the street, for food.
Ecobricks help to reduce the costs of building materials while also promoting recycling and ecological awareness, and MSCs in the Philippines are very much aware of the need to reduce the use of single-use plastics in addition. “We have to care for our common home. And plastics destroy creation,” explains Fr James. “Human beings are not the only residents in the world. We also have our brother creatures, and we have to take care of them.”
“Being responsible for the use of the plastic could be a good way to save our environment,” Fr James says. With the support of our mission friends here in the Irish Province and around the globe, MSCs in the Philippines continue in their mission to work in harmony with the natural world, while developing sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyles for the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in their care.
Original article and images via Earthbeat:
https://www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/science/philippines-catholic-priests-tackle-plastic-waste-brick-brick
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Jul 9, 2024
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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Apr 18, 2024
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
Mar 21, 2024
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
Mar 14, 2024
Recent months have seen great activity at Centro Faustino Villanueva, the MSC-run vocational centre located in the rural region of San Agustín, 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
Mar 6, 2024
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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