Fr Michael visits Venezuela

On Thursday, January 3rd, Fr Michael O’Connell, Director of the MSC Missions Office in Cork, embarked on a three-week visit to Venezuela, where he will visit MSC parishes and spend time with the communities who benefit from the care of our missionaries.

Venezuela is currently in the grip of the worst political, social, economic, and humanitarian crisis ever experienced in the country’s history, and local people struggle daily with extreme poverty and hardship. The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart first started their work in this deeply troubled country over 50 years ago, when four Irish MSCs began the first MSC mission in Maracaibo, and today, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are the only Irish priests working to bring relief to local communities who are trapped in the dreadful conditions brought about by the current social and political unrest.

The situation has become increasingly worrying in recent years. Former Irish Provincial Leader Fr Joseph McGee MSC was greatly affected by his trip to Venezuela in 2017. “The most difficult thing I witnessed was seeing people scavenge in the rubbish heaps for scraps that have burst through the overflowing rubbish bags and appear to be edible,” he recalls. “People are doing all they can to leave the country and start a new life”.

In October 2018, we reported that Pope Francis had encouraged the Venezuelan bishops to “stay close to the people of Venezuela, especially to those who are suffering,” while Simon Coveney, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, addressed the “serious, volatile, and rapidly deteriorating situation,” where “reports of human rights violations are a cause of real concern”.

Having marked 50 years of ministry in Venezuela in the summer of 2017, the our MSCs continue to do all they can to help vulnerable families affected by the ongoing crisis. On this trip, Fr Michael is travelling with an extra suitcase filled with essentials for local families who are enduring the consequences of hyperinflation, which has pushed the cost of necessities sky-high – far beyond the reach of parents who don’t know where their children’s next meal is coming from. His case is packed full of supplies including toothpaste, soap, nappies, and other basic hygiene products – everyday items that we might not think twice about using, but which will be very welcome to families who have very little.

Be sure to check back in the coming weeks, as Fr Michael continues on his travels and keeps us updated on the MSC Venezuelan mission.

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A Christmas Blessing from Fr Michael

Dear Friends,

Another year has flown by! 2018 is almost at an end, and from international celebrations at the World Meeting of Families to my own adventure on the Camino walk, it has been a year to remember for many reasons.

Without doubt, these are challenging times for us all. From social and political turmoil, to devastation caused by natural disasters around the world, it can seem that every time we turn on the news, we hear of death and destruction. However, even in the depths of despair, hope remains, and thanks to the support of our great community of faith around the world, we have been able to continue to bring the gifts of hope, faith, and love to vulnerable families all over the world.

This summer, along with Pope Francis and hundreds of thousands of people around the world, we celebrated the love of the family, and at Christmas time, we reflect once again on the blessing of family – our own immediate families, and our extended families, made up of friends, neighbours, and brothers and sisters in Christ.

I often refer to you, our mission friends, as a family of faith, and together, we are part of a much bigger picture. I include our MSCs working in far-flung corners of the world, away from the embrace of home and hearth this Christmas season. I include the communities to which they minister, and the children who have been orphaned by illness or violence. I include those who are surrounded by loved ones, and those who may be spending the Christmas season alone. I include all who are struggling with challenges of different kinds. Love knows no bounds, and we are every one of us a loved and valued part of this great family of faith.

As another year begins to wind towards its end, I thank you for all that we have achieved together over the past months. Thanks to your friendship, the power of God’s mercy continues to be seen in all its glory around the world. Our strength comes from your kindness and we are truly grateful.

In the spirit of the season and on behalf of our MSC community around the world, I’d like to extend my warmest wishes for a joyful Christmas, and I pray that the coming year will bring you and yours an abundance of peace, happiness, and blessings.

Wishing you and yours a happy and holy Christmas,

Fr Michael O’Connell MSC

Remembering together at the MSC Light Up a Memory Mass 2018

On Saturday, November 24th, the Sacred Heart Church in Cork was aglow with the light of hundreds of candles, each flame commemorating a beloved soul who is now with the Lord.

Since our first candlelight memorial service in 2014, the annual Light Up a Memory Mass has become a much-loved tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls, and this year’s Mass was another wonderful occasion for all involved.

From 6.30pm on Saturday evening, the Sacred Heart Church was a beacon of welcoming warmth in the winter darkness, with each candle burning brightly in celebration of lives and the memories of those we will always hold dear. This year, Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, Director of the MSC Missions Office, was the main celebrant of the Mass, with sermon by parish priest Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC. With a beautiful musical accompaniment led by Gerry and Deirdre Tuohy, this was a very special evening of reflection and remembrance to mark the ending of the month of remembrance.

“The church looked stunning,” said one parishioner. “It was so warm, inviting, and very appropriate for the occasion. It was also lovely to see so many MSC priests concelebrating Mass. It brought back nice memories for me.”

A “poignant and meaningful” evening of remembrance

The Light Up a Memory Mass is an opportunity for families to come together in prayer and remembrance each November. Bereavement touches us all and the service is a lovely way for families to remember together. “My son was very impressed with the celebration,” said another Mass-goer on the night. “He was delighted to bring a candle to the altar.”

We were glad to welcome familiar faces of old friends on the night, and we also had many visitors who come specially to celebrate the service with us. “It was a beautiful Mass,” said one. “The altar looked amazing, and the atmosphere was lovely.”

“It was a lovely ceremony – even if I only came upon it by accident on the way home!” said another attendee on the night. “My dad passed away late last year, so this was very poignant and meaningful for us.”

We also welcomed viewers from all over the world on our live stream, as hundreds tuned in to watch the Mass live and take part in this beautiful memorial. “That was lovely,” said one online viewer. “I’m so glad I got it!”

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. It was a truly special evening of reflection and remembrance for all involved.

The MSC Message: Winter 2018

Welcome to the Winter edition of the MSC Message!

• Read all about MSC Missions at the World Meeting of Families 2018.

• Catch up with the latest news from the mission fields, with updates from our ongoing projects in South Africa and the Philippines.

• Find out about this year’s Jubilee celebrations in the Irish Province.

• Read a special winter message from Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, Director of the MSC Missions Office.

• Walk the Camino de Santiago with Fr Alan Neville MSC and the MSC Vocations Team.

Reads the MSC Message Winter 2018

Share some festive cheer with MSC Christmas Mass Bouquet Cards

Remind family, friends, and loved ones that they’re always in your thoughts this Christmas with a beautifully designed Mass card from the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

In an age of email, text, and social media, it’s something special to find a surprise popping through the letterbox, and never more so than at Christmas time. Whether you’re sending festive greetings to friends and family you see every day, or reaching out to loved ones around the world, our Christmas Mass Bouquet cards are a wonderful way to let those you hold dear know that you’re thinking of them at this special time of year.

Each card is designed with care and brought to life with stunning gold highlights and embellishments. Cards can be ordered individually, or in sets of five, with a selection of different designs to choose from. Every card contains a thoughtful blessing and is signed by MSC Missions Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC for inclusion in our annual Christmas Triduum of Masses in December.

Don’t forget, when you choose to send one of our Christmas Mass Bouquet Cards, it is far more than a kind festive gesture. Your support helps us to continue bringing the gift of hope to vulnerable families and communities across the globe, at Christmas and throughout the year. While we celebrate in the warm embrace of home and family this festive season, our MSCs are continuing their work in regions of extreme poverty and hardship, bringing vital aid to people who have nowhere else to turn – and every order we receive makes a real and valuable difference.

The best Christmas gifts can’t be wrapped in a bow – capture the true spirit of Christmas and give the gift of prayer to your loved ones this year.

MSC Christmas Mass Bouquet Cards are available to order online, and from our MSC Missions Office on the Western Road in Cork.

A lovely range of Christmas gifts is also available.

BROWSE OUR RANGE OF CHRISTMAS MASS BOUQUET CARDS

A Candlelight Memorial: Light Up a Memory Mass 2018

During the month of November, we take time to remember specially loved ones who have gone before us, and whose memory still burns brightly in our hearts and minds. Every year, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart mark the end of the month of the Holy Souls with our annual Light Up a Memory Mass, a beautiful candlelight service that celebrates the memories of those we hold dear.

Each November, we invite our mission friends to send the names of their dearly departed for remembrance, and this list is kept on the altar throughout the month as we pray that they are granted peace in their eternal rest. This time-honoured tradition is a source of great comfort and solace, and the annual Light Up a Memory Mass is a wonderful way to mark the end of this month of remembrance.

On this special night, the Sacred Heart Church will be a beacon of welcoming light in the winter darkness, illuminated by the glow of hundreds of candles. With uplifting choral music and prayerful reflections, we come together to pray by the glow of candlelight, with each flame burning brightly in memory of those whom we have lost.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to remember those who are no longer with us,” says Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, Director of the MSC Missions Office. “The light of a candle is a welcome sight on a dark winter night, and each of these flames is a beautiful symbol of remembrance in honour of the loved ones who are always in our thoughts.”

All are welcome to take part in this year’s ceremony on Saturday, November 24th at 6.30pm. Tune into our live stream to watch this year’s Light Up a Memory Mass live, along with all of the Masses for the Holy Souls throughout the month of November.

If you would like more information about our Light Up a Memory Mass, please contact the MSC Missions Office by phone on 021 4545704 or by email at info@mscmissions.ie.

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary: Day 5

In September, MSC Missons Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC walked the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Walking approximately 113 km over five days, Fr Michael undertook the final stage of the Camino Francés, or the French Way. Here, he shares his daily diary with thoughts and reflections from the Way.

Sunday, September 30^th
Pedrouzo to Santiago
Distance: 19.8 km

“On the final day of my Camino journey, I was on the road at 5.45am, beginning my day in the darkness. I found myself walking through the darkness into the light, and realised just how important the light is to us.

That last morning, I set out before dawn; the sun didn’t rise until around 8.00am, so I was walking through the darkness for over two hours before the light dawned. That two hours meant I didn’t just walk from darkness into light, but through darkness into the light, and that makes all the difference. It put me in mind of aiming for a goal, any goal in life. Say your goal is to get married, and you’re planning a wedding. It will be a wonderful celebration, but you have to go through a certain period of preparation, often a period of challenges and struggles, to get there. For me, that day, my goal was to reach Santiago de Compostela, but it wasn’t just a matter of leaving in the morning and getting there easily. First, I had to make my way through the darkness and get through the period of struggling before I could reach that ultimate goal.

In that period of darkness, I often found myself walking in the light of others who guided my way. Because I didn’t have a torch myself, I would walk behind somebody else who had a torch or a headlamp, and they would safely guide my path. Once again, a reminder to us to be thankful to those who light our way in life in those times of darkness and confusion, and the light of the Lord that guides us safely home always.

That morning was also a lesson in taking stock. I was following a couple who were walking ahead of me, when they stopped to take a photo. They told me to turn around, and when I did, the most glorious sunrise was taking place over my shoulder. If I hadn’t stopped to look back, I would have missed the whole thing – and what a fitting way to start the final day of the trip.

The last walk took me to Mount Gozo. Here, pilgrims get their first glimpse of Santiago. You can see the spires of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela all the way from here, and it is wonderful motivation to press ahead and jump the final hurdle.

One thing that really struck me along my journey was the abundance of little shrines that punctuated the roadside as I walked. This was particularly evident as I neared my final destination. People leave broken shoes, stones they’ve carried, and their own personal petitions, written down. They also leave photographs of themselves for other to pray over. It’s a poignant reminder of all who have gone before us, and the burdens they carry along the way – and hopefully, the peace and resolution they have found at the end of their journey.

On entering Santiago, a tunnel leads pilgrims into the town square, where relief overcomes weariness and celebration is the order of the day! Here, I queued for just under an hour with other pilgrims to collect a certificate to say that I had completed the Camino.

I ended my Camino experience with the Pilgrims’ Mass at the Cathedral, which is reputed to be the resting place of St James. Throughout the Mass, you can see pilgrims and tourists climbing the steps behind the altar to rub the saint’s head.

Everybody treats the experience with due respect and reverence, and the Cathedral itself is a sight to behold – especially the botafumeiro, the 1.5-metre-high thurible that dates back to 1851 and is so heavy that it takes eight men to operate it.

And so ended my Camino journey. There was a great sense of relief for me – yes, I could actually walk that distance. Yes, that I could once again do what I used to do in my youth, sleeping in hostels with the minimum of equipment. Along with this came the renewed awareness of how little we need to survive, or how little we can survive on, and that is something I hope to take home with me.

Would I do it again? Without a doubt! Next time, however, I might try coming from a different direction, perhaps the Portuguese Way… Until then, Buen Camino!”

Read more of Fr Michael’s Camino diary:

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 1

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 2

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 3

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 4

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary: Day 4

In September, MSC Missons Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC walked the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Walking approximately 113 km over five days, Fr Michael undertook the final stage of the Camino Francés, or the French Way. Here, he shares his daily diary with thoughts and reflections from the Way.

Saturday, September 29^th
Ribadiso to Pedrouzo
Distance: 22.8 km

“Day 4 of my journey saw me set off once again along ancient paths that have been walked for thousands of years. Along the road, I came to a stop where pilgrims could buy a bottle of beer and write their name on it, and the owners would display it for a year, so anyone who passed could see who had gone before them. It was such a popular idea that it had actually moved premises with the owners, who had to find a new place to set up shop after the rent on their previous premises had become too high. It’s still going from strength to strength today, and it a lovely way to leave a marker, something of yourself, along a path that so many walk.

While walking, I realised how lucky I was to have such good weather on my journey. I could see tide marks on some parts of the path, where the water rises when it rains. I was blessed with sunshine, and avoiding trudging through puddles and floods!

On the road today I came across a signpost, indicating Santiago to the left and Lugo to the right. It struck me as somewhat entertaining that I flew into Santiago Aiport, then took a two-hour bus journey to Lugo, followed by a half-hour bus journey to Sarria. When I finally arrived in Sarria, I promptly set off in the other direction, on foot. Talk about going backwards to go forwards!

At the end of the day, just like the days before, my boots were coated in a thick covering of dust – and my once-black socks were now well and truly grey! On my Camino journey, I became very aware of shaking the dust off my feet. The Gospel speaks about doing just this (Matthew 10:14: ‘And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.’). If you are rejected in a village, if the people there don’t want to hear your message, you should leave – and when you’re leaving, you should shake the dust off your feet. All of the things you accumulate in that village, you give a good shake on the way out, and just go away out of the place leaving all of the negativity behind you.

The Camino experience is similar. You start off with nice clean shoes or boots, and at the end of the day, you see that they’re covered in dust, things that you have picked up during the day without realising it. It’s important to give them a good shake at the end of the day, to shake off the dust and debris you’ve picked up along the road, and start off afresh the following day.

This really came into my conscious as I was travelling. We begin life with an ideal, and then life itself takes over. You begin to accumulate things around your life, and you’ve forgotten that simple ideal, or the ideal you had in your youth. It’s only when you take time out to stop and think that you realise, I’m accumulating too many things here; I need to take time out and go back to the basics, take a step back.

This could take the form of the simplest things. The importance of a day off during the week, for example – the Sabbath experience. You stop your usual day-to-day schedule; you don’t go to work. You shake off the dust of the week. You decide that today is a family day, a day when we do things together. Sometimes, you must say no to life’s demands. You might look at the time you spend with your partner or your family, and say no – we’re going to have a date night or a family night this Friday night. It’s not just going to be a normal busy dinner time, we’re going to turn off the television and light a candle and share a meal. We’re going to go back to basics.

 

It’s important that we don’t just do this when we go on retreat, or celebrate an anniversary or a special occasion. We must make it a day-to-day occurrence. We must shake off the dust of life and start fresh every day, with a basic appreciation of all that God has given us and the wonders that life has to offer us.

If there’s one thing I stepped back and appreciated about today, it was the massage shower in the hostel at the end of the day’s walk! It really is the simple things…”

 

Read more of Fr Michael’s Camino diary:

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 1

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 2

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 3

 

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary: Day 3

In September, MSC Missons Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC walked the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Walking approximately 113 km over five days, Fr Michael undertook the final stage of the Camino Francés, or the French Way. Here, he shares his daily diary with thoughts and reflections from the Way.

Friday, September 28^th
Palas de Rei to Ribadiso
Distance: 25.6 km

“As I walked along on the third morning of my Camino journey, I heard the unexpected sound of music playing at the crossing of a stream. On reaching the other side, a young lady came into view, playing Spanish bagpipes. She was a busker, out in the middle of nowhere, and it was a wonderful surprise for a weary pilgrim!

I paused for a while at the church of Boente Cruce, where there was a beautiful sanctuary with peaceful music playing. My guide book recommended this church, noting that the parish priest is especially friendly – and there was certainly a warm welcome to be found here.

I found myself walking along a particularly scenic stretch, where I stopped to snap a picture of the view. It looks like an idyllic scene – but what you can’t tell from my photograph is that it’s right beside a motorway, so pilgrims can hear the traffic whizzing past as they walk. It didn’t bother me too much; it struck me as being a bit like life. I could choose to hear the traffic and allow it to destroy my peace, or I could accept the noise as part of the hum and the energy of the place and enjoy the journey.

One thing I noticed along the journey was the struggles that some people had, and the way people helped each other. I saw one young man helping his elderly mother to walk the Way, and it was a joy to see them have such a special experience together. Some people were battling with real challenges, and their commitment to walking the path was amazing. There were people with bandages and strappings on their legs, and still, they were cheerful. That is an incredible element of the walk – the cheerfulness!

I stayed in Ribadiso da Baixo that evening, a hostel that was recently refurbished and opened to the public. It dates back hundreds of years and the location is stunning, next to a medieval bridge on the River Iso. It was a real treat to be able to bathe my feet in the stream after three days of walking. It’s not possible to pre-book a bed here – the first 62 pilgrims to arrive on any given day can claim a bed, and I was determined to be one of them! At just €6 a night, this hostel is non-profit-making, but is funded by the council and maintained by village volunteers.

Hostel living is certainly an interesting part of the Camino experience. The smallest dormitory I was in slept around 10 or 12 people, while the largest had space for 130 people. When you arrive, you must claim your bunk and the space around it, while also respecting other people’s need for space, too. A big challenge is trying to charge your mobile phone – it’s a challenge of Christian charity not to leave your own electronics plugged in to charge all the time! The next job is to shower after the walk of the day, and then wash your clothes. All of the hostels along the Way are well-equipped with laundry services, costing just a few Euro for use of the washing machine and tumble dryer.

Of course, I found I had packed more than I needed – just as we often take too much with us in life. You think, I’ll need a shirt in the morning, a shirt in the afternoon, and a shirt in the evening. Then you find that actually, you don’t need all those clothes. I only need two, not three, or I can wash my shirts in the evening. We tend to live with a ‘wash one, wear one, spare one’ lifestyle, but I found I didn’t actually need the spare one; I could just wash one and wear one, and it worked away fine. Another lesson about carrying too much!

I had booked a room in a hostel nearby as a contingency plan, but luckily, I got to Ribadiso da Baixo early enough that I didn’t need it and was able to claim a bed there. I enjoyed a lovely dinner and an early night; the bar and restaurant were dead by 9.30pm. Everybody had gone to bed, ready for another early start the following day.”

Read more of Fr Michael’s Camino diary:

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 1

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 2

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 4

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary: Day 2

In September, MSC Missons Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC walked the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Walking approximately 113 km over five days, Fr Michael undertook the final stage of the Camino Francés, or the French Way. Here, he shares his daily diary with thoughts and reflections from the Way.

Thursday, September 27^th
Portomarín to Palas de Rei
Distance: 24.8 km

“Day 2 of my Camino journey got off to a dramatic start, with thunder and lightning crashing and rolling from 7.00am. The skies soon cleared, and my journey continued on a stretch of almost 25 km, from Portomarin to Palas de Rei.

On the road, I stopped off at a place called Bar Trisquel, where I wanted to buy some batteries for my CD player. The people who ran the shop didn’t understand what I was looking for, and eventually I showed them what I needed. As it happened, they didn’t sell batteries, but the shop assistant disappeared into the back and returned with two batteries, taken from one of their own gadgets.

This is just one example of the wonderful hospitality I experienced along the Way. Pilgrims are welcomed with open arms, and unlike popular tourist areas here in Ireland, nobody is out to rip you off. A cup of coffee costs around €1, a hearty lunch is about €5, and pilgrims can get a full three-course dinner for €10 – with a glass of wine included! Those you meet along the road are generally very welcoming, and the warmth of their kindness and hospitality – demonstrated perfectly by the gift of batteries – has stayed with me.

Once again, the scenery along the road was nothing short of breath-taking. Although it’s tempting to stop and drink it all in, it’s equally as important to keep moving, so you can hit your daily destination. It was a balancing act that put me in mind of finding balance in life itself. If I stopped and admired the scenery for too long, then I didn’t move along the path. I could have spent all day looking at the sun rising and setting, or sitting having a coffee, looking out a lovely landscape – but the work wouldn’t get done. It’s important to appreciate what’s around you, but if you lose yourself in it, you’re not moving forward.

In the evening, I went to the pilgrims’ Mass at a beautiful church in Palas de Rei. Here, Spanish signs asked what we were searching for on the Camino, with reminders to speak to and listen to God. Beneath these signs were little baskets containing slips of paper in different languages. These pieces of paper were printed with encouraging messages like ‘You are God’s precious one,’ and quotes from Scripture. They were a lovely thought to keep in your pocket and take with you along the Way, and this was a particularly nice way to end the day.”

Read more of Fr Michael’s Camino diary:

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 1

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 3

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 4

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary: Day 1

In September, MSC Missons Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell MSC walked the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Walking approximately 113 km over five days, Fr Michael undertook the final stage of the Camino Francés, or the French Way. Here, he shares his daily diary with thoughts and reflections from the Way.

Wednesday, September 26^th
Sarria to Portomarin
Distance: 22.1 km

“Walking the Camino was a new experience for me. This was the first time I had done it, and while it had come highly recommended by our Vocations Director Fr Alan, who walks the Way of St James every year, I can’t say that I wasn’t slightly apprehensive about the challenge that lay ahead.

The walk was a challenge in itself, in that it’s a long time since I took long walks, and this one averages approximately 20 km per day. I walked the final stage of the Camino Francés, from Sarria to Santiago, covering around 113 km in 5 days.

I must admit, I asked myself ‘Can I do that?’ Walking the distance is one thing, but will my knees hold me up? How will my joints cope? It was up hill, down dale at times, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, and that was a real positive.

What made me decide to do the walk this year? Well, I wanted to do something that was healthy for both body and soul. Fr Alan, had been saying how wonderful the Camino was after his trip earlier this year, and so I decided to give it a go.

I started the first day of my Camino journey waking up in an old monastery, and stepped out into a beautiful misty morning. I often found myself following in the path of other pilgrims, which was useful – it lessened the chances of getting lost along the way!

On the first day, I spotted this well-loved spot, where a local farmer obviously finds time for rest and recuperation after a busy day. He has all the essentials at hand – a comfy chair, a newspaper, and a bottle of wine! In a place where there is so much transition, it was nice to see a symbol of consistency from someone whose roots are in the land here.

I also happened upon a stall full of eco-produce, where I enjoyed a chat with the owner. He has no prices on his wares, but simply requests a donation from pilgrims. His sign was a welcoming one, promising tea, coffee, home-made food, a bathroom, and a good rest.

I had decided to walk the Camino on my own. If you’re walking with somebody, it does shorten the journey – we all know the old saying, ‘Tell me a story and half the journey!’. Actually, I found that walking by myself gave me time to think and to reflect, to see the world and what was around me. I only had myself for company, and the Lord. While it was a physical challenge, it wasn’t at all challenging mentally. It was like life really, just taking one day at a time and seeing where it brought me.”

Read more of Fr Michael’s Camino diary:

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 2

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 3

Fr Michael’s Camino Diary Day 4

MSC Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2018

Each year, the coming of September sees a flurry of activity at the MSC Missions Office as we prepare for our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. This year’s pilgrimage took place from September 17^th to 22^nd, and as ever, it was a wonderful journey for all involved.

MSCs Fr Michael O’Connell, Fr Tim Gleeson, Fr Joe McGee, Fr Eugene Clarkson, and Spiritual Director Fr Charles Sweeney joined our pilgrims on this year’s trip. The opening Mass, which saw 80 pilgrims join together in prayer and song, marked a beautiful beginning to what was a truly enriching journey for all.

Mass at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is always a highlight of the pilgrimage, and this year was no exception. Here, the sun shone on our MSCs and pilgrims and they prayed for our MSC mission friends and benefactors in the magnificent surroundings of the Grotto.

Another very special stop on this year’s pilgrimage was Mass at Sheepfold Chapel. This rustic chapel dates back to the 1800s, when St Bernadette would shelter her sheep under its thatched roof. With a great sense of peace and serenity residing here, Mass was an especially memorable occasion for our MSCs and pilgrims.

Many thanks to all involved in making this year’s pilgrimage such a rewarding one, where many happy memories were made, new friendships blossomed, and old acquaintances were fondly renewed. Until next year!

 

If you would like to find out more about the annual MSC pilgrimage to Lourdes, please click here.