Sharing memories throughout the generations at our 2024 MSC Light Up a Memory Mass

On Saturday, November 23^rd, we brought the Month of the Holy Souls to a close with a beautiful candlelight memorial in tribute to loved ones who have gone before us at our annual Light Up a Memory Mass. This year marked the tenth anniversary of what has become a much-loved and highly anticipated tradition each year, and once again we lit up the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, with the flame of remembrance and the everlasting warmth of treasured memories.

November weather was out in full force with stormy conditions all round, but that did not deter local mission friends and parishioners from joining us at the Sacred Heart Church for a truly special evening of music, reflection, and prayer in honour of loved ones who have gone before us in the Lord’s eternal embrace. Almost 900 people also joined us via our live stream to remember and pray with us, from Ireland, the UK, and Europe, to Canada, the United States, and the Philippines.

An evening of love and goodwill

Fr John Fitzgerald, director of the MSC Missions Office, celebrated this year’s Mass with Fr Con Doherty and Fr Seamus Kelly, and opened this year’s ceremony by speaking of what the annual Light Up a Memory ceremony means. “We in the Missions Office next door to this church, where we communicate with so many benefactors, so many helpers, so many people who keep our missions going… where we try to look after as many projects as we can in different places… we make a promise, every year, that apart from having the Novena to the Holy Souls, as you’d find in most churches, we promised that we would always have a ceremony towards the end of the November, a Light Up a Memory Mass for your dead, for my dead, and for the dead who have no-one to remember them at all.”

“When I looked here about 15 minutes ago, there was hardly anyone in the church really, a few stragglers getting to know each other,” said Fr John. “Then a nice crowd arrived, considering that here in Cork tonight, just to let the whole world know, that it is something like 15 degrees, so it is very warm, but we’re in the middle of a storm that’s going to finish tomorrow so it’s not a night really for the faint-hearted! I congratulate the people who have made their way here tonight, it is great, but I am also very aware of so many people tonight who are at home and listening to us, not only from Cork, but from all over the place.”

As the Mass progressed and the candles were brought to the altar, Fr John once again remembered those joining us in spirit from home, saying, “I am also very much aware of yourselves at home… I know you wish you could have brought your own candle tonight, but we have plenty of love to go around for you, we have plenty of goodwill, because we know what it is.”

A language of the heart

Reflecting on loss and grief, Fr John spoke of the language of the heart – the mourners who tell us they are heartbroken, the sympathisers who say that their heart goes out to the bereaved, those who come to a funeral with heavy hearts. “We should not take that sort of language for granted,” reflected Fr John. “It is a sort of an explanation of what has happened, or that description of a feeling. Heart language is a beautiful way of speaking to grief, to loss, to love, and to pay sympathy to somebody else… It is a language to do with a healing of the heart, the love of the heart and the heart of Christ, and it is a language of hope. Heart language is a language of hope. So here in the Sacred Heart Church tonight, on this big night for us who promised we would pray for the dead, we believe in the power of the risen Christ and the promise of the hereafter – we believe in that. And we believe in the language of the heart when we deal with loss, with grief, with healing, and with joy as well when we try to move on.”

“We are invited to be a people of hope.”

In a lovely personal moment, Fr John shared the importance of also being able to move on and look ahead in life, even as we carry the love and sorrow of loss that never fades away. “My father is dead for many years,” he explained, “and there was a family friend one time, I was giving her a drive, and when I had my hand up on the gear lever, she said to me – ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘you have freckles on your hand like your father.’ She said, ‘I remember his hands, he had freckles on his hands, and he had a scar on his finger’ – which he had. And I then kind of funnily said, ‘Well, I have a scar on my thumb.’ And she said, ‘Yes, well we all have to carry our own freckles and our own scars.’ So, there is this kind of a movement, that while I was thrilled that I had a scar like my father, she was saying, well you have to get on with your own troubles and your own freckled life – so, you know we have that little thought as we move out of here tonight.”

This year’s Mass once again featured a wonderful musical accompaniment from Gerry and Deirdre Tuohy, while Fr John’s homily incorporated a selection of poems and prayers, each one a fitting reminder of the power of grief, of faith, and of love everlasting as he prayed for those we have loved and lost, and for those who have nobody to remember them at all.

Bringing the ceremony to an end, Fr John prayed for protection, grace, and hope on this sacred night: “We are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven itself, and we are here very close to it in the kingdom of this world. So, we are invited to be a people of hope, a people who listen to the voice of God, and a people who can be assured that our dead are in the hands of God.”

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. All of us, and one point or another, in one form or another, have been touched by grief, and our annual Light Up a Memory Mass is always a very poignant and moving way for us to commemorate treasured memories of those we hold dear, while praying for healing and hope in our hearts as we navigate life without them, carrying memories and generations of love and remembrance down throughout the years. Sincere thanks to all who took part in this truly special evening of prayer, reflection, and fond remembrance on the tenth anniversary of this very special ceremony – may God bless you all.

Please click here to watch a recording of our 2024 Light Up a Memory Mass.

 

An invitation to join us in prayer at our 2024 Light Up a Memory Mass

In November, we remember, keeping family, friends, and loved ones who have gone before us in our prayers at this sacred time. This year, we invite you to take part in a very special ceremony of remembrance and thanksgiving, as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of our much-loved Light Up a Memory Mass.

Our annual Light Up a Memory Mass has become a beloved tradition in the hearts of many, and this year, we mark its tenth anniversary in a special celebration of cherished memories. Once again, we are glad to invite old friends and new to take part in our remembrance Mass, which will be celebrated this year on Saturday, November 23^rd. This beautiful candlelit evening of music, reflection, and remembrance will take place at 6.30pm the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, and will be streamed live here on the MSC website for those who cannot attend in person.

Grief inevitably touches us all, and the Month of the Holy Souls is a special time to honour fond memories of those we have loved and lost. This November, we come together to light a candle in tribute to those whose memory we hold dear, honouring precious memories of lives well lived.

All are welcome to join us in reflection on this special night, and to submit the names of departed family, friends, and loved ones for remembrance. We would greatly appreciate your support for our ongoing mission projects, and in gratitude for your contribution, we will be glad to remember your intentions on the evening. You can then send us the names of your departed loved ones, and our MSC priests will remember them specially during our Light Up a Memory Mass.

This year is a particularly special one, as we mark the tenth anniversary of what has become a much-anticipated tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls. From the COVID pandemic to ongoing war and social unrest, the events of recent years have demonstrated more than ever the tremendous power of unity and love. Those who cannot be with us in person on the night are very welcome to join us on our live stream, and to light a candle in their own homes or in our online candle gallery, where those listed will have a special place in the prayers of our MSC priests.

In the bleak winter months, the light of remembrance warms our hearts, and the flame of hope and love continues to burn brightly, an enduring spark to light up the darkness. We hope you will join us for an evening of reflection and remembrance in honour of the loved ones who are always in our thoughts.

Find out more about our annual MSC Light Up a Memory Mass.

Please click here to watch the Light Up a Memory Mass, and all November Masses for the Holy Souls, on our live stream.

An invitation to our 2023 Light Up a Memory Mass

 

We warmly invite you to join us for an evening of contemplation and tribute, dedicated to the cherished memory of our loved ones who reside eternally in our thoughts and prayers, especially during the month of November. Our annual Light Up A Memory Mass to honour and cherish our dearly departed will take part on Saturday, November 25th at the Sacred Heart Church here in Cork. We invite you all to join us here in Cork in person and of course you can also take part and watch it  streamed live from the comfort of your home.

Bereavement and grief are experiences that affect everyone. The Month of the Holy Souls provides a unique opportunity to cherish memories and offer prayers for friends and family who have peacefully departed into the embrace of the Lord. Let us unite to commemorate the lives of those no longer with us, and together, we’ll light candles as a heartfelt tribute to those whose memory remains close to our hearts.

 

Now in its tenth year, our yearly MSC Light Up a Memory Mass has evolved into a cherished tradition, eagerly awaited to conclude the Month of the Holy Souls. Annually, we extend an invitation to our mission friends to submit the names of their departed loved ones for commemoration. The compiled list graces the altar throughout the month, becoming the focal point of our prayers for their eternal peace.

We warmly welcome you all to join us in reflection on this special night, and to submit the names of departed family, friends, and loved ones for remembrance. We would greatly appreciate your support for our ongoing mission projects, and in gratitude for your contribution, we will be glad to remember your intentions at our annual Mass. You can then submit the names of your departed loved ones online, and our MSC priests will remember them specially during our Light Up a Memory Mass.

 

Find out more about our annual MSC Light Up a Memory Mass.

 

Candlelight prayer at our Light Up a Memory Mass 2022

Now in its ninth year, our annual Light Up a Memory Mass has become a much-loved and highly anticipated tradition each year, since the first ceremony took place in November of 2014. This year’s candlelight memorial Mass took place on the evening of Saturday, November 26^th at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, and was another beautiful evening of reflection and prayer in honour of those we love who have gone to their eternal rest in the Lord’s embrace.

Fr John Fitzgerald, director of the MSC Missions Office, celebrated this year’s Mass with Fr Con Doherty, new parish priest at the Sacred Heart Church. Despite stormy skies and November weather, the church was filled with mission friends gathered together in prayer; “there are more than two or three,” said Fr John, “and where two or three are gathered, the Lord is.” Fr John also welcomed everybody who took part in the ceremony by watching our live stream, which saw almost 700 people joining us in prayer in everywhere from Ireland, the UK, and Europe, to South Africa, New Zealand, and the United States.

“We are living in hope tonight.”

“Tonight is all about memory,” reflected Fr John. “It is about lighting up something in our hearts… To pray and to pray well, to pay our respects, to honour our dead, to remember their lives, to mark their death, and to mark the saving power of the Lord.”

“We are living in hope tonight,” he continued. “This isn’t a remembrance around a tree or by the sea or anything, it is here, on this extended altar tonight, where we remember the soul or the spirit that sheds its earthly body as a tree sheds its leaves. But death is not the end of existence, it is the cessation in this place, and we believe in the life hereafter.”

   

As the weekend of our Light Up a Memory Mass coincided with the first weekend of Advent, Fr Con took the time to light the first candle on the Advent wreath during the ceremony, as Fr John prayed that the light of Christ would light up our hearts and our lives throughout the Winter months, and that bridge of time between this and Christmas.

Reflecting on the inevitable changes that death brings to each of our lives, Fr John said, “I think that, heavier than shouldering any coffin, is the weight that the death of a loved one presses on us, or impresses on us – we miss them… We’re lost without them for a while… At times, we suddenly realise they’re not sharing a bed with us, they’re not sharing a table, they’re not sharing a kitchen, and that they won’t walk in the door any more. And that is so natural, but it is so painful, and that is what our prayer here tonight is – we’re lighting up a memory light here for healing, not to rush the healing or anything like that, or to get it away so that we can go back into driving down the dual carriageway in life without thoughts of them, but just stepping through life with them.”

“Lord, as we walk from this place, let us walk gently, knowing that you are with us.”

This year’s Mass once again featured a wonderful musical accompaniment from Gerry and Deirdre Tuohy, while Fr John’s homily incorporated a selection of poems and prayers, from Patrick Kavanagh to Seamus Heaney, each one a fitting reminder of the power of grief, of faith, and of love everlasting as he prayed for those we have loved and lost, and for those who have nobody to remember them at all.

Bringing the ceremony to an end, Fr John prayed for protection, grace, and hope on this sacred night: “Look kindly upon us here tonight, Lord, as we remember our dead. We pray especially for all our benefactors who contacted us through the Missions Office, who gave in lists of their dead friends and relations; we pray for them tonight. For the people here, Lord, who are the living voice of your word, who are takers of the word tonight back through the arteries of the county here, and through the arteries of the street… Lord, as we walk from this place, let us walk gently, knowing that you are with us.”

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. None of us have been untouched by the challenges of recent years, and the grief that has accompanied us through these times, in one form or another. Our 2022 Light Up a Memory Mass was a very moving way for us to commemorate treasured memories of those we hold dear, while praying for healing and hope in our hearts as we navigate life without them. Sincere thanks to all who took part in this truly special evening of prayer, reflection, and fond remembrance.

Click here to watch a recording of our 2022 Light Up a Memory Mass
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An invitation to join us in prayer at our 2022 Light Up a Memory Mass

November is a sacred time to remember, as we keep in our prayers family, friends, and loved ones who have gone before us. This year, we are glad to invite old friends and new to take part in our annual Light Up a Memory Mass, which will be celebrated on Saturday, November 26^th. The candlelight memorial service will take place at 6.30pm the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, and will be streamed live for those who cannot attend in person.

Bereavement and grief touch us all, and the Month of the Holy Souls is a special time to honour fond memories and to pray for friends and family who have gone to their eternal rest in the Lord’s love. This November, we come together once again remember specially those who are no longer with us, and to light a candle in tribute to those whose memory we hold dear.

Now in its ninth year, our annual MSC Light Up a Memory Mass has become a much-anticipated tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls. Each year, we invite mission friends to send the names of their dearly departed for remembrance, and the list is kept on the altar throughout the month as we pray for their perpetual peace. In a beautiful ceremony to mark the end of the month of remembrance, the Light Up a Memory Mass is a beacon of light and love in honour of our faithful departed.

The events of recent years have demonstrated more than ever the tremendous power of unity, community, and love. Those who cannot be with us in person on the night are very welcome to join us on our live stream, and to light a candle in their own homes or in our online candle gallery, where those listed will have a special place in the prayers of our MSC priests.

All are welcome to join us in reflection on this special night, and to submit the names of departed family, friends, and loved ones for remembrance. We would greatly appreciate your support for our ongoing mission projects, and in gratitude for your contribution, we will be glad to remember your intentions at our annual Mass. You can then submit the names of your departed loved ones online, and our MSC priests will remember them specially during our Light Up a Memory Mass.

Through the dark winter nights, the light of remembrance warms our hearts, and the flame of hope continues to burn brightly. Please join us for an evening of reflection and remembrance in honour of the loved ones who are always in our thoughts.

Find out more about our annual MSC Light Up a Memory Mass.

Please click here to watch the Light Up a Memory Mass, and all November Masses for the Holy Souls, on our live stream.

 

Remembering together at our 2021 Light Up a Memory Mass

Our Light Up a Memory Mass has become a much-loved annual tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls since our first ceremony in 2014, and this year’s candlelight memorial Mass, which took place on the evening of Saturday, November 27^th, was another beautiful commemoration of the memory of treasured loved ones who are now with the Lord.

As we come to the end of another year of uncertainty and anxiety, with all the challenges presented to us by living with the COVID pandemic, it was a truly wonderful thing to be able to safely welcome mission friends and parishioners, old and new, to the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork. We were also delighted to welcome many, many more friends who joined us via our live stream on the night, with almost 900 viewers joining us in prayer from across Ireland, the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, France, Bulgaria, Romania, and Malta.

At 6.30pm on Saturday evening, the Sacred Heart Church was filled with the light of hundreds of candles, a beacon of light and of hope on a dark November night. The Mass was celebrated by Fr John Fitzgerald and Fr Michael O’Connell, and was a particularly special evening for both MSCs, as Fr Michael celebrated the Light Up a Memory ceremony for the final time as Director of the MSC Missions Office, before handing over the reins to Fr John in the new year. With a beautiful musical accompaniment led by Gerry and Deirdre Tuohy, this was a very special evening of reflection and prayer to mark the ending of the month of remembrance.

“We’re here to give thanks to God for the gift of those who loved us, to give thanks to God for the gift of those who shared our lives.”

Fr Michael began the ceremony with a special reflection on the purpose of the evening, of a “very special” Mass. “We’re here to remember those who have shared their lives with us,” he said. “We’re here to remember those who have gifted us their love, their presence, to remember those who have given us so much. We’re here to acknowledge the loss, the grief that might still be present in us. We’re here to give thanks to God for the gift of those who loved us, to give thanks to God for the gift of those who shared our lives, for those who gave birth to us, who brought us into this world, for those who told us they loved us, those who maybe brought us for Christening. And so we pray with those who are in Heaven, who we join in that great family of God, everyone at home and here in the church, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Fr John’s homily incorporated a selection of poems and prayers, from W.H. Auden to Cardinal Newman, each one a fitting reminder of the power of grief, of faith, and of love everlasting. As Fr Michael lit candles on the altar, Fr John reminded us, “The symbol of light is the symbol that Jesus picked himself: ‘I am the light of the world’.”

“Light is the symbol of Christ because light leads us in the dark,” he continued. “There is something about light that makes distance seem that bit closer… I would love tonight to go all over the country, or wherever you are, and give each one of you a candle, and ask you to hold that candle in your hand, and look into that candle, and say, ‘Give me time and space and peace to see the light of Christ here as I remember my loved one.’ The symbol of light is the light of Christ.”

Remembering the recently bereaved and those struggling with grief, Fr John prayed: “We pray for the light of Christ to light up the emptiness of your soul, the place they have left there in your soul, and the rawness of your soul, that you might get warmth there now in the frostiness of grieving. For you tonight, who are lately bereaved, may the blessing of light be upon you, light without and light within.”

A ceremony of faith, love, and hope.

The Mass ended on a note of hope, as Fr John reflected, “this is a ceremony of faith and love, and it is a ceremony of hope,” while Fr Michael finished the Mass with the lighting of the Advent wreath, reminding us to look to its light as we begin our Advent journey towards the birth of Christ.

We would like to extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, in the Sacred Heart Church and beyond. At a time when so many of us are separated, the Light Up a Memory Mass is a lovely opportunity for families to come together in prayer and remembrance of their dearly departed, no matter where they are in the world. It was a beautifully poignant and truly special evening of prayer, reflection, and fond remembrance for all involved.

Click here to watch a recording of our 2021 Light Up a Memory Mass
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The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart present our Light Up a Memory Mass 2021

In November, we remember, as we pray especially for loved ones who have gone before us. This year, we invite you once again to take part in a special live streaming of our annual Light Up a Memory Mass, which will be celebrated on Saturday, November 27^th by main celebrant Fr John Fitzgerald MSC. The candlelight memorial service will take place at 6.30pm and will be streamed live from the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork.

Traditionally, the Month of the Holy Souls is a time to reflect and pray for friends and family who have gone to their eternal rest in the Lord’s love. Sadly, loss and grief have been companions to many during the coronavirus pandemic, and this November, we remember specially those who are no longer with us.

Each year, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart invite mission friends to send the names of their dearly departed for remembrance, and the list is kept on the altar throughout the month as we pray for their perpetual peace. Marking the end of the month of remembrance, the Light Up a Memory Mass lights up the winter darkness in honour of our faithful departed.

Since the first MSC Light Up a Memory Mass took place in 2014, this has become a much-loved tradition to close the Month of the Holy Souls. “Bereavement touches us all, and our Light Up a Memory Mass is a very special way for families to remember together,” says MSC Missions Office Director Fr Michael O’Connell, who will also be participating in this year’s ceremony. “It is a welcome moment to pause, to reflect, and to honour fond memories, with every candle a tribute to beloved friends and relatives.”

All are welcome to join us in reflection on this special night, and to submit the names of departed family, friends, and loved ones for remembrance. We would greatly appreciate your support for our ongoing mission projects, and in gratitude for your contribution, we will be glad to remember your intentions at our annual Mass. You can then submit the names of your departed loved ones online, and our MSC priests will remember them specially during our Light Up a Memory Mass.

While the pandemic has meant that the way we pray together has had to change, we remain ever united in spirit and in faith. Please join us for an evening of reflection and remembrance in honour of the loved ones who are always in our thoughts.

Find out more about our annual MSC Light Up a Memory Mass.

Please click here to watch the Light Up a Memory Mass, and all November Masses for the Holy Souls, on our live stream.

 

Light Up a Memory Mass 2020

This year’s Light Up A Memory Mass took place on 28th November and was like a ceremony like no other. We couldn’t attend in person but at least we could join together virtually and stream it online. And how beautiful did our church look for the occasion, with hundreds of candles lit up to represent our loved ones who have passed away. It really was a unique and special occasion.

Now in its seventh year, the first Light Up a Memory Mass took place in 2014 and it has since become a much-beloved tradition for local parishioners in Cork, and for mission friends located far and wide, all over the world.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, both in the Sacred Heart Church and around the world. Once again, it was a very poignant and truly special evening of prayer, reflection, and fond remembrance for everyone involved.

You can watch the full service here

An evening of remembrance at the MSC Light Up a Memory Mass 2019

The evening of Saturday, November 30th, saw the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork filled with the light of hundreds of candles, each flame marking the memory of a treasured loved one who is no longer with us.

November is traditionally a time to remember, and every year, our MSC missionaries in the Sacred Heart parish mark the end of the month of the Holy Souls with the Light Up a Memory Mass, a beautiful memorial service which serves as a beacon of light and love in the winter darkness.

Now in its sixth year, the first Light Up a Memory Mass took place in 2014 and it has since become a much-beloved tradition for local parishioners in Cork, and for mission friends located far and wide, all over the world, thanks to our live streaming service. As always, 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. This year, we also welcomed over 400 viewers on our website, coming together to pray with us in Cork from across Ireland, the UK, Germany, the US, Canada, Spain, Australia, Malta, the Netherlands, and South Africa.

Bereavement touches us all and the Light Up a Memory service is a lovely way for families to remember together at this special time of year. From 6.30pm on Saturday evening, the Sacred Heart Church was aglow in the light of hundreds of candles, each one burning brightly in celebration of lives and the memories of those we will always hold dear.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who took part in this year’s Light Up a Memory celebrations, both in the Sacred Heart Church and around the world. Once again, it was a very poignant and truly special evening of prayer, reflection, and fond remembrance for everyone involved.

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.

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.