Ongoing cyclone aid in Mozambique

MSC missionaries in Mozambique are continuing their ongoing work in providing relief to families who were affected by the ferocious cyclones that tore across the country earlier this year.

In mid-March, Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc in north-eastern Mozambique, killing over 600 people. Just six weeks later, at the end of April, the Pemba region was hit again by Cyclone Kenneth, and the death toll began to rise further.

Hundreds lost their lives, and over 21,000 people were left homeless by the disasters. Homes, crops, and livestock were destroyed by floods and mudslides, while wells were contaminated, leaving the local drinking water unsafe for consumption, with the threat of cholera and malaria a real danger.

 

“We have lost everything,” said one survivor. “Our house and most of our belongings were taken by the wind and the waves.”

The Mozambique mission began in March 2018, when MSC missionaries from Brazil began ministering in the Pemba diocese, an extremely poor part of the country with no church infrastructure or functioning pastoral ministry. Our MSC brothers immediately began working to bring positive change to local families and communities, and their reach has spread far and wide in the past year and a half.

The arrival of the cyclones was a huge setback to the work being done in the local area; however, our MSCs have continued to work hand-in-hand with local families in the area, helping them to rebuild their lives in the wake of the catastrophe, and continuing in their original mission to bring God’s gifts of faith, hope, and love to those in real need.

In October, our missionaries took part in a new aid endeavour, distributing essential supplies to families in the Meluco region who are still struggling to rebuild the pieces of their lives following the disaster. These supplies included shelter kits, with tarpaulin and tools, kitchen kits, containing pots, dishes, and utensils, personal hygiene kits, water treatment kits, and flashlights.

The MSC Mozambique Facebook page reports that this aid endeavour has been taking place throughout Meluco in conjunction with Caritas Mozambique, and will provide much-needed relief to 3,500 families in the region.

While the flood waters may have receded, the extreme damage done by the cyclones is still very much a real and pressing issue for families who lost everything in the disaster. Our MSC brothers continue in their tireless work to aid these families in their struggle for survival, and to help to rebuild the lives that were shattered by this dual catastrophe.

Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.

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A joyous Children’s Liturgy at the Holy Family Care Centre

It is a pleasure to share these wonderful pictures from a recent Children’s Liturgy at the Holy Family Care Centre in Ofcolaco, South Africa, which took place at the end of September.

Founded in 2002 and run by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) with the support of the MSC, the Holy Family Care Centre is an invaluable facility for young children who are very ill and who, in many cases, have been orphaned or abandoned. These children are primarily HIV positive and are in urgent need of care. The Holy Family Care Centre can accommodate 70 children, and its facilities are stretched to full capacity on a daily basis.

The priority of this centre is quality of life. The sisters and volunteers at Holy Family see these children as God’s gift, and the simple joy, excitement, and love of the children make the Holy Family Care Centre a place of laughter, fun, and activity.

“The children and staff have benefited enormously from the funding received from the MSC Missions Office in Ireland,” wrote Sr Sally Duigan FDNSC, who runs the care centre, in a letter to our MSC Missions. “We are so grateful.”

“Above all, we continue to give our children love, security, and care, in the hope they will thrive.”

The photos from the Children’s Liturgy celebrations demonstrate perfectly the sense of joy, unity, family, and faith that are at the core of the Holy Family ethos. We are delighted to continue to work closely with the Holy Family team in building a brighter future for the children of the Limpopo Province and beyond.

Find out more about our work with the Holy Family Centre: https://www.mscmissions.ie/about-us/what-we-do/our-projects/ofcolaco-south-africa/

Photos via MSC Mission Office on Facebook.

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A “revolution of tenderness” for Our Lady of Fatima de Meluco, Mozambique

At the end of September, our MSC mission in Mozambique had their first youth meeting in the community of Our Lady of Fatima de Meluco, bringing together young people from the region in a celebration of faith and unity.

Together, the youths and their leaders prayed that they will be able to work successfully as a group to bring about a “revolution of tenderness” in the community, focusing on the importance of acceptance, understanding, and the sharing the message of the love of the Lord in the region.

The group met again in early October, and were joined on this occasion by the co-ordinator of pastoral work for the youth of the region of Pemba. Once again, the meeting was a great success and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

“With the grace of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we continue to walk with the youth of the community of Our Lady of Fatima de Meluco,” posted the MSC Mozambique Facebook page. “May this group be the builder of bridges and not walls.”

With continued blessings to all involved on our Mozambique mission, particularly the newly formed youth group in the community of Our Lady of Fatima de Meluco.

Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.

Gospel Reflection for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time | November 10th

Gospel Reflection

He is God, not of the dead, but of the living.
Reflection & Dialogue: The Resurrection of the Dead and Life Everlasting

The Gospel (Luke 20:27-38)

The Nicene Creed ends with the words: “We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come”. As this liturgical year draws to a close, all of us could profitably reflect on these truths.

With regard to the first of these, the resurrection, it is well known from the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles and the contemporary historian Josephus, that in Jesus’ day, a chief tenet of Sadducee conviction was denial of the resurrection of the body on the last day. While the Jews had a very keen sense of God’s presence with them in the Temple, in worship, in prayer and in time of trouble, and while they believed firmly that God rewarded the good and punished the wicked, they had no belief in life after death with reward or punishment. They had no concept of a personal existence after death. The spirit of man, and all living things, at death returned to the God who gave it. Not that death meant total extinction. A shade of the human remained, and all the shades of good and evil persons were herded together in an underworld. This left the question of divine retribution and of personal union with God unanswered, questions on which intimations and questions are visible in earlier biblical literature. Matters came to a head with the fierce persecution of the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes in 167-164 BC and his attempt to wipe out the Jewish religion. Many martyrs sacrificed their lives from the faith. It was then that belief in a bodily resurrection at the end of time became formulated. The belief gave courage to the martyrs (as is clear from today’s first reading). The belief in the resurrection was strongly advocated by the Pharisees, but denied by the Sadducees. As Jesus reminds them in today’s Gospel reading, the power of the living God stands behind resurrection and eternal life. Belief in both is as certain as belief in Jesus’ own resurrection. Both are intertwined.

With regard to eternal life, one is often asked as to what we really know about it, going on credible sources and leaving imagination aside. We have the words of St Paul (1 Corinthians 2:9): “As it is written: What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”. We can recall that it will not be as human life is here on earth, but as Jesus said to the Sadducees, comparable to that of the angels. We know, however, that in the Church we pray to the elect in heaven, that they hear our prayers, and intercede for the living on earth. They thus are aware of events on earth, a truth we profess in belief in the communion of saints.

Fr Martin McNamara MSC

Literacy programme for disadvantaged Badjao children in the Philippines

At the end of September, the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines paid a visit to the Badjao community in Canlanipa, Surigao City.

The Philippine Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart support a literacy programme for disadvantaged children in the area, encouraging much-needed education for vulnerable children, as well as the development of social skills and emotional growth. The scheme also provides nutritious food for the children where possible, as many of these youths come from severely impoverished backgrounds and suffer from malnutrition as a result.

Together with Sr Cathy, a member of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and other group leaders, representatives from the MSC Missions Office ran talks and lessons for the Badjao children, as well as a feeding programme which provided nourishing meals for hungry youths on the day.

With poverty, hunger, and hardship being real and pressing problems for many families in the Philippines, our MSC brothers are continuing their work around the country to being aid to families who often don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Education is key, and many MSC projects in the Philippines focus on promoting self-sufficiency – essentially, the aim is to give vulnerable families and communities the tools to build a better life and a brighter future for their children through various sustainable ventures. Most recently, the MSC Centre for the Poor in Butuan has called for support as they encourage local people to work in harmony with the environment, nurturing the gifts of the world around us while utilising them for the good of the community.

The literacy programme for disadvantaged children in Surigao City is yet another positive step in the right direction for the underprivileged youths in the area, giving them a chance to learn and to grow, and to pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.

Images via the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc. on Facebook

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Celebrating the Feast of St Matthew with a day of baptism on our Mozambique mission

This year, our MSC mission in Mozambique marked the Feast of St Matthew with a wonderful day of baptisms in the community of Ravia.

On September 21^st, the people of Ravia and beyond joined together to mark St Matthew’s feast day. It was a joyous day indeed, as 80% of the members of the community who had not already been baptised celebrated the sacrament together.

“It was a great celebration,” the MSC Mozambique Facebook page posted on the day. “Now, the faithful people of Ravia have been baptised.”

The Mozambique mission began in March 2018, with MSCs from Brazil ministering in the Pemba diocese – an area of extreme poverty and hardship, where up until that point, local families had no access to church infrastructure or pastoral ministry.

Despite challenging setbacks, our MSCs have been tireless in their work to bring about positive changes for local communities – the most pressing being the two cyclones that hit north-eastern Mozambique over the space of six weeks earlier this year. Hundreds lost their lives, and over 21,000 people were left homeless by the disasters. Homes, crops, and livestock were destroyed by floods and mudslides, while wells were contaminated, leaving the local drinking water unsafe for consumption, with the threat of cholera and malaria a real danger.

Our MSC missionaries have been helping local families to rebuild their lives following this catastrophe, while also continuing in their mission to share the message of God’s love in this area of real need. The baptism day in Ravia has been a great triumph for the local community and our MSC mission in the region. Blessings and best wishes to all who took part!

Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.

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Mozambique mission celebrates the Diocesan Day of Youth

Our Mozambique mission spent a wonderful weekend marking the Diocesan Day of Youth in August, with the Bishop of Pemba, Bishop Luiz Fernando, celebrating the opening Mass.

At the opening Mass, Bishop Luiz reminded the young people in attendance that the young Catholic must always bear in mind the joy of the Lord and the workings of Christ within society, and to always keep an open mind to saying yes to God. “Only then”, he said, “will it be worth the participation”.

The Diocesan Day of Youth was a real moment of unity for the young people of the area. Throughout the weekend, the group reflected on celebrating faith in Christ, establishing a positive relationship between the local youths, acknowledging the challenges faced by the parish, and establishing harmony and peace in the region.

The celebrations served to greatly increase the sense of friendship and togetherness amongst the youth of the diocese, encouraging young people to come together in their faith and in the love of the Lord.

Above all, Bishop Luiz encouraged the young people present to be vigilant in hearing and understanding the call of the Lord, and being available to serve Him in any way they can. “In addition,” he said, “meet with God through prayer, have joy, says yes to God, and have faith.”

Gospel Reflection for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time | October 20th

Gospel Reflection

God will see justice done for his chosen who cry to him.
Reflection & Dialogue: Prayer without ceasing. Reading the Scriptures

The Gospel (Luke 18:1-8)

Prayer without ceasing

The heading in today’s Gospel reading invites us to a subject on which to reflect – prayer without ceasing. All today’s readings, in fact, provide two clear topics for our reflection, topics mutually related. These are Jesus’ call for prayer without ceasing and Paul’s emphasis on the Bible as a guide for Christian life, an approach to the Sunday Scripture readings which we attempt to follow in these monthly reflections.

With regard to prayer, it must be regarded as necessary, since belief in Christ cannot be understood without a personal relationship with God in prayer. Christianity is a mystery, a mystery that demands this personal relationship. Without this there is no living faith. Of course there are many different forms of prayer, both public and private, but any of the forms need to have this personal relationship with God, and in the Christian tradition under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

With regard to the reading and the study of the Bible there is no better place to begin to examine their importance than today’s reading from the Second Letter to Timothy. This reading can serve as a timely reminder of the importance attached by the Vatican II Council to the reading of Scripture in the new revised liturgy, especially in the readings at the Sunday Mass. The Council goes beyond this and in its Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) there is an entire chapter on the place of scripture in the life of the Church, and in the various aspects of Christian living. In this chapter special mention is made of its importance for the all clerics – priests, deacons, catechists, and all with direct contact with the ministry of the Word, and a call on them to immerse themselves in the Scriptures by constant sacred reading (lectio sacra) and diligent study. In another Council document, in the Decree on the Ministry and the Life of Priests, the matter is attended to in greater detail, with a special section on the priests as ministers of God’s word, with an expressed desire that they endeavour to treat of contemporary problems in the light of Christ’s teaching – something the reflections on this website have been attempting to do over the years, from 2011 onwards.

Fr Martin McNamara MSC

First Professions in the Democratic Republic of Congo

August saw great celebrations for our MSC community in the Democratic Republic of Congo, when four MSC novices came to the end of the novitiate journey and made their First Professions.

“First Profession takes place at the conclusion of the Novitiate, which is a one-year period of intense spiritual preparation for young men who wish to become Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. From this point on, they are now members of the Society, with temporary status, and they will continue their studies in preparation for the day when they will make their Final Profession as full members of the Society.” (Fr Joseph McGee MSC)

The ceremony took place in Kimwenza, outside the city of Kinshasa. The three-hour Eucharistic celebration was led by the Regional Superior of the Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fr Dieudonné Kenda MSC, and was a powerful and joyful celebration for all involved. There were approximately 130 priests and members of the religious community in attendance, along with family and friends of the newly professed MSC brothers, and members of the local congregation who all wanted to celebrated the beginning of a new chapter for these four young men.

The newly professed MSC members will now continue with their studies, while also engaging in different types of ministry and pastoral experiences as part of the MSC community. We wish them all the very best on the beginning of this new leg of their journey, and our prayers are with them all.

Congratulations and blessings to the newly professed Br Roland Kaboré MSC, Br Sylvain Mingou MSC, Br Alfred Gomis MSC, and Br Brinda Nguele MSC!

Images via @AmeturMSC on Facebook.

25th MSC General Conference in Busan, South Korea

The end of September marked the beginning of the 25^th MSC General Conference, which took place in the city of Busan, South Korea.

Due to start on September 23^rd, the opening of the Conference was postponed by a day due to a tropical typhoon passing through the south of the peninsula, which was the cause of a number of delayed and cancelled flights into Korea. Many Provincial Leaders were affected and had to find alternative means of transport as a result of the storm, including the Irish Provincial, Fr Carl Tranter MSC, who was fortunate enough to be able to get a bus from Seoul to Busan when his connecting flight was cancelled.

The Ametur MSC Facebook page shared a collection of “HEARTbits” from the Conference, snippets of prayer, meditation, and reflection from the gathering.

“Our being MSC doesn’t call us to come out of ourselves. Coming out of ourselves is why we are MSC. This is the ecstatic nature of religious vocation, to go out beyond ourselves, as did Jesus, following him,” reflected Fr Chris Chaplin MSC.

“Everyone needs support from each other. Even leaders are not self-sufficient,” noted Br McKee, following a discussion on leadership. “Everyone has to engage in the transforming process so as to open up new possibilities and listening attitude is requirement.”

“We should meditate in the gospel but that is not enough, we have to put it into effect. Look into the depths of the hearts, the inner depth of the heart.”

Renewed focus and energy for mission was another topic of discussion, with a focus on Pope Francis’ invitation to missionaries. “Francis wrote letter to the members of the consecrated life, he told us to wake up the world; we have to be expert of communion, to go forth, to live the gospel radically and sincerely. We should meditate in the gospel but that is not enough, we have to put it into effect. Look into the depths of the hearts, the inner depth of the heart.”

“We have a common mission,” it was noted, and “the spirit that we are one big family. We need to LISTEN and not be AFRAID.”

“In today’s world, generative listening is prophetic. Let us make it a reality for all of us.”

The closing remarks of the Superior General, Fr Abzalón Alvarado MSC, reinforced the sense of unity and mission that shone through during the Conference proceedings:

“This morning the Gospel invited us to be leaders, but different from the leaders of a world that is often manipulative and inhuman. To be humble servants, forming ourselves and offering formation to be leaders according to the Heart of Jesus.

We have gathered here together, and we have listened to each other. Together we have co-created the atmosphere of this conference. We have tried to practice not only factual but empathic listening that has opened our hearts. And we have also experienced moments of generative listening, when we opened our will to listen to the life that was emerging from the depths of our confreres, and in this way we listened to the life that is emerging from within each MSC Entity, the older and the younger entities.

Here we have shared and deepened the need to live a leadership that must be for the present moment, with all that this present moment has to offer. Not a leadership lived out of nostalgia for a past that, although valuable, no longer exists. A leadership that listens more than it speaks. When it does speak, it should be the fruit of empathic and generative listening, and not simply after downloading.

We need to build bridges of communication and trust between us and among our entities. We would offer a great witness if we could learn in all our Provinces to feel that we are a WHOLE that is not simply the sum of the parts. My entity is neither better nor worse than any other.

We do not love what we don’t know. How can we come to love each other more, to love the brother who comes to my province if I don’t know anything about his culture?

We are aware that we are returning to our different realities, realities which today are lived in uncertainty and chaos.

In today’s world, generative listening is prophetic. Let us make it a reality for all of us.”

Ahead of the Conference, Irish Provincial Leader Fr Carl Tranter wrote, “We pray that this Conference will be a moment of grace for our entire Congregation” – and indeed, it truly was, as our MSCs look ahead to the future with renewed hope.

Images via Ametur MSC on Facebook.

Read more about the 25th MSC General Conference from the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Australia.

Sacred Heart parishioners fundraising for Venezuela

On Sunday, September 22^nd, the parishioners of the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork came out in great style for a family fun day, to raise funds for our Venezuelan mission. Our MSCs have spent over 50 years working in regions of profound hardship in Venezuela, and today, the population is deep in the worst political, social, economic, and humanitarian crisis ever experienced in the country’s history.

The day began after 10.00am Mass, and was filled to the brim with fun, games, and a sweet treat or two! There were raffles, face-painting, art projects for children, tables selling jewellery, bags, clothes, Delph, lamps, cushions, and homeware, plus enough tea, coffee, and cakes to keep everyone going through the day.

At 2.00pm, there was music and entertainment, and at 7.00pm that evening, participants in a table quiz filled the hall. There were plenty of spot prizes awarded during the evening’s festivities, and everyone involved had a wonderful time.

Fr Vincent Screene MSC is currently back in Ireland from the Venezuelan mission. He came to support the fundraising on the day, and explained to those in attendance just how much of a struggle life is for the people of Venezuela in the grip of the current social and political turmoil.

The fundraising day raised over €8,000 for our Venezuelan mission. This will make an enormous difference to the communities served by our missionaries in the troubled region, and we send our sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated for their enthusiasm and generosity of time and spirit.

“With the help and support of friends, a lady called Mary Kate made this possible,” said Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, director of the MSC Missions Office on the Western Road. “Special thanks to Mary Kate, our friends, and all the businesses who so kindly donated spot prizes.”

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Find out more about our missionary outreach in Venezuela

Read Fr Michael’s diary from his 2019 visit to Venezuela

MSC Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2019

Each year, the arrival of September heralds an exciting time for the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, as we embark on our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes.

This year saw another wonderful pilgrimage group embark on the well-trodden path to Lourdes on September 14^th, for a five-night trip undertaken by the familiar faces of friends and new acquaintances alike. A total of 86 pilgrims travelled from Cork and Dublin, and the group swelled in numbers even more in Lourdes, as friends both old and new joined our MSC party.

The group’s spiritual leader on this year’s journey was Fr Charles Sweeney MSC, and he was joined by MSCs Fr Des Farren, Fr John Finn, Fr Timothy Gleeson, and Fr Michael O’Connell.

The pilgrimage began on Saturday with prayers at the High Stations of the Cross, led by Fr John Finn. Different pilgrims carried our banner from station to station in a lovely afternoon of peaceful reflection. Evening prayer took place in the Church of Seven Dolours.

Sunday morning dawned with a 7.30am Mass at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which was celebrated with English-speaking pilgrims from the USA and India. “This was a very special time to be at the Grotto, as dawn broke and we watched the sun rise,” says Fr Michael. This was followed by breakfast, and a guided tour of special places connected with St Bernadette of Lourdes.

This year’s pilgrimage was a special one, celebrating the 175^th anniversary of the birth of St Bernadette of Lourdes, who was both on January 7^th 1844. St Bernadette is widely known and loved for her experience of apparitions from Our Lady of Lourdes – “a small young lady” who appeared to Bernadette on 17 occasions in a niche in the rock at Massabielle, while Bernadette, aged 14 at the time, was caring for her family’s flock of sheep. The Lady requested that Bernadette “go to the priests and tell them to build a chapel here”, but it was not until their seventeenth meeting that “the beautiful lady” identified herself to Bernadette. That chapel was to become what is now the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, the site of miracles visited by millions of people every year.

“It was lovely to see the improvements made to the domain area,” notes Fr Michael. “There have been new trees planted near the Grotto, improvements at the baths, new taps to wash your hands and face, and the candles have been moved to the opposite side of the river. There is also a special emphasis on prayerful silence.”

Holy Hour on Sunday night was led by Fr Charles Sweeney at the Chapel of St Maximilian Kolbe. “Everyone lit a candle, and we remembered and prayed for our deceased,” says Fr Michael. “The healing service on Monday evening at the Upper Basilica was also very special.”

Monday also saw Mass at Bartes, where St Bernadette lived twice. Here, our pilgrims had the opportunity to venerate a relic of St Bernadette, and view a sample of her handwriting that has been preserved through the ages.

Tuesday afternoon brought prayers at the Lower Stations of the Cross, followed by a Rosary mediation at the Chapel of St Maximilian Kolbe. Wednesday morning’s Mass at the Bois St Francois at the City of St Pierre, or the City of the Poor, was another particularly lovely moment as Mass was celebrated in the open air beside the beautiful lake. “We thought it was starting to rain at one point,” recalls Fr Michael, “but it was just the wind shaking the rain off the leaves in the trees! The weather was wonderful on the whole, and it only rained at night.”

The return flights were not until the evening on the final day, which gave our pilgrimage group a full day at their leisure to revisit their favourite spots, and spend time in prayer by the river or at the Grotto – a perfect end to the journey.

“We had another fantastic group of pilgrims this year,” says Fr Michael. “We were especially blessed in our guitarist, Jerry, and his wife, Deirdre.”

From candlelight vigils to a beautiful outdoor Mass celebrated at the City of the Poor, this year’s pilgrimage was a prayerful, grace-filled trip that left all involved with full hearts. All of our benefactors and mission friends were remembered in the prayers of our MSCs and pilgrims on this year’s journey, and as always, we would like to thank everyone who participated for making this year’s pilgrimage a resounding success.

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