Jun 4, 2020
As the world battles with covid-19 our companions from Loreto Rumbeck in South Sudan have added pressure in dealing with this deadly disease, however they are keeping up the spirit and doing the best to keep going during this pandemic.
“As we come to the end of the month of May we are grateful for many small achievements.
Our schools remained closed but our compound is still full of life. The rains have begun and while we are missing the support of our students we are all helping out with the planting. We look forward to September when we hope to feast on the harvest of groundnuts (monkey nuts) and maize.”
Some of their university students who have returned to them are continuing their studies online although a lot of their students cannot afford the opportunity. They were however grateful to connect with many of their Primary and Secondary girls when they came to receive their cash payment for the British project, Girls Education in South Sudan.
The journey of Coronavirus is becoming very real for them. In their capital of Juba many of their top political leaders have confirmed they are positive for coronavirus and a number of confirmed cases are now present in the town. Unfortunately they don’t have testing services in the State but they must assume that the virus is present and spreading fast.
“Our graduates are doing a great service, some go to the radios and have health talks while others are out and about in the community teaching about coronavirus. While masks aren’t widely available our graduates are learning how to make their own and provide some for the community.”
“We realise that the coming weeks will be tense as we expect the spread of Coronavirus to be more visible to us all. We are beginning to take the necessary precautions though it is difficult in an environment that has little.”
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are always proud to support the wonderful work done by the Loreto Sisters for the young women of South Sudan.
For more photographs and further information about Loreto Rumbek, visit their website or visit their Facebook page.
You can also find out more about how MSC Missions work with Loreto Rumbek – and how you can help to make a difference to the young women of South Sudan.
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
May 12, 2020
Gospel Reflection
“I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate”
The Gospel (John 14:15-21)
Writing to the Romans (Romans 8:14) Paul says:
“All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God”.
The Sunday readings today stress the part played by the Holy Spirit in the lives of individual believers and of the Christian community. It is by the laying on of the hands of the Apostles that the Holy Spirit came on the believers in the Samaritan town converted by Philip. It is the Spirit of the risen Christ that gave confidence to the believers during their trials, referred to in the letter of Peter. It is the Holy Spirit that Jesus promises to send on his followers as a second advocate, defender, comforter. In our own day the Holy Spirit gives the certainty of faith in Jesus to the individual believer, belief in a world unseen. The Holy Spirit gives consolation of soul, and the joy and peace which Jesus promised before he left. The Holy Spirit guides us as believers to live in keeping with the Gospel message, with purity of heart and with a religious attitude that takes the directions for one’s life from heaven, from Jesus, from the Church, rather than from a worldly secular attitude that does not believe in another world or accept direction from it.
Another thought worthy of reflection arising from today’s Gospel reading is the opposition and contest that there was, and always will be, between Jesus himself, his followers, and the other forces which the Gospel calls “the world”, that is those who were not ready to accept his person or his message, and who maintained, or will maintain, that they had been victorious over Jesus, that he and all he stood for were conquered by his death on the cross. Jesus assured his followers that the Paraclete, that Advocate, the Holy Spirit, that he was to send would convince his followers (and convict “the world”) that the contrary was the case. They should take courage; Jesus had conquered the world. Those forces working against Jesus and his work are still active.
We need not enter in any further detail into this question here, but to recall that in this continuing contest, Jesus and his Father are also active through the Holy Spirit, the Advocate and Comforter. However, we may mention that an obvious example of the ongoing contest between the forces contrary to Jesus is active atheism, and the movement “Atheist Ireland” actively engaged in an effort to destroy belief in God, with special emphasis on vilifying the Catholic Church, attempting to remove any influence of Catholic, that is Christian, religion from public life and the teaching of religion inn primary schools. Today’s Gospel and liturgical readings call for a response on at least two points, namely to recall Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit that gives confidence to the conscience of each believer that he, Jesus, has “conquered the world”, all opposing forces, and gives confidence and peace in believing, and secondly not to forget the advice of St Peter in the Second reading today: have a good knowledge of your religion
“Always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that is in you; but give it with courtesy and respect”.
Fr Martin McNamara MSC
Apr 29, 2020
South Sudanese ladies carrying water containers
The risk of the pandemic virus in a developing country like South Sudan is very high as they have very poor medical facilities and are steeped in traditions that involve the handshake. It represents peace and respect among their communities and proves to be difficult to avoid , all be it necessary to contain the spread of the virus.
Creating awareness to the community about Coronavirus becomes an urgent need as most of the people are illiterate and they are not informed of what is happening around the world, therefore proper orientation and health education for preventive measures are required.
On 31st March, 2020, nine former interns returned to Loreto. Among the group are five trainee nurses, two medical students and two development students. All have returned from their various learning institutes to help prepare for the Coronavirus in the Mary Ward Primary Health Care Center (LPHCC).
Each week the group divides and enters into the community trying to educate them on the Coronavirus disease, how it can be transmitted and how to try to prevent it happening in the area. These graduates are finding this extremely difficult as many villages are constructed in a way that social distancing is not possible. Many of the families have to share beds, bedding materials and all household utensils.
They are also finding it difficult to guide the males section of the community but they are hoping to change this as it is vital that the community works as a whole to protect themselves against this virus.
“Over the last 3 weeks, the medical team has been able to outreach to different 49 water points, boreholes training total number of 3,010 people, mostly women.
The medical team is motivated by the willingness of the community members to take up the preventive measures in controlling the spread of the virus and they look forward to targeting a bigger group in the next few weeks.”
Information via www.loretorumbek.ie
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Apr 16, 2020
Gospel Reflection
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe”
The Gospel (John 20:19-31)
I once heard a playwright being asked what extra experience he would like to have had in life. His reply was: “I would like to have met Jesus”. One can only surmise what encounter, if any, a playwright, a politician or any other would have had with Jesus, and what, if any, Jesus’ reply would have been to their questions. Matters are different with regard to faith. Jesus is not a person of yesterday, or of another era. He is ever present as a person and influence.
Let’s go back for a moment to that scene in the upper room, with doors closed. Jesus accepts Thomas’s profession of faith. Thomas has seen the risen Saviour and believed. But, as
if casting a glance forward to believers of all ages, in all places, into this twenty-first century, and this particular year, Jesus declares blessed all those who will believe in him down through all the ages. They will not have seen with their physical eyes, but will have done so through the eyes of faith. In his parting discourse at the Last Supper Jesus looked forward in prayer to the same course of faith history, and prays to the Father for all believers (John 17:20):
“I ask not only on behalf of these (my disciples now present), but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one”.
For the earlier Church, and for later ages, Jesus is near in his empowering, consoling and inspiring presence. As we have seen in the first reading, Peter is made to address early Christians suffering for their faith in Jesus as follows: “Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8).
The imitation of Christ is central to the New Testament and to Christianity. Imitation in this sense also implies a personal acquaintance with Christ. It s nicely put in a poem transmitted in Irish folk tradition, as part of an instruction to young people how to prepare for life: “Young person, at the beginning of your life, pay good attention to my teaching. Before you get too old come to a personal acquaintance (aithne) with Christ” – not just knowledge of Christ (eolas), but a personal acquaintance with (aithne), through faith, an awareness of that the presence and prayer which Jesus spoke about to Thomas makes possible. Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have come to believe
Fr Martin McNamara MSC
Mar 31, 2020
“Pandemic Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) has paralized all human activities. The world’s longing to rest indeed happen, unfortunately great crisis on the part of humanity. This alarming rate of change is too difficult to pinpoint the cause and effect, we may not have seen the worst of it. But one thing is clear, this WORLD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. It has hurt most human pride and reminds us again that we need to care for one another.
Before the lockdown so the postponement of our on-going renovations and activities at the Center – we’re able to gave some food provisions to at least 25 construction workers and after a week there are already clamoring for food subsidy from our neighbors or urban poor community. The situation really is challenging since most of our brothers and sisters are just meeting both ends or enduring a hand to mouth existence.
Because of COVID-19 something invisible came and put everything in its place. Suddenly the cost of gasoline went down, pollution went down, people started to have more time – so much time that they do not know what to do with it – parents are spending time with their kids as a family, work is no longer a priority, or traveling or social life either. Suddenly we silently see within ourselves and understand the value of the words “solidarity”, “love”, “strength”, “empathy” and “faith”. In an instant we realized that we are all in the same boat; rich and poor. That the supermarket shelves are empty and the hospitals are full.
New cars and old cars also stand in the garages, simply because nobody can get out.
Empty streets, less pollution, clean air, the land also breathes. The human returns to his origins, realizing that with or without money, the important thing is to survive.
Today, health is the main thing, even in spite of wanting to have or possessing.
It took 6 days for the universe to establish the social equality that was said to be impossible. Fear invaded everyone. At least this happened to realize the vulnerability of the human being. Nature is forcing us to clean up the mess made by ourselves.
What the coronavirus is teaching us:
– Our best protection: GOD
– Our best refuge: HOME
– Our best company: FAMILY
– Our real time: TODAY
– Nature’s call: STOP US
– Its message: WAIT, RESPECT
We do not have the power of controlling everything. The situation is simply telling us to go back to the basics, to the essentials, that the peace of your soul guide you towards what you are: a CREATION.”
Fr Richie MSN
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