Jan 17, 2018
Reflection: Change of heart and believe in the Gospel
Gospel (Mark 1:14-20). Repent, and believe the Good News.
There is material for personal reflection and dialogue with any period in history in this Gospel reading. Jesus’ call in the Gospel to repent, for a change of heart, and belief in the Gospel, is addressed to individuals and society in any age of history. The repentance spoken of in the Gospel reading means a change of heart and a change in one’s ways, and is practically the same as belief in the Gospel. That call was valid for every person and society of Jesus’ day, and later, and is still valid in our own day. All Jesus’ disciples, from Simon (Peter), Andrew and others onwards had to make that change of mind and direction. For the first disciples and the Jewish community of Jesus’ day it would have meant a change from what was central to their lives directed by their tradition and the law of Moses to the Gospel and its values. The same principle held when the Gospel message was preached beyond Judaism, to Greek and Roman culture. There, too, it was a call to a change of focus and ways to the Gospel and its message, to the new community of believers created by the Gospel.
For us and the Church today the call still holds, but it is not always easy to determine what change of mind, of mindset, of direction, is indicated by Jesus’ original call. It will, however, always mean putting Jesus’ call and Gospel values first and turning aside from everything contrary to them. Today’s first reading from the prophet Jonah provides material for reflection. Jonah was a grumbler, getting angry about many things, including God’s mercy for the detested city Nineveh. God’s reply to him, which serves as an ending to the entire book, is very telling. God says: “Should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also so many animals?”
In our own day the Church is trying to find ways in which to enter into dialogue with contemporary life and culture, and how it should change its mind and ways so as to make the abiding love and mercy of God (made so clear to the grumbling Jonah) better known to the modern mind, while at the same time remaining true to the Gospel message. Pope Francis is particularly interested in all this. We can all reflect on these truths and pray to God that any dialogue will have a positive outcome.
Jan 6, 2018
Sr Orla was in contact with us this new year to update us on the ongoing struggles facing the Loreto School Rumbek and their local community in South Sudan.
December was a violent month in Maker Kuei (Mah-kher Kew-way). What started as cattle raids became overt attacks with both sides committing immense acts of aggression. Over a period of just 5 days, 173 people died, over 200 were wounded and 1800 were displaced. The main fighting area was just 8 km from where the Loreto School Rumbek is located and many of the community’s young men were involved in the fighting. During this crisis, the Loreto School and its faculty was able to keep the spirit of the holiday and welcomed around 60 families (about 350 women and children) into the compound for protection.
“It is during these times, and especially during the Christmas season that we reflect on the year and give thanks for all that we have.”
The Loreto Sisters were able to provide essential meals to these displaced families, medical support to both families and wounded, and to provide a secure area for these families seeking shelter from the violence. Thankfully, with the help of the local Chief and assurances from the military for security, the situation stabilized and the community celebrated a peaceful Christmas.
PLEASE HELP US TO SAVE LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
To read more about Sr Orla Treacy and the Loreto Schools Rumbek, click here.
Visit the Loreto Schools Rumbek’s new website.
Nov 28, 2017
On Saturday night, 25th November, we gathered at the Sacred Heart Church to celebrate our annual Light up a Memory Mass. ?️
We were joined on the night by friends and family both locally and around the world who joined us via our Live Stream service.
The Light Up a Memory Mass was a beautiful celebration of the lives of our dearly departed, as we joined together to pray by candlelight in an evening of reflection and remembrance.
Click on image to view larger.
Nov 13, 2017
The MSC Youth Team 2017-2018 have hit the ground running and have been doing some fantastic work around the community. They’ve been super busy but have even managed to venture across the water to the UK to share some joy and the message of the Sacred Heart over there. The team this year is made up of six bubbly and enthusiastic young adults who, between them, come from four different countries.
From left to right: Garrett Moore, Michael Mone, Keith Erchinger, Lucy Crispin, Felicia Joosten and Tammie Richardson.
Introducing this year’s MSC Youth Team (Cork NET), we have:
- Garrett Moore, 19, from Minnesota, USA
- Michael Mone, 18, Texas, USA
- Keith Erchinger, 18, Texas, USA
- Lucy Crispin, 19, Leeds, England.
- Felicia Joosten, 18, Alberta, Canada
- Tammie Richardson, 18, from Co. Meath
Lucy took some time out of her hectic schedule to write the following piece for us so as we can keep you up to speed with some of the great work they’ve done to date!
“Hello everybody!
It’s the MSC Youth Team here!
We are a team of six young people working in the Sacred Heart Parish in Cork City. As members of the MSC Youth Team (Cork NET) we help in the running of a young adults youth group, consisting mainly of students, who come together every week to talk, learn and grow deeper in their faith. We run a Parents and Toddlers group where parents can come and relax while their children run wild and have fun. Along with both of those we also hold a Children’s Mass every Sunday wherein the younger children can learn about the gospel in a fun and interactive way through arts and crafts, singing songs and even by playing games. They have so much fun learning about mass in this way and the smiles on their faces speak volumes!
Member’s of the Cork NET Team conducting their Children’s Mass
As well as all of this, the team this year has been working very hard in a number of secondary schools holding day retreats wherein the youth can learn about their faith. We do this through activities, talks, dramas, songs, and, as members of the MSC Youth Team, we are happy to share our own life stories with the groups.
We have also had the amazing opportunity to fly to England and work in the Parishes there! It was a lovely opportunity and we seized the chance to host interactive one hour sessions with over 300 students in Coventry and in St Alban’s. Overall, it has been an incredible start to our year and we are really looking forward to setting up two more youth groups to cater for both the older and younger years of secondary school students. We also have the pleasure of planning off site retreats such as surf, sand and sun retreats for all youth groups to come to and have fun while at the same time getting to know their faith!
We are excited to see what the rest of this year has in store for us!”
Tammie appreciating in the glorious views of Cologne
The globetrotter of the group, Tammie, recently travelled to Cologne to attend the International Nightfever Weekend which took place from the 20th-22nd October 2017. Nightfever 2017 brought over 130 young people from many different countries together to celebrate this very special event. Nightfever is an international initiative by young Christians intended to provide an experience of God’s love and mercy. During the Nightfever Evening events, young people approach passersby in the streets and public squares, offering them a candle and welcoming them to come into church for a while. In the church, multiple activities offer the opportunity to encounter God: lighting candles, picking a Bible verse, writing down prayer intentions, listening to the music, talking to a priest, receiving a blessing or the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In addition to the Nightfever Evening events, the initiative also includes Nightfever Weekends, faith courses / evangelistic courses, academies, etc. Nightfever was founded as an initiative by young Christians after the World Youth Day in Cologne and has meanwhile been established in 27 countries.
A group picture of all those in attendance at Nightfever 2017, Cologne
We look forward to hearing the stories and tales of adventure from the MSC Youth Cork NET team over the course of the next year.
You can keep an eye on the MSC Youth Team’s adventures via their Facebook page, just click here!
Nov 9, 2017
On Monday last, 06th November, we were delighted to welcome Sr Orla Treacy to the MSC Office to discuss the outstanding work she has been doing in Rumbek, South Sudan.
Fr Alan, Sr Orla and Fr Michael
Sr Orla Treacy is a Loreta Sister who was missioned to South Sudan in 2006. She is the Principal of Loreto Secondary School in Rumbek. As you will know the MSC dedicated our Summer 2017 Appeal to South Sudan with the aim of raising vital funds to support Sr Orla and the Loreto Sisters working tirelessly in the war-torn country.
Sr Orla with her Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty Humanitarian Award
On her recent trip back to Ireland to receive the Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty Humanitarian Award, Sr Orla paid us a visit. Her enthusiasm and passion for her work is quite infectious and we could have sat and listened to her speaking of her work in Rumbek for hours on end. Sr Orla’s gratitude for the donation simply could not be measured. Sr Orla wants to extend her sincerest thanks to everyone who supported the MSC South Sudan Summer Appeal 2017. We were elated to hear that the funds raised through the Summer Appeal are already being put to great use. The money raised will be spent across three main areas: food, clinical services and education.
Graduate Housing
The majority of the finances will be spent on building housing for the female graduates. Having completed their government exams and before moving onto university, some of the graduates choose to take a year off to undertake an Internship Programme which was developed by the Loreto Sisters. This programme allows the graduates to work for one year in various positions such as nurse’s aides, teacher’s assistants, office secretaries and in financial roles within the compound in order to gain practical work experience before progressing to university.
“52% of girls in South Sudan are married by 18 and in most cases these are forced marriages.”
The Loreto Sisters developed the Internship Programme in order to challenge this troubling statistic. By introducing this programme and providing this housing, graduates are guaranteed secure accommodation and are provided with practical work experience for one year.
We are excited to announce that building of this housing has already begun. It will consist of 4 rooms which will house 16 prosperous young graduates.
Foundations for Graduate Housing
Loreto Primary & Secondary Schools
As well as aiding with the Internship Programme housing, the funds raised will also be spent on the further development of both the Loreto Primary and Secondary Schools in Rumbek. It costs approximately €1600 per pupil annually to attend the Loreto Secondary School in Rumbek which is a boarding school – a sum which the students cannot afford to pay in full. In the Western world we often associate boarding schools with the children of those more financially comfortable. This is not the case in South Sudan. Sr Orla commented that a “women’s refuge” would be a much more suitable term for their boarding school. The Loreto Girls Secondary School numbers are growing year on year and the Sisters are accepting 280 girls next year. The funds raised by the MSC will allow the Loreto Sisters to offer a number of scholarships to students and to subsidise the costs for others.
Sr Orla with her students
Presently, there are 900 children attending the Loreto Primary School at a cost of approximately €400 per child annually. Children attending the primary school are guaranteed a teacher every day – something which is not guaranteed if they attend a government school in South Sudan. Each child gets a meal every day – in many cases this is the only food the child will consume that day.
“10% of babies in South Sudan will die before reaching 3 months old and 14% of our children are dead by the age of 5”.
Children attending the Loreto Primary School have free access to medication which they would not receive outside of the school. The €400 cost covers a student’s meals, medication and education for the year.
What struck us most listening to Sr Orla speak about South Sudan was the fact that at no point did she dwell on the negative aspects of her work, of which there are many. The UN has called South Sudan the “most vulnerable country in the world” and Sr Orla expects conditions to get worse before they get better. However, this has not hindered Sr Orla and she is still as committed and driven towards educating the South Sudanese woman as she was when she arrived in the country 12 years ago.
We look forward to tracking the progress of the Graduate Housing project and it’s development over the coming months.
