Dec 2, 2021
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 yearâs candlelight memorial Mass, which took place on the evening of Saturday, November 27th, 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 OâConnell, 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.
âWeâre 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.â
Fr Michael began the ceremony with a special reflection on the purpose of the evening, of a âvery specialâ Mass. âWeâre here to remember those who have shared their lives with us,â he said. âWeâre here to remember those who have gifted us their love, their presence, to remember those who have given us so much. Weâre here to acknowledge the loss, the grief that might still be present in us. Weâre 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.â
Fr Johnâs 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, âThe symbol of light is the symbol that Jesus picked himself: âI am the light of the worldâ.â
âLight is the symbol of Christ because light leads us in the dark,â he continued. âThere 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, âGive me time and space and peace to see the light of Christ here as I remember my loved one.â The symbol of light is the light of Christ.â
Remembering the recently bereaved and those struggling with grief, Fr John prayed: âWe 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.â
A ceremony of faith, love, and hope.
The Mass ended on a note of hope, as Fr John reflected, âthis is a ceremony of faith and love, and it is a ceremony of hope,â 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 yearâs 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
*
Nov 11, 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 27th 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 Lordâs 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. âBereavement touches us all, and our Light Up a Memory Mass is a very special way for families to remember together,â says MSC Missions Office Director Fr Michael OâConnell, who will also be participating in this yearâs ceremony. âIt is a welcome moment to pause, to reflect, and to honour fond memories, with every candle a tribute to beloved friends and relatives.â
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.
Mar 16, 2021
This St. Patrick’s day we will be having a special reflection evening in the Sacred Heart Church on Western Road with Music, Song and Poetry on our Live Stream at 7pm.
Dec 5, 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 yearâs 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.
Nov 27, 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 yearâs 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 OâConnell 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.
âThe church looked stunning,â said one parishioner. âIt 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.â
A âpoignant and meaningfulâ 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. âMy son was very impressed with the celebration,â said another Mass-goer on the night. âHe was delighted to bring a candle to the altar.â
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. âIt was a beautiful Mass,â said one. âThe altar looked amazing, and the atmosphere was lovely.â
âIt was a lovely ceremony â even if I only came upon it by accident on the way home!â said another attendee on the night. âMy dad passed away late last year, so this was very poignant and meaningful for us.â
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. âThat was lovely,â said one online viewer. âIâm so glad I got it!â
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all who took part in this yearâs 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.
