Jun 30, 2022
It is with great joy and gratitude that we close the curtain on our 2022 MSC Novena to the Sacred Heart, a truly wonderful occasion for all involved.
Our Novena took place from Thursday, June 16th through to the Feast of the Sacred Heart on Friday, June 24th, and was celebrated by Fr Paul Clayton-Lea, a great friend to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, around the theme of “Jesus – The Compassion and Mercy of God”.
“We can bring anyone and anything to God for help and healing.”
“We are here to pray during the Novena,” said Fr Paul during the opening Mass. “We come to pray with hope and expectation, and that’s the way it should be, because we’ve been told by our Lord himself never to stop praying. In a sense, I don’t think we ever do; we wake up in the morning and there’s always a half-formed prayer in our hearts, that this will be a good day for ourselves and those we care about. Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open to you, says the Lord. There’s nothing going on in our lives that we can’t take to him in prayer. There’s nothing we need to be shy about, nothing too big or small, nothing too shameful or too personal. We can bring anyone and anything to God for help and healing. When we look at the Sacred Heart statue, those arms open wide towards us in welcome… we can bring anything and anyone to God for help and healing, because that’s why he came.”
This year’s Novena was indeed a sacred time of prayer and reflection, and a beautiful reminder that nobody is ever lost to God. Fr Paul reminded us of this, reflecting, “That is our mission, as those who are devoted to the Sacred Heart: to make it, as the prayer goes, ‘everywhere loved’, to see the love that is coming at us, that is surrounding us each day, and to know, in that love, that nothing and no-one is ever lost.”
A great celebration, from near and far
Just a year ago, our Sacred Heart Novena took place behind closed doors because of COVID restrictions, and it was a real blessing and a privilege to be able to welcome parishioners, mission friends, benefactors, and new acquaintances to pray with us and celebrate with us here at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork. Fr John Finn put it best on the closing day of the Novena, when he said “It has been fantastic this year to have been able to sit, and stand up here, and meet people again after three years. It’s been wonderful to be able to go into the hall afterwards and have a cup of tea or coffee, and share a bit of cake or a biscuit, and have a chat.”
We also had the pleasure of welcoming almost 9,000 people who joined us throughout the Novena via our live stream, from close to home and across the world. Unseen, perhaps, but never forgotten, Fr Paul even paused to ask the congregation at the Sacred Heart Church to give everybody tuning in online a big wave from our closing Masses on the final day of our Novena celebrations!
With heartfelt thanks
Our sincere gratitude goes to Fr Paul for leading our Novena this year; Fr John Finn expressed our thanks at the closing Mass, saying, “For your gentle words of kindness, it is a real honour and privilege to have you here with us at the Sacred Heart Church.”
We are truly grateful to all who contributed to making this year’s Novena such a resounding success; the time and effort that went into every detail, from the flowers and music and readings, to the teas and coffees and socialising, and the planning of all the details in between, is always hugely appreciated. And to all who joined us in prayer, be it in person or online, your presence has been a blessing and a gift.
“To all of you, most importantly,” said Fr John. “To those who participate in this Novena, some for many, many, many years; many who support the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who pray with us on the web; who support the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the MSC Sisters. We have projects all over the world that are supported by your kindness and your generosity towards us, thank you for that. We continue to pray for you.”
“Thank you all for being with us, it’s a real joy, and I pray that God will continue to guide you and bless you and be with you and all those you carry in your hearts and in your lives each day…. God bless you all.”
If you would like to watch recordings of this year’s daily Novena to the Sacred Heart Masses, please click here.
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May 24, 2022
Preparations are well underway at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork, as we look ahead to our much-beloved annual Novena to the Sacred Heart, which will take place this year from June 16th to 24th.
This year’s Novena will see the return of a familiar face, as Fr Paul Clayton-Lea, who led us in prayer during last year’s Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, is joining us once again in celebration of our 2022 Sacred Heart Novena. A firm friend of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Fr Paul writes to parishioners in Cork and mission friends everywhere ahead of the Novena celebrations.
“Dear Friends,
I am looking forward to joining you all soon for the annual Novena to the Sacred Heart, from 16th to 24th June 2022, and reflecting with you upon the theme for the Novena this year, “Jesus – The Compassion and Mercy of God”.
By way of a little personal background information, I am a priest of the Archdiocese of Armagh and I live in the parish of Termonfeckin in Co. Louth. I was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and over the past thirty-six years have been a teacher (in St. Patrick’s Grammar school, Armagh), a college chaplain to Dundalk Institute of Technology and parish priest to two great parishes, Clogherhead (2008-2013) and Tallanstown (2013-2018) in Co. Louth. At present, I serve as editor of the monthly pastoral and liturgical magazine Intercom, and I assist in parishes where priests are sick or on leave, which thankfully leaves me free to join with you all for the Novena.
The founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Fr Jules Chevalier, said, “Our greatest need, if we are to find meaning in life, is to learn to believe in God’s love for us and let it transform our life.” Whatever words may be used during our Novena this year, Fr Chevalier’s message of the transformative power of God’s love will be their foundation.
We are still emerging from the effects of the pandemic, which changed the world and scarred many lives. We are daily watching the horrors of war in Europe and the ongoing effects of climate change, especially on the world’s poorest people. To cope with such events and with the challenges in our own personal lives, we are strengthened and encouraged by the gift of faith, which teaches us that God is always with us.
I hope that the time we spend in prayer together and in celebrating the Eucharist each day of our Novena will bring us fresh reasons to be hopeful and confident in God’s saving power for us in his son Jesus, and that we will end our Novena with renewed praise and gratitude in our hearts.
I am very grateful to Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC for the invitation to celebrate the message of compassion and mercy which is at the heart of the Gospel, and look forward to meeting you all soon.
With every blessing till we meet,
Fr Paul”
This year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart will take place from Thursday, June 16th to Friday, June 24th.
Novena Masses will take place daily at 10.00am & 7.30pm
at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork,
and all are very welcome to join us via the live stream here on our website.
For more information on this year’s Novena, and to find out how you can participate, please click here.
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Dec 2, 2021
Remind family, friends, and loved ones that they’re always in your thoughts this Christmas with a beautifully designed Mass card from the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
In an age of email, text, and social media, it’s something special to find a surprise popping through the letterbox, and never more so than at Christmas time. Whether you’re sending festive greetings to friends and family nearby, or reaching out to loved ones around the world, our Christmas Mass Bouquet cards are a wonderful way to let those you hold dear know that you’re thinking of them at this special time of year.
Each card is designed with care and brought to life with stunning gold highlights and embellishments. Cards can be ordered individually, or in sets of five, with a selection of different designs to choose from. Every card contains a thoughtful blessing and is signed by MSC Missions Office Director Fr John Fitzgerald MSC for inclusion in our annual Christmas Triduum of Masses, which will take place this year from December 17th to 19th 2025 at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork.
Don’t forget, by choosing to send one of our Christmas Mass Bouquet cards, you’re supporting the life-saving work our missionaries are doing across the world. Over the past two years, our ongoing mission projects have come under tremendous strain as a result of the challenges introduced by the pandemic, and our missionaries are working tirelessly to combat the effects of COVID-19 in areas where even basic resources like clean water are sorely lacking, while also maintaining ongoing ministry in the provision of education, healthcare, and community support in vulnerable and disadvantaged regions. By choosing to send one of our Christmas cards this year, you’re giving families and communities in need a real reason to celebrate this festive season.
The best Christmas gifts can’t be wrapped in a bow – capture the true spirit of Christmas and give the gift of prayer to your loved ones this year.
MSC Christmas Mass Bouquet Cards are available to order online, and from our MSC Missions Office on the Western Road in Cork.
A lovely range of Christmas gifts is also available.
BROWSE OUR RANGE OF CHRISTMAS MASS BOUQUET CARDS
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 year’s 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 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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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 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.
