Hope springs with a new water system at the OLSH clinic in Marigondon

The wonderful pictures were taken by the OLSH community in Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City, in the Philippines, where the blessing of a new water system took place in the spring.

The OLSH clinic in Marigondon was established over 20 years ago, offering healthcare to the poor in the region. The facility is mainly for maternity care, but also caters to the general community in caring for medical issues. People travel from surrounding villages, and even from other islands located close by, to access the health services facilitated by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart here.

Malnutrition is a significant issue in the area, due to a combination of poverty and a lack of awareness regarding proper diet. This problem is particularly prevalent in children, pregnant women, and the elderly, and the OLSH Sisters at the Marigondon Clinic do their best to offer effective treatment, with an established feeding programme in place, along with essential education on nutrition.

The clinic offers pre-natal examinations for pregnant women, and many of these expectant mothers go on to give birth in the facility. Women who may be experiencing issues or difficulties are referred to local hospitals, with financial assistance from the OLSH community, and these ladies are often transported for hospital care in the official clinic vehicle.

While patients await their medical consultation, they are given instruction and education in terms of nutrition and self-care. Expectant mothers are instructed in taking proper care of themselves and their babies, with strict attention on the personal hygiene of both mother and child.

In addition to the provision of vital healthcare, the clinic also offers employment opportunities to many local people in need of work, from the construction of buildings to the establishment of factories.

The new water system was blessed at the end of March, with great joy and gratitude. With this new system in place, guaranteeing better hygiene facilities, the OLSH Sisters at the clinic are able to continue their dedicated work in caring for expectant mothers, new families, and the general community in Marigondon and beyond, bringing “hope and light” to “poor and sometimes hopeless patients”.

Images via the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc. on Facebook, and the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Australia website.

Learn more about OLSH Global Outreach

Ministering through COVID-19: A reflection from Bro Giacomo Gelardi MSC

Bro Giacomo Gelardi MSC writes on ministering through the COVID-19 pandemic in Killinarden, where long-standing issues such as alcoholism, drug addiction, violence, and abuse have been exacerbated by the past 16 months of lockdowns and regulations.“Killinarden, west Tallaght, Dublin. Some of our missionaries have ministered here for a long time and know the place, with its people and their problems, inside out. People from other parts of the world may have just heard stories about it, as the area infamously and regularly hits the headlines. For those who do not know Killinarden, the concerns encountered here range from material and financial poverty to unemployment; from joyriding around the park to drug dealing around the corner; from people struggling with poor mental health to families shattered by addiction, resulting in the neglect or, worse, the abuse, of children.

I have been in pastoral placement in Killinarden for the last four years during my theological studies, and on a daily basis since October 2020. During all this time I have accompanied Patricia Darling, a lay woman who has assisted, supported and advocated for the poorest, the most vulnerable and marginalised people in this community for the past 20 years. With great devotion, she tirelessly carries out a fundamental service. I am deeply indebted to her for all I am learning. The initial and essential step in the work we do is outreach: visiting people, meeting them where they are, listening to their stories with a compassionate and non-judgmental heart. Often, the basic assistance we offer is making sure that there is enough food and heating in people’s homes; in some occasions however, we have also provided carpets, beds and cookers. At the same time, we offer a safe place to talk, to listen to as well as to encourage, and whatever goes beyond our abilities is referred to experts and professionals.”

“Addiction adds chaos to confusion.”

“COVID and the lockdowns added an extra burden onto the already precarious living conditions of families. COVID meant children being at home for months, with no in-person access to health services, GPs as well as mental health support. That is true everywhere. Yet, for families that struggle in normal times, COVID meant the uncertainty of being able to put something on the table; extra mental strain for both parents and children, often assessed only over the phone and resulting in the prescription of anti-depressants to children too. In-person psychological assistance was not always available and some people did not feel safe to engage with it over the phone or online. People who live in areas where there is a lot of illegal drug dealing and use tend to ‘self-medicate’. Not a day passes that we don’t witness drug-dealing at any hour of the day; often it is teenagers on their bikes that do the deliveries. In these conditions, many find it very difficult to manage their addiction, or relapsed with serious consequences. Addiction adds chaos to confusion. Some families are unable to follow any routine, which results in children regularly missing school.

There aren’t many outdoor facilities and distractions, and the park is often unsafe because of the drug-dealing and joyriding. People with very few resources felt forced to spend their days enclosed at home, which meant an increased risk of domestic abuse and violence. We know of some people that have fled the house with their children because of the abusive environment they were forced to live in. They feel that being homeless is a far better option for them.”

“We are the only ones knocking at the door, willing to listen.”

“COVID for us meant flexibility and adaptability. When schools were closed because of the lockdown, there was a high risk that some children might miss out on their daily meal. Thus, in collaboration with the School Meal Scheme and supported by the local gaelscoil, we provided food hampers to the most disadvantaged and numerous families. We assisted about 80 families every week. ‘Masked up’ and sanitiser in hand, we shopped, packed and delivered. Sometimes the delivery was our opportunity to link in with families and to keep the relationship with them alive, which was otherwise impossible due to the restrictions.

Even now that some restrictions have been lifted, we are the only ones knocking at the door and willing to listen to people’s stories. People do not miss the chance to let out their frustration, tiredness, anger and their sense of helplessness, all multiplied by the forced isolation. In fact, thanks to these calls, we have come across and dealt with domestic crises that otherwise would have passed undetected.

For very chaotic cases, we also have to prompt parents to send their children to school and encourage them to engage with support services that are available in the area.”

“COVID has reminded us of our powerlessness.”

“COVID has forced everybody to slow down or even to stop. During these months we have discovered new ways of living, but more importantly I think, we have rediscovered the importance of taking a break. It is not by chance that God rested the seventh day and commanded his people (which is us) to do the same as well, to take a break from work every seven days (Deut. 15).

Having more time for ourselves gives us the opportunity to remove all the clutter we have accumulated with our busy, production-oriented, personal-gain-focussed lives. It allows us to reorient our lives towards what is essential. This essential is our relationship with the loving God, which is also lived every day in our relationship with other people. Having more time for ourselves allows us to rediscover the original call that drawn us to service: “love one another as I loved you” (e.g. Jn 15:12). As Christians we share in the life of God, who is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6), and thus we are called to show these essential qualities in our lives. In particular for us Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we bring this compassion and abounding love of God to all we meet. For me this becomes a lived reality by caring for the poor, the marginalised, the vulnerable and the neglected people of Killinarden. To show them that they are not forgotten, but that they are loved for who they are. If in doing this we are able also to bring about some sort of justice, even better.

Finally, and perhaps more importantly, COVID has reminded us of our powerlessness. That ultimately we can trust only on God’s love and mercy. That we are only passing here and we are made for something greater: eternal life with him.”

Bro Giacomo Gelardi MSC

 

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MINISTRY

Read more from Bro Giacomo Gelardi MSC:

• A Restless Heart Looking for God
• Together on the Way to the Lord
• Pastoral Work in the Community: L’Arche Cork

Fr Alan in South Sudan: Young people fighting COVID-19 in Rumbek

There seemed to be a dreadful inevitability to it, but no one was surprised last week when Uganda joined the list of East African countries that have gone into lockdown in response to a surge of coronavirus infections. Along with Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, Uganda has seen an increase in community transmissions and hospital admissions. All these countries roughly surround South Sudan, but to date our numbers have remained exceptionally low. How long that stays that way remains to be seen.

“When these young women commit to something, there are no half measures.”

In the meantime, we are not sitting idly by in the face of the crisis. In fact, the students of Loreto Rumbek Secondary School decided themselves to take a more proactive, hands-on approach. So it was, on Fr Alan’s day off, that we loaded up three minibuses with students, mops, buckets, sponges, disinfectant, a few dedicated teachers, and a decidedly rumpled, certainly sleepy Fr Alan, and headed off to Rumbek Hospital. The hospital is our main health centre for the entire Lakes State area and is run by an Italian Catholic charity.

The students spent the morning washing down the walls, brushing floors, and cleaning windows. Shortly after my arrival I was dispatched to go into town and buy more mops. Apparently, my cleaning skills were not up to scratch. When these young women commit to something, there are no half measures. They blitzed both surgical wards and the paediatric ward from top to bottom. They also brought along mandazis, a local pastry, for patients and staff alike. They went down especially well in the maternity ward.

“When the pandemic makes its way to Rumbek, we will be as ready for it as we can be.”

It was only a week later when we were back in Rumbek Hospital again. This time we were on the receiving end of their care. A couple of thousand doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been delivered and the hospital were on a drive to get as many people vaccinated as possible. In fact, the vaccine rollout took place in one of the large tents that our students had just cleaned. The process was quick and efficient, and we were registered, injected, and sat down for our own mandazis in no time at all.

The programme for COVID vaccines here will take time due to challenges around cold chain storage availability, as well as a large, geographically dispersed population. Still, there is a determination among the people involved that when the pandemic makes its way to Rumbek, we will be as ready for it as we can be. There will be many people who will be at risk due to underlying health issues, poor nutrition, and lack of access to even basic medication. Please do keep us in your prayers.

Ben Nhialic areer keg a way,
Fr Alan

Read more from Fr Alan’s missionary journey in South Sudan:

• Looking for a Sign on the Way to South Sudan
• Building a Better Future in South Sudan
• Christmas Greetings from Fr Alan in South Sudan
• A Cup of Sugar and Maybe a Goat
• Mock Exams and Real Life in South Sudan
• As Easy as Baking a Cake
• Holy Week on the Move
• Three Arrivals and a Party
• Celebrating the Missionary Life
• Seeds of Hope

PLEASE HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN

The Way of the Heart: Novena to the Sacred Heart 2021

It is with grateful hearts that we thank everyone who participated in this year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart, which took place in the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, from June 3^rd to June 11^th 2021.

This year, ongoing COVID restrictions meant that our Sacred Heart Novena once again had to take place online; while our doors may have been closed, our hearts were open, and it is with sincere joy and gratitude that we welcomed members of our great family of faith from all over the world. Well over 1,000 people joined us daily to participate in our online Masses on each of the nine days of the Novena, close to home and in far-flung corners of the world. Together, we prayed with mission friends from Ireland, the UK, and America, as well as Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Jamaica, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Romania, Spain, and many more.

“The Way of the Heart”

Irish Provincial Fr Carl Tranter MSC opened the Novena on June 3^rd, reminding us that “this year’s Novena has a special character for us as we begin to emerge from the long lockdown of the last months, and these long 15 months of living with COVID.”

“We’re conscious that we’ve all been changed by this experience,” reflected Fr Carl. “We have experienced an enormous disruption to our lives – loss, sickness, grief. People have felt isolated and lonely. People have been afraid and have had financial worries and business worries. We’ve been disconnected from each other, from friends and family. We’ve had so many hard and tough experiences this past year.”

“The theme for the Novena this year is ‘The Way of the Heart’,” he continued. “It invites us into the language of journey, a process, a way living, a way of praying, a way of walking our path in life: the way of the heart. So over these coming nine days we’ll be inviting you to embrace this time, this space that we’re given to allow our wounded hearts, our pained hearts, our grieving hearts, our confused hearts, but also our longing hearts and our hopeful hearts, to go on a journey, to be taken on a journey deep into the heart of Christ, that unique place where we discover the intimacy of God’s love, of God’s gentleness, of God’s embrace, of God’s care for each of us.”

Living as God’s creation

Fr Michael O’Connell MSC, Director of the Missions Office, celebrated the second Novena Mass, on the theme of Mission, where he spoke about “The Way of the Heart” and how it “it opens us up to a whole way of being, of really living as God’s creation”. “If you are living according to questions like, how can I make money, or how can I get a bigger house, or even how can I get my children to be the biggest earners or get the best qualifications – that’s really very narrow, and it’s very finite”, he said. “But when it’s the heart, when it’s the way of the heart – wow, that can go anywhere. COVID has shown us that questions like, when can I go on my next holiday, when can I buy my next car, or when can I go out for dinner… Living for those things that are just so finite, they can all be taken away at the stroke of a regulation. At a cough or an infection, they’re gone. But the way of the heart, that’s something inside us, that inner strength we have, that inner way of being – nobody can take that from us.”

Day three of the Novena, on the theme of Reconciliation, was celebrated by Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC, who spoke of the power of grace and love: of loving a person “exactly as they are, with all their rubbish and brokenness and all the rest… Not a pretended love, not an act put on, but an absolute giving.” Fr Seamus Kelly MSC also spoke of love on the fourth day of the Novena, which celebrated Corpus Christi, calling on the grace of the Holy Spirit “to be able to bring God’s love to people throughout the world”.

The fifth day of the Novena was celebrated by Fr John Finn MSC, who spoke at length about caring for our planet, and planets beyond. Bringing us from outer space back to our own earth, he reminded us that, “The earth is given to us by God as a gift, life is given to us by God as a gift, and we are called to a deeper appreciation, to a gratitude of heart for that gift that God has given to us, his blessing.”

“A love that’s beyond our knowledge, more than our minds can grasp.”

On day six of our Novena to the Sacred Heart, Fr John Fitzgerald MSC led us in prayer for our dearly departed – “a special day,” Fr John observed, “because the dead visit us so many times in our memories.” Reading from a selection of beautiful poems, Fr John reminded us not to worry about those we have lost: “Our loved ones are at peace; that is the promise, and we need have no fear of them or for them.”

Day seven saw Fr Michael return to celebrate the theme of Healing, emphasising the power of compassion, of active compassion, not just passive pity, for others and for ourselves. The idea of compassion carried through to the following day’s Masses, where Fr John Fitzgerald led a service of thanksgiving for our front-line workers, and all who have worked behind the scenes during the COVID pandemic. Showing us an ornament of an open hand, sculpted from timber, he said, “If there ever was an apt ornament for today, it is this, in thanksgiving for the people who opened their hands freely to offer what they had freely for us and for the people around them, and we are very, very privileged to devote a day of the Novena in thanksgiving.”

“This is the time to pray a massive thanksgiving, lest we forget and take for granted.”

On the final day of our Novena, the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Fr John Finn was joined by Bishop Fintan Gavin to celebrate the closing Mass. Reflecting on “The Way of the Heart”, Bishop Fintan spoke of Christ’s love, a “love that’s beyond our knowledge, more than our minds can grasp.”

“All we can do,” he said, “is place ourselves in love and in faith. And if we can do that, then Christ’s love begins to grow in our hearts, and so through faith our hearts will reflect something of the Sacred Heart, something of his love will flow into our human hearts, to bring life to us so that we can bring life to our world.”

“Our faith is a missionary faith,” Bishop Fintan continued, “and so our faith is never turned in on itself, it is always reaching out to others, always selflessly self-emptying so that we can share that love and that encounter with others – that’s the Christ we’re called to follow, that’s the Christ we hear about in this evening’s Gospel, that’s the Christ I invite you to take deeper into your lives, so that others, through our witness, may come to know the love of Christ.”

“Love begins to work its changes…”

At a time when we are beginning to slowly emerge from the fear, stress, sorrow, and uncertainty of the last 15 months, this year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart was a wonderful way to pause and to give thanks for the daily blessings that have meant so much, and continue to do so. “COVID has changed so much of our lives,” Fr Carl reflected. “It has had such an enormous impact on us, but as Pope Francis has wisely observed, it’s not just what COVID has done to us, but it’s also what COVID has revealed to us, about ourselves, about our lives, about our world.”

In the different ways the pandemic has impacted us, Fr Carl reassured us, “we bring that to the heart of Christ, and let him know how we are feeling and what it is we want and we need. And in that space, maybe if we just stop talking for a while, and allow him to hold us and embrace us and love us, and that love begins to work its changes. And as it works its change, we find ourselves opening that little bit more.”

As Fr John Finn closed our 2021 Novena, he said “I thank you, from our community house here at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, for joining us in this Novena. I thank you for praying for us, for praying with us, as we pray for and with you, and I pray that you will come to know ever deeper the love that God has for you, revealed in the heart of Christ.”

Our heartfelt thanks to all who took part in this year’s Novena celebrations. May the Sacred Heart bless you and your loved ones, now and always.

Watch our 2021 MSC Novena to the Sacred Heart:

June 3rd: Opening Mass by Irish Provincial Leader Fr Carl Tranter MSC
June 4th: Mission, celebrated by Fr Michael O’Connell MSC
June 5th: Reconciliation, celebrated by Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC
June 6th: Corpus Christie, celebrated by Fr Seamus Kelly MSC
June 7th: Care of Our Earth, celebrated by Fr John Finn MSC
June 8th: Pray for Our Dead, celebrated by Fr John Fitzgerald MSC
June 9th: Healing, celebrated by Fr Michael O’Connell MSC
June 10th: Thanksgiving for front-line workers, celebrated by Fr John Fitzgerald MSC
June 11th: Feast of the Sacred Heart, celebrated by Fr John Finn MSC (Morning Mass)
June 11th: Feast of the Sacred Heart, celebrated by Fr John Finn MSC and Bishop Fintan Gavin (Evening Mass)

Fr Alan in South Sudan: Seeds of Hope

Like Ireland, South Sudan has a rich tradition of farming. Whether it is the cattle they tend or the small vegetable gardens they plant, the people here survive on the land. We have just begun rainy season and when it rains in Rumbek it pours. So far, I have experienced only a few storms and while they are short lived, they are Biblical in scale. It is not uncommon to have an hour of high winds and heavy rain, with thunder and lightning, before the blue skies and gentle breezes return like nothing happened. A decent pair of wellingtons is a must!

Self-sufficiency and valuable life lessons

This year, though, the rain has been sporadic. The people are not worried just yet, but they are certainly concerned. A bad season can mean the difference between having one meal a day or having no food at all. Women with young families are most especially vulnerable, because they use the proceeds of what they can sell in the market to support their families. With poor rains, they have to water their small fields by hand. Only last week on a drive back from town, we saw a family carrying water from a local well, including two preschool children each bringing a full two-litre container.

In the school, we are working away as we begin a new term, and we too are busy planting. The Loreto compound includes land that we can use for farming. Agriculture is one of the courses on the secondary curriculum and the girls enjoy the experience to get out from behind the desks every now and then. They have planted maize and ground nuts, which are staples that we will use in the school kitchen. This self-sufficiency allows us to reduce our expenditure, while teaching the students valuable life lessons.

Beginning to reap a great harvest

However, other types of seeds are now coming into fruition. At the moment, one of our graduates is back with us during a break in her studies in Kenya. She is working with the child protection team to help educate our students about children’s rights, as well as the importance of healthy and appropriate relationships. In the next week, another graduate will be here teaching English literature in the secondary school. After thirteen years of careful tending, we are seeing the first generation of our students return from further studies abroad. They are among the first, but they won’t be the last. These are bright, confident young women who are committed to their community. They are the pioneers of education for girls and they are determined to support those who follow after them.

This coming Sunday for our Gospel, we have the parable of the mustard seed, something tiny and unremarkable that can grow into a mighty tree, where people can shelter and birds can make a home. The same is true for what happens here in Loreto. Thanks to a team of gifted teachers who journey with the girls, to their parents who value education for the daughters, and to a student who commits herself whole heartedly to her studies, we are beginning to reap a great harvest. It is the fruit of tremendous work; it is a wonder to behold; and it is an absolute good to give thanks to God for.

Fr Alan

Read more from Fr Alan’s missionary journey in South Sudan:

• Looking for a Sign on the Way to South Sudan
• Building a Better Future in South Sudan
• Christmas Greetings from Fr Alan in South Sudan
• A Cup of Sugar and Maybe a Goat
• Mock Exams and Real Life in South Sudan
• As Easy as Baking a Cake
• Holy Week on the Move
• Three Arrivals and a Party
• Celebrating the Missionary Life

PLEASE HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN

Honouring the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 2021

It is with great joy that we celebrate with our Sacred Heart Sisters, the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, on the feast day of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which took place on May 30th.

The official Facebook page for the Kiribati Province of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart shared photos of the celebrations from across Kiribati, Samoa, and Fiji. Marking the day in style, the OLSH communities in the Pacific Ocean rejoiced with prayer, song, floral tributes – and even a slice of cake or two!

The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart continue in their mission of faith and love all over the world, bringing hope to those who suffer innumerable hardships including poverty, illness, hunger, isolation, and fear. The OLSH Sisters do invaluable work on a global scale, from education projects in the Philippines, South Africa, Venezuela, Brazil, and South Sudan, to the provision of emergency aid to the survivors of domestic abuse in Kiribati. The OLSH Sisters also founded the Holy Family Care Centre in South Africa, where they currently care for 70 children who have been abandoned, abused, or are suffering the effects of serious illness such as HIV/AIDS and TB.

Over the past year, as the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc around the world, their ministry has been more valuable than ever before. Acknowledging the effects of the coronavirus across the globe, the Kiribati Sisters wrote, “May this pandemic bring new hope, trust, and love as Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, today and tomorrow.”

The Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart adds their prayers to those of the Kiribati Sisters, with every grace and blessing of our extended Sacred Heart family.

Images via the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Kiribati Province on Facebook.

PLEASE SUPPORT OLSH GLOBAL OUTREACH

 

Typhoon Mission Response in the Philippines

The MSC community in the Philippines have been working tirelessly in recent times to help families whose lives are being quite literally swept away in an instant by ravaging typhoons.

Super-Typhoon Rolly, the world’s most powerful tropical typhoon in 2020, struck the island of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, on November 1^st. The Bicol region was the worst hit, with more than 800,000 people left in urgent need of emergency aid as the super-typhoon wrecked untold devastation on its relentless path. While Super-Typhoon Rolly raged, volcanic mudflow from the active Mount Mayon buried over 300 houses in the areas surrounding the volcano.

The MSC Mission Office in the Philippines immediately mounted an emergency response, raising 321,721 Philippine pesos, or approximately €5,500, over a period of 15 days. Working with local volunteers and mission partners the Dominican Daughters of the Immaculate Mother Sisters (OP-DDIM), the Mission Response team distributed desperately needed emergency relief packs to more than 800 families spread across six communities in the Albay province. “The beneficiaries were so grateful for the support of the generous people had given to them,” writes the official website for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the Philippines.

On November 16^th 2020, Typhoon Ulysses tore through the main island of Luzon, following in the footsteps of the earlier super-typhoon that had already caused unimaginable damage at the beginning of the month. More than one million families were left devastated by the typhoon, as homes, farms, and entire livelihoods were reduced to ruin by torrential rain, mudslides, and ferocious winds.

The areas most badly affected included the Metro Manila (Marikina area), Rizal, and the Cagayan Valley, where homes were demolished by raging floods.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Philippines Province immediately mounted a campaign to provide emergency aid to those whose lives had been shattered, and to help affected families and communities rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the typhoon.

Through donations collected by the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc., the MSC community in the Philippines were able to send care packages of essential items to people in the most badly-hit regions. Boxes of groceries, essential items of clothing, and over 400 sacks of rice were included in these emergency care packages, which were distributed to MSC mission partners, the Office of the Vice-President (OVP) and the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP). With the help of these mission partners, these aid items were sent in relief distributions to the most affected areas of the country.

In February 2021, the country was battered by violent weather conditions once again, as Typhoon Auring hit. The MSC missionary community in the Philippines continues in its work to bring relief to those who find themselves in severe difficulty as a result of the typhoons, with the Duvog-Ambit Project in Tandag, Surigao del Sur, currently bringing MSCs and the Diocese of Tandag together to help those in need.

The official website for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the Philippines posted a message of gratitude to all who contributed to their recent fundraising endeavours for victims of Typhoon Ulysses:

“We would like to thank all the people who took part of this mission especially to all the donors and generous people who helped us raise funds for the project. And to our mission partners, the OVP and AMRSP, thank you for organizing and facilitating the relief distribution activity. In behalf of the MSC Mission Office and all the beneficiaries, ‘Maraming Salamat Po!’”

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

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Celebrating the new MSC Province of the Pacific Islands

Heartfelt congratulations to the MSC community in the Pacific Islands!

On May 10th 2021, a new MSC province was born: The MSC Province of the Pacific Islands.

Previously the Pacific Union, approval for the new province was given by the MSC General Conference in 2019, and in May, the degree of erection was issued.

The preparation process was a long and complicated one, and it is with great joy and optimism that we congratulate Provincial Superior Fr Tamati Sefo MSC and the missionary community there.

In a celebratory video message, Fr Tamati says, “Today, the 10th of May 2021, is a historical day for all of us. It is a day for us to celebrate with gratitude and joy. Today marks the official erection of the Province of the Pacific Islands.”

May 10th is of special significance to the community, as it was on this date in 1888 that MSCs Fr Edouard Bontemps, Fr Joseph Leray, and Bro. Conrad Weber arrived in Kiribati from France, setting up their first MSC mission on the island of Nonouti.

Carrying on the mission of Our Lord with compassion and faithfulness

Fr Tamati went on to thank all those who contributed to the success of the province, from the first missionaries in the region, who began ministry there in 1888, to the “contributions of our benefactors, lay MSC members, staff, and parishioners over the years”.

“Today is a celebration of their hard work over the years, preparing us to become a province,” notes Fr Tamati, giving thanks to all who made it “possible for us to continue the mission that has been entrusted to us.”

The new province is now preparing for their first Provincial Chapter, where the Provincial and his Council will be elected. “The future of the Province of the Pacific Islands looks very bright,” assures Fr Tamati. “I am very confident that we will continue to grow in faith… I am also optimistic that the new Provincial and his council will continue to bring us together as brothers, in order to carry on the mission of Our Lord with compassion and faithfulness.”

The new province is made up of two districts: The Northern District (12 members), which consists of Chuuk, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and Nauru, and the Southern District (34 members), which consists of Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Samoa, and Tonga.

“We want to be a sign of hope and love to everyone.”

Fr Tamati casts us back to the origins of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, founded by Fr Jules Chevalier in 1854, during the French Revolution – a time of great conflict, fear, and upheaval. “It was then that our founder Jules Chevalier saw in the heart of Christ the remedy for our trouble,” recalls Fr Tamati. “Likewise, today, amidst the fear, suffering, and horror of the pandemic that is ravaging the world, our new province is emerging. We want to be a sign of hope and love to everyone.”

Standing in “solidarity and prayer”, Fr Tamati reminds us that “it is in the compassionate heart of Jesus that we can find peace and comfort in this challenging time.”

May God bless all in the new MSC Province of the Pacific Islands, as they begin a new chapter in our shared journey of spreading God’s light and the love of the Sacred Heart across the world.

Images via the MSC Province of the Pacific Islands and Ametur MSC on Facebook.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD

Celebrating Father’s Day with MSC Missions

“Every family needs a father – a father who shares in his family’s joy and pain,
hands down wisdom to his children, and offers them firm guidance and love.”
Pope Francis

This year, we celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday, June 20th. Whether you chat with your father every day or treasure fond memories of your dad, Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to take a moment to celebrate a very special bond, and a love that can’t be measured.

After such a long period of enforced separation, we are more grateful than ever for the love of family. On Father’s Day, we thank our personal heroes, who work so hard to make the family home a happy one, and we remember those fathers whose support and guidance taught us strength, resilience, and a solid foundation for our adult lives.

Our collection of Father’s Day cards is a truly special way to honour a beloved father, whether you will spend the day with your dad or carry his memory in your heart. Each card contains a lovely Prayer for my Father, and each one also contains remembrance in our Father’s Day Triduum of Masses, which will take place this year from Saturday, June 19th to Monday, June 21st. All are welcome to take part in this year’s Triduum, which will be streamed live from the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork.

 

You are also very welcome to submit a prayer intention for your father, or light a candle in our online gallery to mark Father’s Day.

Remember, when you choose from our range of Father’s Day cards, you’re not just making a thoughtful gesture for your own father, but you’re also reaching out to help fathers and their families all over the world. Your support helps us to continue bringing the gifts of faith, hope, and love to parents, children, and communities in some of the world’s poorest countries. Our MSCs work in regions of extreme poverty and hardship, bringing vital aid to people who have nowhere else to turn, and every order we receive makes a real and valuable difference.

VIEW OUR FATHER’S DAY CARDS

Welcome back to the Sacred Heart Church and the MSC Missions Office!

We are delighted to be able to open our doors once again, and welcome old friends and new safely back to the Sacred Heart Church and the MSC Missions Office on the Western Road in Cork.

After a long period of restrictions and closures, it is with great joy that we see the return of familiar faces and greet new acquaintances here on the Western Road.

Last Monday, May 10^th, saw a return to worship in the Sacred Heart Church and churches all over the country, while our MSC Missions Office was permitted to re-open a week later, on May 17^th. Our first caller was at the door at 9.00am, to collect her Blue Book of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and Fr Michael and Anne were waiting with a warm welcome!

The Sacred Heart Church remains open for Masses and daily prayer, and the MSC Missions Office is open daily from 9.00am to 4.50pm.

We are also operating as usual online, where you can participate in our daily Masses, or choose from a selection of Mass cards, Mass enrolment books, and special gifts to be delivered straight to your door.

With every blessing and best wishes to shops, businesses, and services who are re-opening across the country. May this be the beginning of a time of new hope for us all. Take care and stay safe as we enjoy venturing out once again!

MSCs remembering students at exam time

Early mornings, late nights, and pens, pencils, and textbooks on every available surface… Exam season has well and truly arrived!

Preparation for exams is always stressful time for students, and after a year of constant change and uncertainty, this year’s exams will be more testing than most. The pressure is on for students and their families alike, as they look to navigate an intense few weeks of timetables, questions, essays, and graphs.

As the starting dates for the state exams approach, why not show a little bit of extra support for the special student in your life? Our exam cards are the perfect way to send encouragement to a hard-working student. Each card contains a lovely prayer for students, and includes remembrance in our annual Triduum of Masses for students sitting exams.

This year’s exam Triduum will take place from Monday, May 31st to Wednesday, June 2nd, and will be streamed live from the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork.

You are also very welcome to light a candle for exam success in our online gallery, or submit a prayer intention to be remembered by our MSC priests in the Sacred Heart parish on the Western Road in Cork. We will be glad to keep your intentions in our prayers.

During a time of heightened worries and anxieties, the gift of prayer offers peace, comfort, and a sense of support like no other. Let a special student know you’re thinking of them at this challenging time with the help of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

BROWSE OUR RANGE OF EXAM TRIDUUM CARDS

Blessed Be: The Martyrs of El Quiché

On April 23rd 2021, three Spanish-born MSC priests and seven lay catechists of the indigenous Maya people became “blessed” and were beatified in the Cathedral of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Guatemala.

Last year, Pope Francis signed a decree which recognised all ten as martyrs, and on April 23rd, Guatemalan Cardinal Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini celebrated the beatification Mass in El Quiché. Three priests of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, namely Jose Maria Gran Cirera, Juan Alonso Fernandez, and Faustino Villanueva, were beatified along with seven lay people: Rosalío Benito, Reyes Us, Domingo del Barrio, Nicolás Castro, Tomás Ramírez, Miguel Tiú, and Juan Barrera Méndez, who was just 12 years of age. All ten were killed in Guatemala at various stages between 1980 and 1991, in “hatred of the faith”.

Champions of the poor and vulnerable

It is estimated that 200,000 people, including Catholic missionaries, priests, and nuns, were killed in Guatemala between 1960 and 1996, when the country was by ravaged by conflict between its government military regime and a number of leftist groups. In the 1980s, a time when dictatorship was in full force in Central America, the Church found itself the victim of constant persecution for its role in championing the poor and defending human rights.

During this time, to stand for what was right in the name of peace was to stand against the military regime. The ten martyrs were unashamed and unafraid in their faith, assisting those in need in every way they could. From spiritual guidance and visiting the sick, to serving their communities and attempting to right the wrongs of an unjust regime on a local level, both the MSC priests and the lay people maintained the use of the Bible and the rosary despite the very real danger this posed. They eventually sacrificed their lives for their beliefs, and were killed by those in power who considered the teachings of the faith a threat to the system as it stood.

“I do nothing but preach the word of God.”

The three Spanish MSC priests died terrible deaths for their faith and for their friendship towards the country’s most marginalised people. Fr José María Gran Cirera was shot repeatedly alongside his friend and sacristan Dominic Batz while leaving Mass on horseback on June 4th 1980. Fr Faustino Villanueva was shot in his home, by two young men who visited the parish house, after celebrating evening Mass on July 10th 1980. Some months later, at the end of January 1981, Fr Juan Alonso Fernandes wrote to his brother, saying “I have the feeling that I am in danger. I don’t want to be killed in any way, but neither am I ready, out of fear, to abandon this people.” He was living and working in the north of the country, a particularly hazardous area. On February 13th 1981, he was forcibly detained by the military for questioning. Unbowed, he told them, “What we preach, anyone can hear. If you want to know what I say, just go to church. I do nothing but preach the word of God.” Fr Juan Alonso was released that night, but was intercepted on his way to visit a community the following day. He was tortured in a ravine, and then shot in the head three times.

Twelve-year-old Juan Barrera Méndez, known as Juanito, is particularly noted for his dedication to his faith. He received the sacrament of Confirmation himself, and acted as a spiritual guide for children preparing to receive their First Holy Communion. He was captured in a military raid on his community, and was tortured cruelly before his death; his passion was indestructible, and his name and his testimony are still well-recognised amongst Guatemalan children today.

“Missionaries on the move”

In an interview with Vatican News, Bishop Rosolino Bianchetti of Quiché reflects, “Our martyrs were truly missionaries on the move… They went from house to house, keeping the faith alive, praying with their brothers, evangelizing, imploring the God of life. They were men of great faith, of great trust in God, but at the same time of great dedication to bring about a change, a different Guatemala.”

MSC Superior General, Fr Mario Abzalón Alvarado Tovar, gave sincere thanks to all involved with the beatification at the recent Mass. “The three religious Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and the seven laymen today beatified as Martyrs are the prophetic voice that continues to resonate and call us to recognize the situation that was experienced in El Quiché and in Guatemala in the 1980s,” he said. “Thousands of brothers and sisters who were killed for the sake of justice and their faith committed to building the Kingdom of God. It was a whole system of death – genocide – that destroyed the lives of these ten new Blesseds. They are the sign that this unjust barbarism that bled an entire nation should never be repeated in Guatemala again – never again! Unfortunately, situations like this continue to happen in different parts of the world.”

“Wounds that continue to bleed”

Fr Abzalón continued, “We are encouraging our MSC brothers to be convinced that the best way to honour the memory of those who gave their life is to remain committed to eradicating the causes that led these three Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and seven laity and so many others to shed their blood. Causes that remain open, wounds that continue to bleed in Guatemala and throughout the world, through violence, exploitation, poverty, injustice and corruption. Our mother earth continues to be violated and destroyed. The Common Home needs us so that, inspired by the new Blessed Martyrs of Quiché, we raise our voices and give prophetic, living and coherent witness, as the three Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and the seven laity, today Blessed Martyrs, did.”

As many communities in Guatemala continue to face extreme challenges and severe hardship, including poverty, exploitation, and forced migration, we remember the sacrifice of the El Quiché martyrs, and we pray for all who continue to struggle in their home country, and in similar situations around the world.

“We are united with MSCs and the wider Chevalier Family around the world in celebrating this day and praying for the local church in El Quiché and Guatemala as it continues the work of evangelisation, service and worship, justice and peace, and the dignity of all its peoples, especially the indigenous communities.”

– Fr Carl Tranter MSC, Irish Provincial Leader

Read more about the beatification of the martyrs of El Quiché