Fr Alan in South Sudan: Celebrating the Missionary Life

The motto of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is the same as ourselves; after all, we are family. It is short and to the point, but also profound, rich, and as relevant today as it ever was. It is, “To be on earth the Heart of God.” You could spend a lifetime considering what this might mean or you could simply look at what it is like when it is put into action.

In my first piece on my mission to South Sudan, I spoke about two of our sisters that I met by coincidence in Juba. They were on the same flight as me, but on arrival in Rumbek they still had a long journey before they got back to their community in Mapourdit, a former refugee town that has grown up around the hospital and school the Church built. The trip would take them along flooded roads, where they would need to wade hundreds of yards across water up to their waist, and through insecure areas, where violence is still depressingly commonplace. It is only journey of 88km, but could easily take them up to half a day, if not more.

Deo gratias

Still, they didn’t complain. They were used to it. In fact, they were used to considerably worse as the Daughters have been here for over twenty-five years. In that time, they have had to contend with the struggle for the independence of South Sudan, the subsequent and tragic civil war, imprisonment, far too many snakes, plenty of rats, you name it really. In the booklet for the celebration of the Silver Jubilee of the mission the Daughters in South Sudan, they used two words to express what they felt after all that time: Deo gratias or thank God.

The reason I’m writing the article now is that last Saturday we travelled to Mapourdit to celebrate the 80^th birthday of one of the community, Sr Rita Grunke. Sr Rita has been here since 2004 and has devoted herself to the community building, especially among the local women. She would spend extended periods of time travelling around the countryside, building up grassroots development, and sleeping out under the stars in a rough, but practical, tent.

Living out the Good News

I was especially privileged to celebrate Mass for her that morning, with the other sisters, the members of the wonderful Comboni community next door who run the hospital, and the local people that have helped to build up the mission over the years. It was simple and beautiful as we broke the bread and shared the word of God together under a corrugated metal roof next to their kitchen. On the wall looking down on us was a painting of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart by a South Sudanese artist. In 1875, St Daniel Comboni, who was one of the pioneers of the Catholic mission in South Sudan, wrote to our founder, Fr Jules Chevalier, and consecrated the entire country to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Almost 150 years later, we continue in that same gentle, but powerful spirituality. In many ways so much has changed and moved on, yet at the same time the needs remain the same. Religious sisters, brothers, and priests have set up schools and hospitals, working with local clergy and lay people to build a better future. Now with the arrival of the new bishop elect, we are looking towards a renewed sense of evangelisation that moves beyond just providing the necessities for survival. It is a living out of the Good News and the building up of the local Church. It is encountering the love of Jesus in the people that we serve and together building up the Kingdom of God. For that opportunity we can only say, Deo gratias.

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

PLEASE HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN

Queen of the May: Preparing a May altar in your home

The advent of May, the month dedicated to Mary, brings us longer evenings, warm sunshine, blossom in abundance – and above all, a sense of hope and quiet joy in the certainty of brighter days to come.

This May, we remain restricted in our movements as we take tentative steps towards emerging from national lockdown. In keeping with the time-honoured tradition of honouring Mary throughout the month of May, we invite you to create your own May altar in your home, a daily opportunity for reflection, thanksgiving, and peaceful prayer to Our Lady.

You can prepare your altar on any small, flat space, such as a table, a shelf, a windowsill, a bookshelf, or a mantelpiece. A statue or picture of Our Lady is placed in the centre of the space, on a white or blue piece of cloth, and the altar is then adorned with flowers of all types. Many people choose to use wild flowers, which are in plentiful supply at this time of year, while others prefer to use flowers traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, such as white lilies (symbolic of her purity) or roses (a symbol of her love of God).

Complete your altar with a candle. Take some time each day to light this and pause in quiet prayer, on your own or with family, in a moment of rest and reflection amid the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.

Many people pray the rosary daily at their May altar, asking for Our Lady’s intercession. Below, you’ll also find Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary during the coronavirus pandemic.

You can browse a selection of Our Lady statues and candles in our Cards & Gifts section, if you would like to find something special for your May altar at home.

With every grace and blessing of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart for a peaceful, prayerful, and healthy month of May.

Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary

O Mary,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People,
know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the cross,
to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.

Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

Cancellation of 2020 Pilgrimages

As Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours Ltd. have ceased trading, we are now unable to fulfil any outstanding 2020 pilgrimage bookings, which were awaiting a rescheduled date due to COVID cancellations.

Any mission friends who had booked a place on our 2020 Lourdes or Fatima tours with JWT may submit an Aviation Regulation claim form to apply for a refund.

Each claim must be made by the individual who was booked on the pilgrimage; unfortunately, we cannot make a claim on your behalf. You can download a copy of the claim form here for your use.

 

For further information, the following helplines are available:

• Aviation Regulation: (01) 661 1700
• JWT Helpline: (01) 242 0800 (Monday – Friday: 9.00am – 1.00pm & 2.00pm – 5.30pm)

Please visit www.aviationreg.ie for further updates.

 

We look forward to journeying together on pilgrimage once again when it is safe to do so. In the meantime, you are very welcome to join our community of faith in daily prayer from the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork, via our live stream.

Three Arrivals and a Party – Fr Alan in South Sudan.

Looking back on my previous entries, I think I begin all of them with the same idea, namely that it is a busy time here in Loreto Rumbek. Being something of a traditionalist, I’ll continue in that vein, at least for now anyway. Since I wrote last, we have had a number of welcome visitors and one big celebration.

The first arrival was the truck. Once a year a large container lorry trundles northward from Nairobi to the border post of Nadapal between Kenya and South Sudan, before passing through Juba and finally arriving at our school. It is a mammoth journey at the best of times, but with the terrible road conditions, the beginning of the first rains, and persistent insecurity it can be perilous. Its arrival is greeted with great enthusiasm and I think the best description is that it is like Christmas with really sensible, practical presents. The basics that we can pick up in any Dunnes, Spar or Woodies back home are luxuries here. There are really no local shops that can supply the needs of a school, let alone a clinic or an agricultural project. The truck was filled with mundane essentials like school uniforms, tools, desks, two sowing machines, medical equipment, and textbooks. There was also a small fridge for me. The absolute luxury! While I’m writing this in 40C, I’m sipping some ice-cold water. It is like a little corner of Heaven!

Last Wednesday the Governor of Lakes State, along with the local Minister for Education and the Minister for Labour paid our school a visit. They took the time to walk around the compound with Sr. Orla, dropping into the clinic and taking look at our primary school. The clinic is tearing busy, looking after over four thousand patients a month, while the primary school is closed due to Covid restrictions. Thankfully, we received word last night that they will begin to reopen on May 3rd, allowing life to return to some measure of normality. Anyway, back to the Governor and the Ministers. They spoke at length to the students about the importance of education and how they were committed to fighting early forced marriage. How these words will be transformed into action remains to be seen, but even the public commitment itself is a powerful witness for the rights of young women to be allowed to determine their own future.

On Thursday we welcomed Bishop-Elect Fr. Christian Carlassare to Rumbek. Our Diocese has been without a bishop for almost ten years and his arrival was greeted with wonderful enthusiasm. He is originally from Italy, but has lived and ministered in South Sudan since 2005. As the only two schools currently open in the state, the students from Loreto joined the boys from La Salle Catholic Secondary School to provide a guard of honour. In his opening speech he shared his vision for the future drawing on Galatians Chapter 3 to have a community of faith unified in the love of Jesus. He dropped by the school yesterday to say thank you to the students and to meet the team here. There will be exciting times ahead. Please do keep him in your prayers.

In addition to all the arrivals, we also had to celebrate a birthday. Loreto Secondary School officially became a teenager last Tuesday, celebrating thirteen years educating the girls in Rumbek. To mark the occasion Sr. Orla, the director, and Mrs. Njuguna, the principal of the school, turned a sod for a new grotto for Our Lady. We had a simple prayer service with all the students, teachers, and support staff, followed by a celebration of music and dance in the dining hall. Considering its humble beginnings, it is a truly remarkable achievement. We have gone from a situation where people were predicting no girl would want to attend the school when it opened to today, where we had an entrance exam for ten places in Senior 2 and Senior 3 and over 160 applicants turned up! It has been a long road, but people here and those who support the school have kept the faith.

We are beginning end of term holidays this coming Friday, so many of the girls and staff will be heading home. We will have around sixty students staying with us, because they come from far away or they are at risk of an enforced marriage. It should be a quieter, gentler couple of weeks. After all they busyness, it will be welcome.

Ben Nhialic areer keg a way,

Fr. Alan.

Read more of Fr Alan’s journey:

– Looking for a Sign on the Way to South Sudan
– Building a Better Future in South Sudan
– Chirstmas 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

HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN

Phillipines MSC Center for the Poor continues their quest for sustainability

Further to MSC’s Centre for the Poor in the Phillipine’s Beat the Plastic and  Building for Sustainability effort they sure have kept themselves busy during the pandemic thanks to all the support they received.

” The global pandemic (COVID-19) phenomena, with its imposed health protocol and restrictions on social gatherings, hampered our activities and renovation project of the Center for the Poor.  Nonetheless, the Center made small efforts by patiently responding to the present needs and struggles of the people around us.  We made some unprecedented adjustments in our operations regarding the budget, personnel, priorities and concerns.  Through out this Pandemic period, we were able to focus in developing our Farm and tried to respond not only to pandemic but to the daily survival of the farmers with all the challenges in the estate of Climate Emergency situation.”

“As of November 2020, we have done major renovations of the function hall and dormitories. Now we are ready to provide healthy and safe sleeping quarters to training participants in the District House and in the adjacent building.  We also have a venue for worship and a place for large gatherings such as skills training, networking communication, deepening of spirituality of the Heart, raising awareness on environmental issue and livelihood development programs . Our center is open to different sectors in CARAGA region serving civil society organizations, parish mandated organizations, fisherfolks, urban poor, farmers, youth, women, Likha-Karaga Artists, transport groups, Lumads (Indigenous People), Chevalier Lay Associates, etc.”

 

The Multimedia Hall of the center wherein the Life’s Healing Journey Program was supposed to be held last year is now functioning as well (besides the usual venue at CFA in Manila).  They have expanded/ maximized the floor area with awnings made up of Nipa and Bamboo materials to provide space for small group processing such as Focused Group Discussion. This place can also be our Demonstration Area for our Best Green Practices with an alternative Lifestyle introducing 9R’s-Zero Waste Management (Reuse, Reduce, Repair, Refuse, Recycle, Repurpose, Recover, Regift, RETHINK), Bokashi Technology, and sharing of resources to actualize the Spirit of Laudato Si.”

After the installation of the audio-visual facilities and the multifunction hall last January, the MSC Center for the Poor is now expanding the physical development efforts of the Living Museum in our Del Monte property.  Fr. Tans and Fr. Richie MSC take turns in manning the Center in Butuan and the farm in Del Monte with the help of “Kuya Buddy” (Mr. Salvador Tursar).  We always want to make sure that the center and farm are both important venues in implementing our aspirations to help the poor. At the farm, we are able to set up the Farm House, Nursery, Livestock area, Demo Farms, and Livelihood Programs for the farmers.  It is also important to note that we are able to organize our MSC Lay Partners as Cooperative to effectively respond to the needs of the local community.   In addition, to sustain our Center for the Poor is to strengthen our Lay Empowerment Programs in every location. “

SUPPORT OUR MSC MISSIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

MSC Easter Draw 2021: €100 Shopping Voucher Winners

 

The 30 lucky winners of the €100 shopping vouchers are as follows:

 

1.A Coyle – Swords, Co Dublin.

2.N O’Keeffe – Newmarket, Co Cork.

3.B Perry – Swords, Co Dublin.

4.D Dooley – Terenure, Co Dublin.

5.D O’Donovan – Bantry, Co Cork.

6.M Fitzpatrick – Firhouse, Co Dublin.

7.H Smith – Ceanannas, Co Meath.

8.C Greenan – Castleshane, Co Monaghan.

9.D Masterson – Claremorris, Co Mayo.

10.M Boland – Broadford, Co Clare.

11.P Griffin – Shantalla, Co Galway.

12.M Elliott – Rathvilly, Co Carlow.

13.K McDermott – Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

14.S Soosai – Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin.

15.F Smyth – Blackrock, Co Dublin.

16.B Murphy – Thurles, Co Tipperary.

17.E Brophy – Tullamore, Co Offaly.

18.A O’Mahony – Bantry, Co Cork.

19.A Cowman – Millstreet, Co Cork.

20.R McDonnell – Dundalk, Co Louth.

21.P Kenny – Birr, Co Offaly.

22.J Kerins – Ballymote, Co Sligo.

23.S Danaher – Middlesex, England .

24.M Kelleher – Millstreet, Co Cork.

25.E Hughes – Stamullen, Co Meath.

26.R Healy – Griffith Place, Co Waterford.

27.P Walsh – Dunlavin, Co Wicklow.

28.M Fahy – Ballinasloe, Co Galway.

29.P & E Mullen – Ardee, Co Louth.

30.K Pierce  – Bray, Co Wicklow .

 

Congratulations Everyone!

GO BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE

MSC Easter Draw 2021: €200 Shopping Voucher Winners

The 10 lucky winners of the €200 shopping vouchers are as follows:

1. M Shore – Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

2. M Patridge – Coolock, Dublin 17.

3. R Hamrogue – Claremorris, Co Mayo.

4. C Boland – Nenagh, Co Tippperary.

5. M Howley – Moycullen, Co Galway.

6. M Doran – Tullow, Co Carlow.

7. K Dineen – Dunmanway, Co Cork.

8. D Kenny – Ballinasloe, Co Galway.

9. D Flynn – Trimaine, Co Roscommon.

10.B Irwin – Westport, Co Mayo.

 

Back to main draw page

MSC Easter Draw 2021: Winners

MSC Easter Draw 2021

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s MSC Easter Draw!

Prize Winners:

1st Prize: €2,000 Cruise Travel Voucher

C & C Clarke

Donnybrook,

Dublin 4

2nd Prize: €1,500 Sun Holiday Voucher

B Ryan

St. Augustine’s Place ,

Limerick

3rd Prize: €1,000 City Break Voucher

J O’Connor

Killarney

Co.Kerry

4th Prize: €1,000 TV/Audio Voucher

R McGrath

Dillion Street,

Co Tipperary

5th Prize: €1,000 TV/Audio Voucher

S Gallagher

Drogheda

Co Louth

6th Prize: €1,000 Home Furniture Voucher

May Fagan

Dunboyne

Co Meath

7th Prize: €1,000 Home Furniture Voucher

Z Conroy

Naas

Co Kildare

8th Prize: €500 Weekend Break Voucher

E Scully

Naas

Co Kildare

9th Prize: €500 Weekend Break Voucher

L McGinty

Letterkenny

Co Donegal

10th Prize: €500 Computer/Tablet Voucher

M O’Brien

Bantry

Co Cork

11th Prize: €500 Computer/Tablet Voucher

J Lupton

Midleton

Co Cork

12th Prize: €500 Home Decor Voucher

J Quirke

Rathfarnham

Dublin 16

13th Prize: €500 Home Decor Voucher

D Murray

Castlerea

Co Roscommon

14th Prize: €500 Garden / Outdoor Voucher

E Murphy

Douglas

Cork

15th Prize: €500 Garden / Outdoor Voucher

M Rogan

Ennis Road

Limerick

16th Prize: €500 Home Appliances Voucher

M Hughes

Tuam

Co Galway

17th Prize: €500 Home Appliances Voucher

R Carney Bekan

Claremorris

Co Mayo

18th Prize: €500 Hot Air Balloon Voucher

F O’Connell

Knocknacarra

Galway

19th Prize: €500 Driving Lessons Voucher

M Keatley

Dunlavin

Co Wicklow

20th Prize: €500 Cookery Class Voucher

M O’Donoghue

ManorShannon

Co Clare.

 

View €200 Shopping Voucher Winners

View €100 Shopping Voucher Winners

All winners will be notified individually.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who took part in this year’s draw.
This year’s MSC Easter Draw took place on Wednesday, March 31st 2021.

 

 

A Journey with St Patrick ♣

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.

 

 

 

 

Lenten Services 2021

 As we begin our Lenten season and journey this year, we do so after already a long year of limitations and lockdowns.  It feels like we have already given up so much.  It has been hard.  Yet these coming weeks can be a precious time to open our hearts to the Lord who loves us intimately and has compassion on his people; to be renewed, restored, healed and converted.  In opening our hearts to Him, so also we open our hearts to one another and to our world.  We pray, we fast, we reach out in selfless giving.

Despite our continued physical isolation from one another, may this Lent be a graced time for us; that we each may yield fruit in due season (Communion antiphon for Ash Wednesday).  For these 40 days we journey together.

Have a blessed journey.

Fr Carl Tranter

MSC Provincial Leader.

Congratulations to Miguel Ibarra MSC on his First Profession

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Miguel Ibarra MSC and his fellow novices, Erik Bryan de Mattos MSC and Witalo Souza de Jesus MSC on their First Profession on Tuesday night.

Miguel is a member of our MSC Region in Venezuela and has just completed his noviciate in Itajubá, Brazil. He began his formation in Maracaibo with Vicente Buitrago and then Tom Mulcahy before transferring to the Pre-Novitiate in Sao Luis, Brazil. We are particularly grateful to his formators in Brazil, Everton da Silva MSC (Pre-Novitiate) and Getulio Saggin MSC (Novice Master) for their welcome and close accompaniment of Miguel.

Miguel will now move to the MSC Scholasticate in Sao Paulo to continue with his theology studies. We had hoped that he would be able to go the MSC International Scholasticate in El Salvador but because Venezuela has closed consular services during the Covid-19 Pandemic it has not been possible for him to obtain the necessary documentation.

For those of you who may wish to watch the celebration you can do so on YouTube here

We welcome Miguel as a professed member of the Province and assure him our support and prayers as he continues his formation journey.

 

 

 

MSC World Projects Appeal 2021: Typhoon victims in the Philippines

In the middle of November 2020, the Philippines was hit by Typhoon Vamco (known locally as Typhoon Ulysses), which left in its wake loss of life, severe flooding and damage amounting to millions of euro.

Typhoon Vamco was the most powerful typhoon to hit the country in seven years and the community of 25 OLSH Sisters have been ministering to badly affected families in two very poor areas of Manila.

“In the face of such damage, it is hard to know how to help and what to do,”
writes Sr Ruth S. Yburan FDNSC, Regional Leader of the Daughters of Our Lady
of the Sacred Heart in the Philippines.

The initial focus was on providing emergency aid such as food and water to families who have been left destitute and displaced by the typhoon, and now, the Sisters are helping people to rebuild their lives, starting with purchasing the necessary materials to help people to restore homes that were demolished by the storm.

PLEASE SUPPORT TYPHOON VICTIMS IN THE PHILIPPINES