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A season of compassion: MSC Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 2022

Sincere thanks to all who participated in our 2022 Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which took place from Tuesday, August 31st to Wednesday, September 8th at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork.

It is with great delight that we were able to welcome friends and parishioners back to the Sacred Heart Church for this year’s Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, after such a prolonged period of private prayer due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition, almost 7,500 people joined us in prayer via our live stream over the course of the nine days, from all over the world, reminding us once again of the remarkable spirit of our extended Sacred Heart family, at home and across the globe. This is always a special time of year to put aside for prayer before the late Autumn and Winter seasons come upon us, and it was with grateful hearts that we celebrated the much-beloved and sacred tradition of prayer to our Blessed Mother.

The theme of our 2022 Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was “Mary, Mother of Compassion,” and Masses were celebrated by several of our MSC priests and brothers over the nine days.

Fr John Finn opened the Novena, welcoming those present in person and via our live stream, and starting us off with a simple thought: “We begin simply by inviting Jesus to touch our hearts and our lives. We ask Mary to lead us to the heart of forgiveness, the healing love and compassion of Jesus her son.”

Having reflected on the meaning of compassion during our first Novena Masses, Br Giacomo Gelardi returned with a second sermon on Day Two, reminding us that, “We need to return to the simplicity and enthusiasm, to the beauty of realising that we are instruments of the spirit.” In essence, “Let your heart beat in harmony with God’s heart,” he told us.

Day Three saw Fr Tom Mulcahy sharing the powerful message that “God is forgiveness – it isn’t that God gives forgiveness, God is forgiveness, God is compassion, God is mercy.” Following this, Day Four saw Fr Seamus Kelly pray for us all to listen to God’s signs to us as we bring his love to others, and “for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit on each and every one of us, that we too can bring the love of Christ to people throughout the world.”

On the fifth day of our Novena, Fr John Finn returned with a homily on faith, and the importance of our attitude towards our daily lives – whether we live, or simply endure. “Each day you have, each moment you live, is God’s gift, it is given to us as a gift, as something to be lived, not as a torture to be endured,” he reminded us. “Faith calls us to life. Faith calls us that when moments hit us and pierce our soul, we too would have that trust, that no matter what happens, God is present, God is there.”

Fr John Fitzgerald celebrated Mass on Day Six, with a reflection on Mary and Suffering, reminding us of the fact that Mary was human too, and “that is how we connect with her, on these days of suffering, the days when we need her”. Drawing from the theme of suffering the light of hope, Fr John prayed “that we might have patience, that we might be courageous as well, and that we might hold hope in our hearts.”

Fr John returned on Day Seven of the Novena, a special day of healing. “Our prayer today is for healing in our bodies, for healing today, physical and emotional and spiritual,” he said, along with praying for the healing power of acceptance of those things that we may not be able to change. Together, we prayed for all who are sick, suffering or in pain, for those who are healing from a broken heart in any form, for those healing through learning to walk with their past, for those suffering with anxiety, darkness or depression, addiction, and mental health issues, and for those learning to accept sickness and heal in a recovery of the soul. Fr John finished for a prayer for healers everywhere, giving thanks for the “magnificent people who are carers and healers in our world”.

Fr Joe McGee journeyed from Dublin to celebrate the final two days of the Novena, bringing a blessed nine days of prayer to a beautiful close. “My wish for all of us at the end of the Novena, for all of us here and those joining us online, that in some way this Novena will bring us closer to Mary, who brings us closer to the Lord, who helps us to ponder the mysteries of our lives,” he said.

At the closing Masses, parish priest Fr Tom Mulcahy paused to thank everyone who contributed to making this year’s Novena such a special one, particularly as it is the last Novena that he will prepare as parish priest of the Sacred Heart parish. Giving sincere thanks to everybody involved in the preparation and the celebrations, Fr Tom also prayed in gratitude for all who took part in this year’s Novena Masses, in the Sacred Heart Church and on our webcam streaming service. “We thank God for your presence,” he said. “I hope it has been a blessing for you as it has been for us.”

“May God bless you, and all your prayers that you have placed in the hands of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart; she is the hope of the hopeless,” Fr Tom continued.

“The Lord knows how to work, and the mother of the Lord is always with us. God bless you all.”

Year upon year, the MSC Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart offers great solace and comfort to all who take part, as we bring our prayers and personal intentions before our Holy Mother. Once again, we send our heartfelt thanks to everyone who took part in what was a truly blessed occasion this year, and for your ongoing friendship and support. God bless you all.

If you would like to watch this year’s Novena Masses,
please click here to view recordings of all nine days.
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Sharing the sacraments in the Holy Baquita community on our Mozambique mission

On August 21st, Fr José Eduardo Paixão celebrated with the Holy Baquita community in the district of Metuge, posting pictures on the MSC Mozambique Facebook page to mark this wonderful occasion.

A very special day for the community, Fr Eduardo presided over the sacraments of baptism and First Holy Communion, in “a moment of great faith and participation”.

Our mission in Mozambique is in its fourth year, ministering to families in need in what is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. The mission is based in the Diocese of Pemba, in the province of Cabo Delgado, a region that has been subject to the terrors of war since 2017. To date, over 850,000 people have been displaced from their homes by war, with many seeking a place of safety in refugee camps in Pemba.

Fr Eduardo and the Mozambique mission are tireless in their ministry, welcoming those who have nowhere else to go, while also helping local families who are struggling with extreme poverty and hardship. This summer, the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are supporting our Mozambique mission by raising funds for two projects that will help the people of Pemba to regain a sense of self-sufficiency, dignity, and hope.

A day of celebration such as this one in the Holy Baquita community is a great and worthy reminder of the inestimable power of faith, unity, and love. Please keep Fr Eduardo and our Mozambique mission in your prayers as they continue to share the message of God’s love in the most challenging circumstances.

Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page, with credit to Manara Abudo.

PLEASE HELP OUR SACRED HEART FAMILY IN MOZAMBIQUE

Rebuilding a community on Gilutongan Island, in the Philippines

The latest update from the Typhoon Odette mission response team in the Philippines comes from Gilutongan Island, Cordova, where the MSC Typhoon Odette Housing Project is continuing in its work at full force.

With the first batch of materials arriving at the end of July, work commenced speedily, and in early August, the Facebook page for the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines reported that construction of the first batch of homes had begun, with the local community “working together” to ensure successful and efficient progress. A real community affair, the people of Gilutongan Island are coming together to help in the construction of houses for themselves and for their neighbours in a great display of unity and generosity of spirit.

The MSC Typhoon Odette Housing Project aims to help more than 160 families on Gilutongan Island, following the initial phase of construction which took place in Bayagnan Island in Surigao City in March. With early reports in the aftermath of the typhoon stating that 90% of the houses in this community had been completely destroyed, the establishment of these new homes is an invaluable part of helping the people of Gilutongan Island regain a sense of security, self-sufficiency, and hope.

As local families slowly piece their lives and their communities back together, nine months after the initial devastation caused by the typhoon in December 2021, the construction of safe, secure homes is a great step in the right direction as they look towards a hopeful future.

Gilutongan Island images via the Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc.

PLEASE HELP OUR SACRED HEART FAMILY IN THE PHILIPPINES

“Beyond expectation”: Celebrating four years of the MSC Centre for the Poor in the Philippines

Our most recent update from the Philippines comes from Fr Richie Gomez MSC, community leader at the MSC Centre for the Poor. The Provincial Conference for the Philippines took place in August, in person for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck, and Fr Richie writes with the highlights of a report on the latest progress of the MSC Centre for the Poor.

“What has happened at the Centre for the Poor since it was established four years ago, up to this moment, is beyond expectation!” writes Fr Richie. “It has given birth to an agricultural cooperative movement among farmers that expresses our concerns, especially regarding the poor and the marginalised in our society.  Our Centre is a grass-roots, non-profit organisation dedicated to taking care of the environment and well-being of the people by providing services to the community in terms of spiritual, pastoral, and socio-economic needs.”

       

“A working arm of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.”

“The MSC Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative (MSC-CEPAGCO) is a working arm of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, responding the many difficulties that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, by organising the farmers’ sector to ensure food sustainability and care of our common home,” Fr Richie continues.

The Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative has been recognised by the Cooperative Development Authority in the Philippines, and in June received an award from the Department of Agriculture naming them one of the most outstanding Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country, and running one of the most successful agri-farms in the Caraga region. “This is a great honour for the Centre,” writes Fr Richie, “reinforcing our unique position as we help and better improve livelihoods and the quality of life of the community.”

Empowering the disadvantaged and marginalised

The cooperative currently has 30 young college students, all from disadvantaged backgrounds, working with them in their shared mission to “produce affordable, healthy food for all”. Not only is the cooperative focused on taking care of our earth, and creating sustainable food sources for local communities, it also prioritises development opportunities for young people, or marginalised individuals, who struggle to go beyond backgrounds that may be rooted in severe poverty, hardship, and social issues. “We want to empower the small-scale farmers, youths who are out of school, indigenous cultural communities, those who are working to overcome addiction, and repatriated OFWs (people from the Philippines who have been living and working abroad),” Fr Richie explains. Teaching these young or marginalised people invaluable skills, the cooperative allows them to find a place for themselves, playing valuable roles and being an important part of a bigger picture, while also learning useful skills that will help them to find employment opportunities as they move forward in life.

In essence, “The Centre for the Poor aims to help rural and urban poor communities to develop sustainable livelihoods that will benefit them and will support their daily lives”. Two centres are currently in operation, one in Butuan City and the other in Del Monte, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, which is also home to the cooperative’s demonstration farm.

From “me to we.”

Responding to the “wake-up calls” that our earth is giving us, the MSC Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative are promoting the shift from “me to we”, from “monoculture to diversity”, and from “competing with nature to partnering with nature”. From the construction of brick cooking stoves in several locations, to the installation of rainwater filtration systems, along with a host of further developments and partnerships, the Centre for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative has been going from strength to strength. We send our heartfelt congratulations to Fr Richie, his MSC brothers, and the MSC-CEPAGCO community on their tremendous achievements to date, with every blessing and good wish as they continue in their vital work.

       

IF YOU CAN, PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MISSIONARY WORK

MSC Mozambique mission visits Ibo Island

At the end of July, our MSC Mozambique mission visited Ibo Island, an island situated just off northern Mozambique in the Indian Ocean. Situated over 70km from Pemba, where our mission is based, Ibo Island is also in the province of Cabo Delgado.

Fr Eduardo visited Ibo Island with Fr Girley, who travelled from Brazil to visit the mission, and spent three days on the island from July 29th to 31st.

“We were greeted with great joy and affection,” posted Fr Eduardo on the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.

“After almost two years I can say that it was a great joy for us, for Father Girley who came from Brazil to visit us, as well as for the Christians living on the island.”

Upon their arrival, our MSC group met with the local community and celebrated Mass together. The second day of their visit incorporated a Confession service and a Sunday school programme, along with a celebration of the Liturgy of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, who is the patron saint of the Ibo Parish. The final day of their visit saw further celebrations, with a total of 18 baptisms and seven young people marking the First Holy Communion.

       

“It was indeed a weekend of great joy for us and the entire Catholic community of Ibo Island,” concluded Fr Eduardo.

As our Mozambique mission continues in its ongoing work to minister to local families, alongside those who have been displaced by war, we ask you to please join us in keeping our brothers in the Sacred Heart, and the communities they serve, in your prayers.

Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.
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Aged-care ministry in Papua New Guinea

Early in 2021, the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart joined forces with the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Papua New Guinea to raise funds for a laundry in their aged-care centre in Port Moresby, as part of our annual MSC World Projects Appeal.

The Hartzer Centre is an aged-care facility attached to the main convent in Port Moresby, the country’s capital, where the Sisters care for elderly OLSH Sisters and MSC missionary priests who have devoted their lives to serving the people of Papua New Guinea. Eight rooms are dedicated to the care of elderly residents at the centre, and it was an ongoing worry that the facility did not have a dedicated laundry area of its own, with nurses carrying all dirty laundry through the convent dining room to reach the communal washing area. This has been a pressing hygiene concern, especially in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In December of last year, Sr Rosaleen O’Brien contacted us with an update on progress on the new laundry facilities being installed in the Hartzer Centre – progress that had been slowed considerably due to the effects of the COVID pandemic. We have been delighted to receive further updates in recent weeks, with thanks to our benefactors for their help in getting the project completed.

“Please convey our gratitude to all of the donors for their great contribution to the laundry project for our aged-care facility,” writes Sr Rosaleen. “We have at long last completed the work which has taken time because of COVID, and also a lack of materials when needed.”

“I do not know what to say, as it is such a help to us here – especially with our infirm patients, who, in this climate, need a lot of care each day,” Sr Rosaleen continues. “Sr Gabriella and her helpers are truly happy with this project.”

“We continue to pray for each person who has donated money for this important project, especially during the COVID pandemic, which is still affecting so many people around the world.”

         

We add our thanks to those of our OLSH Sisters; the ongoing support of our mission friends and benefactors here in the Irish Province provides immeasurable encouragement to our Sacred Heart family around the world, especially in these particularly challenging times. Sincere thanks to all who helped to provide these essential facilities for the elderly residents of the Hartzer Centre, and to all who continue to offer their friendship and their prayers as we continue on our shared missionary journey to make God’s love known everywhere.

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Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 2022

Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 2022

MSC Missions, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, OLSH Novena, Sacred Heart Church Cork, Sacred Heart Church Western Road, Sacred Heart Parish Cork, Sacrament of Reconciliation, Sacrament of Anointing, Mass of Healing, missionary work, prayer of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, prayer to Our Lady

Our annual Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is a beautiful time of reflection and thanksgiving, when we bring our prayers and petitions before Our Lady.

Our Novena of Masses runs for nine days and will take place from Wednesday, August 31st to Thursday, September 8th.

All are welcome to join in this year’s Novena Masses, which will take place daily at 10.00am and 7.30pm at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road, Cork. Daily Novena Masses will also be available to watch live from the Sacred Heart Church, as we welcome those who cannot be with us in person.

The Sacred Heart Parish welcomes each and every one of our mission friends and parishioners, from near and far, to pray with us during this year’s Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

 

Be part of this year’s Novena to the Sacred Heart

At this special time of year, you can help us to help others by supporting our ongoing mission projects, and in gratitude for your contribution, we will be glad to remember your intentions at our daily Novena Masses. You can then submit your personal prayers and intentions online, and our MSC priests will remember your petitions specially throughout the course of the Novena.

The theme of year’s Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart will be “Mary, Mother of Compassion”, and it will be celebrated several of our MSC priests and brothers over the nine days.

Each year, the Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart offers great solace and comfort to all who take part, as we bring our prayers and personal intentions before our Holy Mother. As we emerge from the immediate difficulties of the past two and a half years, and continue to navigate the ongoing challenges of our troubled world, we come together in the spirit of hope, reflection, and thanksgiving at this sacred time. All are very welcome to join us, in person and online, for our Novena Masses as we come together to reflect and give thanks in the grace and love of Our Lady.

OLSH Novena at the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork

Daily Novena Masses:
10.00am & 7.30pm

Wednesday, August 31st 
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr John Finn MSC & Bro Giacomo Gelardi MSC

Thursday, September 1st 
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC & Bro Giacomo Gelardi MSC

Friday, September 2nd
Day of Reconciliation
Penitential Services celebrated by
Fr Tom Mulcahy MSC

Saturday, September 3rd
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr Seamus Kelly MSC

Sunday, September 4th
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr John Finn MSC

Monday, September 5th
Reflection on Mary & Suffering
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr John Fitzgerald MSC

Tuesday, September 6th
Day of Healing
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr John Fitzgerald MSC

Wednesday, September 7th
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr Joe McGee MSC

Thursday, September 8th
Novena Masses celebrated by
Fr Joe McGee MSC

Dates to Note

For those who cannot be with us in person, you are very welcome to join us for our daily online Novena Masses on our live stream, united in spirit as we pray together as a great family of faith.

We welcome each and every one of you to this year’s Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

We hope and pray that these nine days of prayer will be a grace-filled and blessed time for all of us.

TAKE PART IN OUR 2022 OLSH NOVENA

The Sacred Heart family helping typhoon survivors in the Philippines

As the people of the Philippines continue to rebuild their homes, lives, and livelihoods following the devastation caused by Typhoon Odette in December 2021, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart are ongoing in efforts to help with repair and restoration.

In the middle of July, the Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office in the Philippines reported that the MSC Task Force Odette had held a ground-breaking ceremony in Gilutongan Island, located in Cordova, Cebu, to mark the beginning of the housing project here.

The MSC Typhoon Odette Housing Project has been in force throughout the first half of this year, with construction beginning in Bayagnan Island in Surigao City in March, and now, with the next phase of the project underway, more than 160 families in Gilutongan Island will be able to live safely and comfortably once again in secure homes.

     

Our Sacred Heart Sisters, the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, are also facilitating the rebuilding of homes, and the restoration of livelihoods in the Philippines – most recently, for fishermen in Barangay. The OLSH community in the Philippines donated motorised fishing boats to the fishing community of Barangay Caw-oy, and these boats were named in honour of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Together, we pray for the continued success of these relief programmes, for all of our MSC brothers and OLSH Sisters in the Philippines, and for the families and communities they serve.

Gilutongan Island images via the Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc.

PLEASE HELP OUR SACRED HEART FAMILY IN THE PHILIPPINES

 

MSC Summer Appeal 2022: Ministry for war refugees in Mozambique

MINISTRY FOR WAR REFUGEES IN MOZAMBIQUE

In March 2018, our MSC mission was established in the diocese of Pemba, Mozambique – a very poor part of the country, with little to no church infrastructure or active pastoral ministry. Since then, the nature of the mission has had to be open to change in the face of war, violence, political unrest, and natural disasters, while in the midst of it all, local communities continue to grow together in faith and prayer.

Since the beginning of the war, the district of Metuge has been an area where those who have been displaced, or forced to flee from their homes, have taken refuge in camps. Here, they have been welcomed with an open heart, despite the region’s serious struggles with severe poverty.

When refugees arrive initially, having had no choice but to flee, the first actions taken are practical ones, incorporating the distribution of food, clothing, hygiene products, and any necessary medication. From there, every effort is made to enable displaced members of the community to become more self-sufficient, generating their own income in order to be able to support their families with a sense of dignity and self-esteem.

DIGNITY & UNITY IN METUGE

CHICKEN FARMING PROGRAMME

A chicken farming programme aims to involve 50 young people living in the Metuge region. Chickens will be reared in order to generate income, while encouraging the development of practical skills. In addition to being part of a community project, the young people involved will be able to take the skills they learn and put them into practice in future roles, promoting a sense of personal independence and self-sufficiency as part of their family unit.

RADIO WITHOUT BORDERS

Diocesan radio station Radio Without Borders is the main means of communication for the faithful within the region. The purchase of a new van aims to provide easier access to the radio station for many who may not have the facilities in place to be able to listen easily. The van will travel around the diocese, visiting refugee camps to ensure that everyone can be included in church activities and avail of helpful productions in local languages, supporting people who are surviving from day to day, having been torn from their homes and all they know.

IF YOU CAN, PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MOZAMBIQUE MISSION

MSC Summer Appeal 2022: Helping the homeless in Brazil

HELPING THE HOMELESS IN BRAZIL

Founded in 2012, the Albergue da Misericórdia is a shelter for homeless men run by MSC missionaries in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro. Translated from Portuguese, the word “misericórdia” encompasses the idea of mercy, compassion, and charity – and that is exactly what the community at this centre does.

The shelter currently houses 43 men between the ages of 18 and 59. These men are provided with food, health care, and bathing facilities, along with a safe, secure place to stay. The team here also help with sourcing important documentation, such as birth certificates, identity cards, and other essential papers required to contact family, gain work, and reintegrate with society.

This care service supplies residents with three meals and two snacks every day, while also providing facilities for personal hygiene, medical and dental care, psychological care, education, and clothing. The centre also welcomes homeless men who do not wish to seek shelter, but who visit to bathe and eat when they need to, knowing they have a safe place to turn.

“One of the main goals of the centre is to welcome, accompany, and guide homeless men who want to effectively change their lives, supporting them in the process of social and spiritual reintegration.”

OPEN HEARTS IN RIO DE JANEIRO

Residents at the centre take part in a scheduled routine of daily tasks, encouraging a sense of discipline and responsibility. They clean and care for the house and outdoor areas, maintain the bathrooms and kitchen, separate and store food that arrives via donations, help with food preparation, deal with waste disposal and recycling, tend to the vegetable garden, and care for the pigs raised in the outdoor area of the hostel grounds.

MSCs at the Albergue da Misericórdia depend largely on financial donations from benefactors and the local community to carry out their ongoing work in helping the homeless. They also receive a small income from food drives and the sale of second-hand clothes and goods at the São Pedro de Alcântara Church, along with a subsidy for 15 men from the São Gonçalo City Hall.

“Today, our project needs help,” writes Fr Jean Francisco Monteiro Aguiar MSC. “Our shelter can hold up to 50 men. The City Council subsidises us for 15 users, and it is our responsibility to find resources to help the rest. Now, we must ask for help to maintain this project, which has such a deep social impact.”

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MINISTRY IN BRAZIL

The Bishop of Pemba visits our MSC mission in Mozambique

In mid-July, our MSC mission in Mozambique welcomed the Bishop of the Diocese of Pemba, Dom Juliasse, to the district of Metuge, where he celebrated Mass and spent a very special day with the community of St AntĂ´nio de Metuge.

Appointed Bishop of Pemba earlier this year, Bishop AntĂłnio Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo is an active voice in the ongoing ministry in the face of fear and corruption in the region. His day spent with the Fr Eduardo and the community of St AntĂ´nio de Metuge was an uplifting one for everyone involved, beginning with a beautiful Mass and concluding with a special lunch, including a cake fit for the occasion!

       

The Bishop also met with representatives from the community and government administrators from the district, in order to discuss the challenges and issues faced by local people every day. “It was a very positive meeting,” reports the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.

Our MSC mission in Metuge continues in its ministry for all those in need, caring for local families and communities struggling with extreme poverty and hardship, alongside war refugees who have been forced to flee from their homes in indescribable fear and uncertainty. Together, we pray that they be blessed with continued strength to face the challenges that are currently part of daily life in Pemba.

       

Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.
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Fr Alan in South Sudan: A visit from the MSC Superior General

Soon after arriving in South Sudan in November 2020 for my current appointment, I received a WhatsApp message from Fr AbzalĂłn, the Superior General of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, wishing me the best with the new mission and saying that he would like to visit one day. In the height of the pandemic, travelling anywhere seemed unlikely, and the possibility of coming to Rumbek would test even the most credulous of believers.

Less than two years later, though, I was in Juba to welcome him early on a Wednesday morning. When I first arrived in 2017 on a research trip, the airport was a simple tent, with no chairs that worked, and a length of runway. Now we have graduated to a building with one carousel, a sort of Central African Knock International Airport if you will. After a brief prayer to St Jude, he successfully negotiated the labyrinthine entry visa process, and we were off.

Challenges and resilience

Part of the Superior General’s mission was to see what was happening in Diocese of Rumbek and to explore if there was a need for a greater MSC presence. To that end, we spent our first day meeting with the head of religious missionaries in the country and then the coordinator of the Jesuit Refugee Service (both coincidentally Irish) to get the lay of the land and a sense of the reality of the people. That evening, we had dinner with Christian Carlassare, the newly ordained Bishop of the Diocese of Rumbek. He returned to the country just last March to be ordained, following an attempt on his life in 2021. Over cremated nyama choma (a speciality of grilled meat), the Bishop told him of the many challenges the Diocese faced, but also about the resilience of the people who persevered through a long fight for Independence and the Civil War of 2013.

Before sunrise, we were back to the airport for our flight to Lakes State. The closest approximation to the domestic departures experience is if you imagine the chaos in Dublin Airport earlier this year, then squeeze it all into one-tenth of the space, occasionally switch off the power, raise the temperature about 20C, and then you’re about half-way there. However, our guardian angels were working time and a half, and by 8:10am we had arrived in Rumbek and were heading to Loreto, which would be Fr Abzalón’s base for the week.

Exploring Loreto and beyond

Fr AbzalĂłn had the opportunity to explore the Loreto compound, beginning with the Mary Ward Primary Health Care Clinic. In addition to looking after all the students and staff, it has responsibility for nine local villages encompassing 27,000 people. Most come for vaccinations, nutritional support, and especially malaria treatment. In the primary school, there are 1,400 day pupils, with a further 340 boarding girls in the secondary school. We are coming to the end of the first semester, so everyone was intent on their revision for exams. That afternoon he came to the Catholic University of South Sudan, Rumbek, where I work as principal. There, he met the young men and women who are training to be the teachers and the business people of the future.

It’s hard to believe in recent years that to drive into the east of Rumbek would mean that you were taking your life in your hands. It would be highway robbery, except there was no highway and if you got away with just being robbed you would be doing well. With the arrival of the new governor last year there have been far fewer problems. On Friday, we joined the final-year students and some of the staff to be part in a peace walk to the Parish of the Good Shepherd in Thonaduiel. We started off like good pilgrims at dawn and arrived eight hours later and 45km away, finishing with a short time of prayer. It was a witness for the villages we walked through of the country that could be built together if peace were to flourish.

South Sudan celebrated its Independence on the 9th of July 2011, and every year since then it has been a day for processions, speeches, and sports in Freedom Square. They have an understandable sense of pride over the establishment of their nation, but are conscious too of the outstanding issues that remain, most notably peace building, the rights of women, and the first elections that are due to take place next year. The Loreto students were out in force for the day and their marching was featured on national TV, to the great excitement of all the girls.

Pioneering work

The next few days allowed Fr AbzalĂłn the chance to visit some of the local villages in Maker Kuei, where we are based. People live in simple conditions with a quiet dignity and have a genuine warmth for visitors. He took a cooking class to learn how to make combo (a type of stew containing vegetables, peanuts, and meat) over a charcoal fire. He also attended some of my CRE classes in the secondary school and shared what life is like in Guatemala, his home country. It was a special blessing to have him celebrate our Sunday Mass for the students outdoors under the shade of the neem trees.

As his week came to a close, Fr AbzalĂłn still had a lot to see. On Tuesday, we went to visit the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Mapourdit. The Daughters are the trailblazers of the Chevalier Family in South Sudan. They have been here for over twenty-five years and they endured many hardships before the country won Independence. Today, they continue their pioneering work in education and healthcare under the most challenging of conditions.

       

Thursday came around quicker than anticipated and Fr AbzalĂłn headed back to Juba to get a COVID test and an onward flight to Rome. Looking back on his experiences he wrote to us that same week:

“The mission … is a wonderful and prophetic project of education and integral promotion, especially of young women. The community there struggle day by day to build and transform this challenging and complex, but at the same time, beautiful reality. The Chevalier Family is present in South Sudan.”
– Fr AbzalĂłn Alvarado Tovar MSC
Superior General of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart

Ben Nhialic areer kek a yin,
Fr Alan

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

PLEASE HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN