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MSC Centennial In Ireland - 2009

Lord Mayor of Cork hosts Civic Reception for MSC

March 3rd 2009






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The Lord Mayor and the MSC guests at the reception
On Tuesday March 3rd the Lord Mayor of Cork City, Councillor Brian Bermingham, hosted a Civic Reception for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in honour of their 100th anniversary of establishing the first Irish foundation of the Society on the Western Road in Cork.

Some 28 MSCs and laity attended the Reception from communities and ministries across Ireland and England.





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Fr Pat Courtney MSC is invited to sign the visitors book at City Hall
Councillor Bermingham, in his address, recalled the long history of assocaition between the MSC Society and the City of Cork.  What began with Cork native, Fr Michael Tierney on the Western Road in 1909, has seen expansion throughout all of the various missionary endeavours of the Irish Province; Ireland, England, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Venezuela and Russia.

He concluded, "As Lord Mayor of Cork I am delighted that you could come here this evening to allow me to pay public tribute to you and to your predecessors, for your work and for your contribution to the life of the city and much further afield. I wish your celebrations and your reflections every success throughout your centenary year, and may your next 100 years be as fruitful as this one you are celebrating during 2009."



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The Lord Mayor presents the MSC with a commemorative crystal vase
Following his address he presented the Irish Provincial, Fr Pat Courtney MSC, with an Irish Crystal vase engraved with the Cork City crest.

In response to the Lord Mayor, Fr Pat expressed his deep gratitude for the honour shown the MSC Irish Province by the City of Cork.  He spoke of the mutuality and deep rapport that has developed between the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and Cork city over the last 100 years; the way the MSC Society has received so much from the people of Cork, but also how MSC have contributed to the city in many diverse spiritual, educational, cultural, sporting and civic ways.

Fr Pat concluded by making a presentation to the Lord Mayor of a history of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Great Britain and Ireland from 1877 to 1940 entitled "Late, But Not Too Late", written by Dr Henry Twohig, a Missionary of the Sacred Heart who hails from Castlemagner, Mallow, Co. Cork.


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Fr Pat Courtney MSC presents the Lord Mayor with a copy of the early history of the Irish Province
After the speeches and presentations the Lord Mayor and his wife graciously entertained the assembled guests to a buffet supper and drinks.

It was a very enjoyable evening and a great honour for the whole Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, celebrating the tremendous likns that have existed with the city of Cor form our very origins and which continue to this day.

You can read the text of the Lord Mayor's address here.

You can read the text of Fr Pat Courtney's response here.