Pilgrimage to Knock

MSC Centennial in Ireland - 2009

Pilgrimage of Thanksgiving to Knock Shrine

July 25th 2009

United in Thanksgiving

Cardinal Brady addresses the pilgrims and MSC

On Saturday 25th July the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart hosted a most successful pilgrimage day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock. The pilgrimage was part of the year long celebration of the centenary of the arrival of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Ireland.

The members of the MSC Irish Province were delighted to welcome over four thousand pilgrims from all parts of Ireland as well as some from England and even from as far away as the United States.

Our missionaries from South Africa, Venezuela and the United States, currently home on holiday, joined with MSCs from Ireland and England for the ceremonies. Pilgrims, benefactors, friends and MSCs were delighted to have the occasion to meet with each other.

MSCs were happy to avail of the opportunity to express their appreciation to our benefactors for their generosity. Benefactors were glad to meet in person the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who promise to pray daily for their intentions.

During the course of the day a Service of Reconciliation was led by Fr Kevin Shanahan MSC. The Stations of the Cross were led by Fr Des Farren MSC and Mrs Ann Laird, a parishioner from Sacred Heart Parish, Killinarden, Tallaght, Dublin.

An aerial view of the celebration of Eucharist at Knock Shrine

The Eucharistic Celebration

The concelebrants lead the celebration of Eucharist

The principal concelebrant at the Mass was His Eminence Cardinal Brady who congratulated the missionaries and the benefactors for promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart as well as to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Alongside Cardinal Brady and the many MSC priests, the Mass was concelebrated by the Provincial of the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Fr Pat Courtney MSC, the MSC Superior General from Rome, Fr Mark McDonald MSC, and bishops Hugh Slattery MSC (Tzaneen, South Africa) and Michael Neary (Tuam).

In his homily Fr Mark McDonald MSC, the Superior General of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, also thanked the benefactors and encouraged the Irish MSC province to continue the good work entrusted to them by the Lord. Fr Mark gave one example from his recent visit to India of the help given by Irish benefactors not only to Irish MSCs but to the wider MSC missionary brotherhood working abroad.

Archbishop Michael Neary thanks the MSC

Gratitude

Archbishop Neary from Tuam thanked the MSCs at the end of the Mass for being such an inspirational presence in his diocese until our move to the diocese of Galway in the late 1970s.

The provincial of the Irish province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Fr Patrick Courtney MSC, expressed his delight at the end of a very successful day describing it as a specially graced occasion and a time filled with blessings for both MSCs and our many friends and benefactors.

Fr Michael O’Connell, director of the Mission Support Centre was inundated with hundreds of benefactors who queued for long periods just to meet the man who for them is the major contact between the Congregation and themselves.

A new Prayer Book of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart

Cardinal Brady (centre) looks at the new MSC Prayer Book, accompanied by the MSC Superior General, Fr Mark McDonald (left) and the Irish Provincial Superior, Fr Pat Courtney MSC (right)

During the pilgrimage in Knock we were delighted to launch our new MSC prayer book, "Heart to Heart", which received a warm response from Cardinal Brady and our Superior General, Fr Mark McDonald (pictured here with Fr Pat Courtney MSC, Provincial Superior).

Each pilgrim received a copy of the book on the day and many requested additional copies to bring home to family members.

Prepared by the late Fr Bill Clarkson MSC, the book contains prayers for all occasions and circumstances in our lives. Prayers of petition, praise and thanksgiving together with some new reflections and prayers to the Sacred Heart are in the book.

Unique to this book are some reflections and quotations from Fr Jules Chevalier, founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

The new MSC prayer book

On the front cover Our Lady of the Sacred Heart is depicted at the foot of the cross. This image, unique to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, is explained within the book. Readers will enjoy the particularly insightful passages explaining devotion to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

The book also contains references to the MSC Golden Book and Blue Book of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart reminding us that each time we use this book we never pray alone but we pray with the whole Church and in a particular way we pray in union with Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and benefactors and supporters throughout the world.

We are confident that all who use this little book will find it inspiring.

Copies can be obtained from the Mission Support Office MSC Mission Support Centre, P.O. Box 23, Western Road, Cork, Ireland. A suggested donation of €10 would help to cover the cost of printing and postage.

Downloads available

The following downloads are available in Adobe pdf format. Most computers already have this software installed. If you need to install the programme on your computer you can download a free version here.

The pilgrimage booklet, containing words of introduction and welcome along with texts for the Service of Reconciliation and the Concelebrated Eucharist, can be downloaded here.

The full text of Cardinal Brady’s address can be downloaded here.

Fr Mark McDonald’s homily can be downloaded here.

Photo Gallery

During the entrance procession the Golden Book of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Blue Book are amongst the gifts
Fr Michael O'Connell MSC (Director, Mission Support Centre) received the procession of banners at the beginning of mass Cardinal Brady addresses the pilgrims during Mass James Kilbane leads the singing during mass Fr Mark McDonald preaching at the Mass The congregation for the Eucharist	Fr Mark McDonald MSC celebrating the sacrament of the sick The Knock Choir Fr Dave Nixon MSC with some of the pilgrims Golden Jubilarian Fr Jim Mannix MSC with some pilgrims Cardinal Brady (left) with pilgrims Rosemary Kinsella and Bro Donie Hallissey MSC from Tamworth, England Newly ordained Fr Alan Neville MSC with pilgrims