ImageImageNovena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

31st August
to
8th September

In the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork

 

 

A novena - a grace-filled time

ImageA Novena is a very special grace-filled time of reflection. It is a time of intense personal prayer and petition, especially for our young people as they return to school or begin new jobs.

It is also a time of communal prayer with many hundreds of others who join with us, in person at the Sacred Heart Church on the Western Road in Cork, or remotely across Ireland and Great Britain with people following the novena in their own homes or via this website.

During the Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart we not only pray in intercession to Our Lady for our own needs, and the needs of those close to us, we also pray in communion with all those others who are making the novena.

We join with those who are far away in many different parts of the country and abroad. We remember in a special way all those enrolled in the Blue Book of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and those enrolled in the MSC Golden Book.

Each day special attention is given at the public Novena in the Sacred Heart Church, Cork, and by the MSC Communities at Grace Dieu in Waterford and at Myross Wood Retreat House in West Cork to the thousands of petitions that are sent in to the Mission Support Centre in Cork.


Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart was the title that our founder, Fr Jules Chevalier MSC, first used in 1857 to honour Mary.  His entire understanding of the person and role of Mary was summed up in the name he gave her. 

To understand fully the meaning of this title one should read it backwards, so to speak.

The important part of the title is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He is the centre. Mary is the mother who offers him to us, who desires that we enter into union with him, who longs to form us as she formed her Son Jesus, so that all humanity may discover the tenderness, compassion, mercy, strength, power, fidelity and constancy of the love of God revealed in the human heart of God’s own Son. 

Our title for Mary, therefore, is essentially Jesus-centred.  It is she who leads us to him and who offers him to us.

Mary is the mother who gives, who offers and who surrenders her Son so as to make us sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.

Using the language and imagery of his day Fr Chevalier wrote...

"Mary,
we understand more than ever
the inestimable part you play
in the work of our redemption
and the importance of your mediation
in applying its fruits to us.
Never perhaps have we understood so clearly
the basis for your all-powerful intercession,
your love for us,
and your role as Queen over us.
And so we understand the validity of your title,
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,
that expresses the meaning of these sublime privileges!
This title means that Mary is our Queen, our Mother
and consequently, Our Lady;
it means that the graces she gives us
come from the Heart of Jesus,
who has been pleased to put into her hands
all the treasures of his mercy.
And all these perogatives arise from her cooperation
in the work of our salvation."

Fr Jules Chevalier MSC
Founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
Image
Fr Chevalier and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart



The Novena at Western Road, Cork

This years Novena is being  preached by Fr. Raphael O'Halloran SSS. Many will have fond memories of Fr. Raphael from 2005 when he led the Sacred Heart Novena here in Sacred Heart Church.

Fr. Raphael is ‘one of our own’, born and reared in the parish of Newcestown, West Cork.   As a Presentation Brother he taught in Scoil Chríost Rí from 1983 to 1987, and also served there as Principal.   Students in Cobh, Bray, Letterkenny and Killarney were also privileged to have him as their teacher.

Fr. Raphael was ordained a priest in Killarney in 1993 and since then has spent some years in Glasgow, and is now actively involved in a Lay Eucharistic Evangelisation Programme.

During this Novena centered on Our Lady Fr. Raphael will, each day, concentrate on a different aspect of devotion to Mary.

Keeping in mind that this is also a time of special preparation for International Eucharistic Congress 2012 we are indeed very privileged to have Fr. Raphael, a member of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, to lead us in prayer for these nine days which we hope will be a time of special grace and blessing for everyone.

Novena Dates to Note:

There are two sessions daily – one at 10am and another at 8pm.

Monday Sept 5th - Penitential Service

Wednesday 7th Sept - Healing Service (including a Special Healing Service for those who cannot attend morning or evening session at 3.30pm)

Thursday 8th Sept - Day of special devotion

Adoration of Blessed Sacrament 10.00am—8.00pm

 

This year the Novena is being preached in aid of the MSC Mission in Russia.  Details of the current missionary challenge in Russia are availabe in the downloadable brochure here.

 

Novena Prayer to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Image Remember, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,
the great things the Lord has done for you;
He chose you for His mother,
He wanted you close to His cross,
He gives you a share in His Glory,
He listens to your prayer.
Offer Him our prayers of praise and thanksgiving.
Present our petitions to Him...

Share your petitions silently with Our Lady

Let us live like you
in the love of your Son
that His Kingdom may come.
Lead all people to the source of living water
that flows from His Heart,
spreading over the world hope and salvation,
justice and peace.
See our trust in you; answer our prayer.
Show yourself always, our Mother.
Amen.