We have launched a range of cards for Mother’s Day that falls on 14 March. There are three cards in the range – all with images of roses. MSC are the first religious congregation in Ireland to produce such a card.

The card contains prayers for mothers and includes a remembrance in a Triduum of Masses that will be celebrated in Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork on 13-15 March.

Fr. Michael O’Connell, Director at the MSC Mission Support Centre said that Mother’s Day is a very special occasion within families, and it was felt appropriate to give praise for all mothers including “the many who gave their sons to the missions over the years”.

The cards are available at the Mission Support Centre, Leebrook House, Western Road, or through the post. The suggested donation is €10 towards MSC missionary work.

The death has taken place of Fr. Jack Shanahan who was the oldest member of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Ireland. Fr. Jack was born in 1911 in Castletownbere, Co. Cork, the eldest of two boys and three girls.

He received his primary education at Castletownbere National School and then travelled to Sacred Heart College, Western Road, Cork for his post primary education.  His home town is almost one hundred miles from Cork city.  As a young student at Sacred Heart College, Fr. Jack began his studies after a two-part journey from Castletownbere to Bantry by boat, and then by train to Cork city.   Mid-term breaks were not a feature of the educational system at that time.

The Holy Father has accepted the retirement from the office of Bishop of Tzaneen, South Africa, presented by the Right Reverend Hugh Slattery, MSC.

Bishop Hugh, a member of the Irish province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, assumed charge of the Diocese of Tzaneen in 1984 following the retirement of Bishop John Durkin MSC.  Prior to becoming Bishop, Hugh was the Regional Superior of the Irish MSCs in South Africa.

The MSC Spirituality Centre in Galway city, Croi Nua (New Heart) has recently announced a series of new events for the coming months.  They include the second part of an Enneagram workshop to be held in March and a new Lenten Lecture series in preparation for Easter 2010 - "Finding Easter Hope in Lenten Times".

These come on the back of a very successful Autumn lecture series based on the theme "The courage to believe" which attracted between 60-95 persons to each lecture.

Tuesday 8th December is the Foundation Day of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.  On the day of the promulgation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 the young Fr Jules Chevalier and his early companions founded our "Little Society".

155 years later our present Superior General, Fr Mark McDonald MSC addresses a letter to the whole Congregation.

In it he writes, "We should all be proud and thankful that we have been given the grace to follow in the footsteps of Fr. Jules Chevalier and the privilege of sharing his vision of God’s love with the world. As we celebrate today, let us remember these 155 years of history and recommit ourselves to living and sharing our charism in today’s world."

We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Fr Leo Hill MSC of the Australian Province who was visiting the MSC community in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Fr Leo was ordained in 1958 and celebrated his golden jubilee earlier this year.  His ministry included many years on the Parish Mission team of the Australian Province and a period as an MSC Superior.  He also served as a Parish Priest in Darwin in the north of Australia.

He  was hugely popular and much loved. His funeral will be held on Thursday, 10th December at 10am in the parish church of Ss. Alban and Stephen, St Albans followed by burial at Hatfield Road Cemetery. All are welcome.

The Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is deeply saddened to announce the death in Cork of Fr Michael Carrick MSC at 98 years of age.

A thoroughly pleasant, warm and jolly individual, Michael always delighted in the visits of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart to the Western Road. He loved to chat at night recounting happy memories of bygone days. He loved to visit his native Tralee as often as he could and appreciated the love and welcome of his family and many friends. Michael will be sorely missed by his family who loved him dearly as well as by his MSC confreres who will miss his gentle and pleasant company. We pray that he may rest in the peace and loving kindness of his Lord whom he served so faithfully all his life.

On 28th and 29th October some 53 MSC currently living and ministering in Ireland and the UK gathered in Emmaus Retreat and Conference Centre, Swords (near Dublin) for a two-day Autumn Assembly.

The Assembly was part of a process of reflection, conversation and discernment that has been ongoing for the last 14 months.  It is aimed at reviewing our home mission in Ireland and the UK and planning for the future.

The latest edition of the MSC Associate Newsletter has just been published by the Lay Associate group in Harker Heights, Texas.

Along with news from some of the Associate groups around the Province, and a report of a recent visit to Issoudun, there are articles on vocation and formation.

You can download the newsletter by clicking here.

Fr Bill, who died on March 3rd in Galway, Ireland, had been associated with Princethorpe from its very beginning in 1966 (and at St Bede's school in Leamington from 1960).   Bill was Headmaster of Princethorpe from 1969 to 1981 when he took up the position of Deputy Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Dublin.