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 Process is being led by an eight member "Consultative Body" established by the Provincial Council.  Their task has been to design and implement a process that engages all the members in this important and prayerful work of discernment and planning.  They have been assisted in their work by two members of the Kinharvie Institute from Glasgow.

An earlier joint Assembly had been held in the Spring of this year in "Grace Dieu", our own MSC Retreat Centre in Waterford.  Since then the members have been engaged in conversation at local community level and in small groups gathering around various themes.

Once again at this Autumn Assembly there was a tremendous turn-out of active (and some retired) members from across the home countries of the Irish Province.  While all recognise that this is a time of ageing and shrinking membership, the two days were filled with a real sense of hope for the future.

The Assembly was an energising, engaging and positive experience for all involved, and an occasion to be renewed by each other in our calling as Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.  A strong sense of prayerfulness pervaded the entire two days.  On the first day Eucharist was led by our youngest member, Fr Alan Neville MSC, who was ordained in Cork earlier this summer.  On the Second day the Provincial, Fr Pat Courtney MSC led the final concluding Eucharist.

Although planning entails making choices and letting-go, when it is led by a sense of vocation and mission, and entrusted to the Holy Spirit, we grow in our capacity to trust God and one another and live to the full the ongoing mission entrusted to us by our founder, Fr Jules Chevalier.

Following on from the various elements of the consultative process over the last fourteen months, the Consultative Body will make a set of final recommendations to the Provincial Council towards the end of the year.