Celebrating 40 years

Frs. Joe Ruddy and Vincent Screene, two of the early group of MSCs to minister in Venezuela

It is exactly 40 years since the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart came to their first parish of Los Olivos in Venezuela, and on May the 25th 2007, a special celebration was held to mark the occasion.

Events centred around a special Eucharist celebrated in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Las Lomas, Maracaibo, a parish in the care of the MSCs, with Fr. Vincent Screene, msc as pastor and Fr. Eliel Araujo, msc as his assistant.

Representatives of all the parishes in Maracaibo as well as visitors from overseas filled the church for the lively liturgy which included lots of song and participation from the congregation. The liturgy was presided over by Mons. Eduardo Ortigoza, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Maracaibo. The Archbishop, Ubaldo Santana, was unable to be present as he was attending the Latin American Bishops´ Conference in Aparecida, Brazil.

The concelebrated Eucharist

The whole MSC community in Venezuela, both priests and students, participated. Joining them from overseas were Frs. Pat Courtney, msc (Provincial), Ciaran McCarthaigh, msc (ex-Provincial), James Dudley, msc, Chris Coleman, msc and John McCarthy, msc, all of whom came specially for the occasion.

Fr. Edgar Doria, present pastor of Los Olivos, the first MSC parish in Venezuela set up in 1967, was present and also Fr. Alfonzo a local diocesan priest.

The Superior General, Fr. Mark McDonald, msc sent a message of greetings with Fr. John McCarthy, msc which was read out at the end of the celebration.

In his homily Mons. Ortigoza spoke of the founding of the Congregation, its presence in the five continents today, the history of the Venezuelan MSC mission and the outreach of the “Misioneros” to the poorest areas in Maracaibo and Caracas.

Fr. Tom Jordan, msc with some of the youth group from Santissimo Sacramento parish

At the end of the celebration, Fr. Joe Ruddy, msc, the Venezuelan Regional Superior, thanked all who had come and gave each visitor a leaflet containing photos and a short history of the mission.

The Irish Provincial Superior, Fr. Pat Courtney also spoke. He expressed his admiration for the work done by the MSCs over the years in the various places of mission in Venezuela.

Fr. Pat Courtney, msc (Provincial) with the Venezuelan MSC seminarians

Fr. Courtney also thanked the Venezuelan people for having taken the “Misioneros” to their hearts and cooperated with them in the great work of evangelization. He said that it was indeed a reason to rejoice that there are now three Venezuelan MSC priests, Frs. Jose Nogales, Eliel Araujo and Vicente Buitrago and a group of MSC seminarians in training. The recent final profession of vows by Alan Neville MSC, a student of the Irish Province, was also a cause for rejoicing.

This celebration indeed afforded the opportunity to thank the Lord for His favours to the community and ask Him to continue to bless it.

Fr. Pat Courtney, msc (Provincial) and fellow MSCs and friends with the celebration cake