Visit to South Africa

Fr. Joe (far right) with the MSC novices and Fr. Frank Gallagher, msc (Novice Master)

During the month of April 2007, Fr. Joe McGee, msc (Deputy Provincial) and Fr. Michael O’Connell, msc (Director of the Mission Support Centre) paid a visit to the Region of Southern Africa where Missionaries of the Sacred Heart from the Irish Province have worked for many years. The purpose of the visit was to familiarize themselves with the current situation of the MSCs and to offer support and encouragement on behalf of the Provincial Superior Fr. Patrick Courtney, msc and the Irish Province.

Fr. Joe visiting Holy Family AIDS orphanage

From day one this proved to be a very exciting experience for both Fr. Michael and Fr. Joe. They thoroughly enjoyed visiting all the communities and places of work stretching from Cape Town in the south to Tembisa and Midrand near Johannesburg and as far north as Louis Trichardt and Musina on South Africa’s border with Zimbabwe. The MSCs are certainly involved in a wide variety of missionary activity ranging from parish work to human development and of course great involvement in ministry to those effected by the AIDS pandemic.

Fr. Joe with some of the congregation outside their shack church in Winnie Mandela squatter camp

For Fr. Joe the highlight of this first visit was the experience of celebrating Eucharist on his final Sunday morning. In both the large parish church of St Matthew’s in Moya and the tiny temporary shack in the Winnie Mandela Squatter Camp where he and Fr. Michael concelebrated with the parish priest, Fr. Jonas Mokoena, msc, he was completely taken by the quality of singing and the depth of faith of the local people. “The African people certainly know how to sing and celebrate very early on a Sunday morning” said Fr. Joe, “with the beat of a few native drums the congregation bursts into harmonious singing that would be worthy of the National Concert Hall in Dublin”.

Fr. Michael O' Connel and Fr. Jonas Mokoena, msc at Sunday Mass

In his capacity as director of our Mission Support Centre in Cork, Fr. Michael was keen to extend his support to all the missionaries in South Africa and to see all of the pastoral and social projects that are being funded so generously by MSC benefactors. We look forward to seeing some of his many photographs on this website and in other MSC publications in the future.

The MSCs currently working in South Africa

“Three weeks is not long enough” says Fr. Joe who intends to return to Southern Africa at some future date in order to deepen this first time experience and to learn much more about this vast country which offers so many challenges and opportunities for the spread of the Gospel message. We wish all Missionaries of the Sacred Heart working in Southern Africa every blessing in what is always challenging yet most fulfilling work in the service of God’s Kingdom.