A Personal Story SharedFr Con O'Connell MSC speaks about his vocation Con O’Connell hails from Kilmacud, Stillorgan, County Dublin. Before entering the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart he successfully completed a Bachelor of Science degree at University College Dublin. But Con knew there was something more. “Something in me wanted to live a more radical and challenging way of life.” Living as part of a religious community, trying to put into practice the reality of living out the commitment to vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience with the MSC (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart) and reaching out to others in a spirit of service drew Con into our way of life. A particular member of the MSC order who inspired Con was Fr. Diarmuid O’Murchu MSC, who challenged Con, “to see the connection between social justice and peace and God’s Kingdom dream for the earth and its people.” Since becoming an MSC, Con has: - worked in retreat ministry journeying with people in their spiritual search pursued further study in philosophy and counselling taught philosophy at the Milltown Institute, Dublin worked in the formation of our young men in their novitiate year of training “Seeing the good we can do” inspires Con in this way of life, “helping a person to become unburdened of old hurts during a retreat or trying to offer some consolation to a grieving family at a funeral put God’s love into real life,” says Con. “Ministry has taken me to places that I’d never expected – geographically (South Africa) and personally – stretching me and opening me up to possibilities I could never have imagined.” For Con, the image from Scripture which he identifies with most readily in his own life is that of Elijah in the cave (1 Kings 19:9-18). Elijah is expecting to experience God’s presence in the dramatic, in the fire, the earthquake or the strong wind. But God’s still, small voice comes to him in the gentleness of the breeze. This reminds Con of the need to pay attention and listen to God who is ever-present and ever-calling, reassuring and challenging! A new chapter of listening, serving and celebrating life is beginning for Con as he takes his leave of retreat work at Grace Dieu Retreat Centre in Waterford and crosses over to pastoral work in the parish of St. John the Baptist in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. We wish Con well in his new surroundings and thank him for sharing some of his vocation journey as a Missionary of the Sacred Heart. 
Con working with young people on retreat at Grace Dieu Manor in Waterford, Ireland
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