Current News

St Mary’s Star of the Sea Cathedral: A DIOCESAN CELEBRATION of the 60th Anniversary of the Blessing and Opening of the Cathedral and the 50th Anniversary of its Consecration, Sunday August 21st, 2022. Acknowledging the opening of this landmark cathedral The Aboriginal Madonna The stained glass windows The bishop of…
A great photo – MSC Vietnam celebrating its 19th anniversary Scroll down for the full photo. A picture is worth 1000 words.  A picture of MSC Vietnam on 15th August 2003 would have the hopes of Peter Huan and Thoi. 19 years later we can see the fulfilment of hopes.…
A 12th Anniversary: Current News - and a tribute to longevity! Please enjoy it. Each year on this day, we post the story of the site itself – at least in its present format.  Today we celebrate 12 years of beginning the posts for Current News, one for each weekday…
Monday, 15 August 2022 22:31

MSC Formators Meeting in Africa

MSC Formators Meeting in Africa Last week we gave space and attention to Formation News from Latin America.  So equal space and attention to MSC Africa.     Almost all MSC formators from French-speaking Africa (UAF), together with the superior of the Entity, met between the 24th and 30th of…
Retreats at St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park. Some news and an invitation. Notice of a retreat: Directed retreats are on hold for the time being.  However, not entirely out of action: St Mary’s Towers: While the internal retreat programme ceases on 4th September, during this fallow time, the Towers is…
The Church with its Sleeves Rolled Up: The MSC Mission Office Roger Purcell MSC, Director, Reports This expression came up in discussion here in the Mission Office and appealed to us, and something that sticks in my mind. In thinking about evangelization to which we are all called I often…
Thursday, 11 August 2022 22:47

MSC Dominican Republic and Guatamala

MSC Dominican Republic and Guatamala To appreciate this photo, see below. The Dominican MSC Province rejoices in celebrating the first profession of three colleagues and the start of the 2022-2023. On Monday, August 1, Fritzner Chéry, Yefry Antonio Núñez and Wisnel Mesamour, performed their first religious profession, in an eucharistic…
Yarra Theological Union, 50 Years, Celebration of Service, Washing of Feet.   The evening of August 5th, a gathering at the Franciscan Chapel, staff and students,   for a symbolic ceremony of service. Reading John 13th and mutual washing of feet.   Organised by YTU Chaplain, Jill O’Brien SGS  …
Sad News for Kiribati, Diocese of Tarawa-Nauru Wikipedia entry:   Koru Tito (30 September 1960 – 7 August 2022) was an I-Kiribati priest of the Roman Catholic Church who was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru on 29 June 2020, but not consecrated until his death, 7th…
National Vocations Week, Interview with Stephen Hackett MSC. Around the Australian Church this week, Vocation in life is being promoted. Here is a YouTube video with Stephen Hackett MSC, more than 40 years an MSC, 36 years ordained, working in our colleges, our parishes, University chaplaincy, vocation recruiting and, currently…
Sunday, 07 August 2022 22:03

August 8th, St Mary MacKillop

August 8th, St Mary MacKillop Australian MSCs wish the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart a very happy Feastday.  Many links of MSC with the Sisters – Mary MacKillop anointed by Fr Matthew Smith from Randwick, Paul Stenhouse and daily Masses at North Sydney in the latter 1960s,…
Friday, 05 August 2022 22:51

Eulogy, Herman Kooyman MSC

Eulogy, Herman Kooyman MSC   With thanks to Malcolm Fyfe, photos John Kelliher and of Herman’s craft, epecially at Downlands College, to Anne McAtomney, Chevalier Institute   My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord! This expression of Mary’s joy that we heard in today’s Gospel, will find an echo…
Thursday, 04 August 2022 21:19

Chevalier Family First Friday intention

Chevalier Family First Friday intention   Each month a committee made up of members of the Chevalier Family, MSC, OLSH, MSC Sisters, Lay MSC choose a theme and send out a poster. A facet of Heart Spirituality.
Jules Chevalier met St John Vianney three weeks before the Cure died. Perhaps we haven’t read Fr Chevalier’s memoir for some time. Here it is again on the feast of the Cure of Ars. Shortly after the door opened and the holy man appeared with his surplice over his arm.…
News of the MSC-SVD transition in the Tiwi Islands Malcolm Fyfe MSC< Vicar General of Darwin Diocese, writes: FATHER VINCE CARROLL msc  finishes up today at Wurrumiyanga and will return to Downlands College, Toowoomba tomorrow. The diocese is very grateful to Father Vince who at short notice agreed to go…
Some Significant Days for the Chevalier Family, August, 2022 See August 1st, 14th, 27th, 30th, Mother Marie Louise Hartzer 1 August, 1887 The first four FDNSC Sisters arrive at Yule Island, PNG. 3 August, 1899 First community of MSC Sisters is established in Hiltrup, Germany: two Sisters of Divine Providence…
Sunday, 31 July 2022 11:54

RIP. Herman Kooyman MSC

RIP. Herman Kooyman MSC Malcolm Fyfe has informed us that Herman passed away at 5:40 pm today (Saturday 30th July). He was still making the occasional phone call until a couple of days ago. Due to the increased pain that he was experiencing in the last two days, he was…
Michelle Vass, Gratitude, Tribute, Retiring Retreat Centre Director (2016-2022) St Mary’s Towers Dominic Gleeson MSC, Celebration, July 23rd. The story of Michelle’s journey with St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park, began at the turn of the Century.   In the early 2000’s Michelle first visited the Towers with the intention to pray…
Daramalan College Past Students.  Achievements, Art, Sport, Student Activism   WHERE ARE THEY NOW – USA (UPDATE) Brenda Croft from 1981, currently a leading First Nations artist and scholar from the ANU, has been awarded the Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University for the…
Vocations promotions in Sydney – our MSC students Our MSC students are back after their study break from the Yarra Theological Union. They went to Sydney and spent time on Vocations Promotion in some parishes with Frank Dineen. Here are some photos of Trieu, Daniel and Hoa (who took many…
Francis and Canada’s First Nation peoples. Contrition, Confession, Reconciliation, Atonement… and a reminder to the Australian Church and preparation for the referendum.   One picture worth 1000 words,     And we remember John Paul II's visit to Alice Springs, 1986  
Campion College, new Resident Hall, in honour of Paul Stenhouse MSC While names like Magdalen College evoke the spires and cloisters of Oxford and the academic gowns passing to and fro, Australia’s first liberal Arts college is hoping the name Stenhouse Hall becomes synonymous with academic excellence in this country.…
Downlands building, coming down, going up Bob Irwin, who has been at Downlands this year while Vince Carroll is on Bathurst Island, sent these photos. The story with Downlands is that it is building new facilities as it prepares to begin taking in Prep to Year 3 in 2023 to…
Friday, 22 July 2022 23:12

Stories from around the MSC World

Stories from around the MSC World MSC Indonesia Ongoing Formation meeting. Chris Chaplin joined the group   USA Mission Office Jim Miller wwrites:  The USA MSC are now establishing our own Mission Office, which we will try to model on the Australian Office listed in this post. We are limiting…
Thursday, 21 July 2022 22:09

RIP, Jack Cantwell

RIP, Jack Cantwell We akcnowledge the deaths of men who have shared part of their lives with us Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. Peter Hendriks writes: Jack Cantwell R.I.P: I received a message from Kerry Thomas, Jack’s nephew, informing us that Jack died peacefully last night. He was 92 years…
In praise of the elders, Tony Young MSC, 60 years ordained Tony has spent the best part of 60 years of priestly ministry in PNG, especially in Nimowa and Eastern Papua. He established Hope Academy for online learning. We have featured the Academy over the years. But with covid these…
Tuesday, 19 July 2022 22:39

A PS to the Plenary Synod.

A PS to the Plenary Synod. (Acknowledging Columban Missionaries for the illustration)   Many important decisions, as with First Nation issues and the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Disappointment as to articulating women and men in the Church, equality and ministry.   At the time, Pope Francis met with editors…
In praise of our elders (Sirach 44). Our MSC 60 years ordained group. Albert Chan, with Harry Chan OFM, already celebrating the 60 years.   Celebrations like this are becoming more significant with our numbers in the province. Recent counting indicates that there are 46 members of the province 80…
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart statue, OLSH Kensington Peter Henrdriks writes: Earlier I informed you of a request we received from Javier Trapero from Spain inquiring about the OLSH statue below. All the information came in from Sydney, Wadeye, Melbourne, Adelaide and Africa and we can say:   o   …
The Mission of the Australian MSC Mission Office. Established by Adrian Meaney MSC with an ever-increasing overseas outreach, continuing with the present director, Roger Purcell MSC, Sean Donovan and his staff. Outreach to the Pacific, to Vietnam, to African countries and links with the Mission offices in the Philippines and…
Page 25 of 62