The Joy of the MSC Community in Vietnam
Wednesday October 25, 2023
On October 21, 2023, the Society of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) in Vietnam celebrated the 116th anniversary of the death of its founder, Fr. Jules Chevalier. In Vietnam, the MSC community also held a solemn Mass to commemorate our beloved founder. On this occasion, the community also closed the Jubilee Year celebrating the 20th anniversary of the presence of the MSC in the country of the “S”. The gathering included all members of MSC family in Vietnam: MSC brothers, OLSHs, MSC sisters, laity, MSC aspirants; and other guests as MSC benefactors, parish priest, construction company, the architect, and so on.
Before the Mass, Fr. Hoàng, MSC, the superior of the MSC community in Vietnam, presided over the blessing ceremony for the construction’s beginning of the second building of the MSC Scholasticate. This is a crucial milestone in the development of the congregation in Vietnam, and is an important project to meet the needs of training future MSC religious.
In his homily, Fr. Bob recalled Fr. Chevalier’s famous motto: “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere.” This is an invitation for us to live the spirit of love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He also encouraged the MSC religious brothers and priests to continue living the spirit of Fr. Chevalier, which is a spirit of love, charity, and compassion.
After the Mass, the MSC family and all the guests took a memorable photo together and had an agape meal. This was an opportunity for the community to share their joy and thank God for the graces He has bestowed upon the congregation.
Before meal, we watched a short clip of 20 years of MSC presence in Vietnam with so many memories, people, and grace of God. (Click here to watch it: http://ametur-msc.org/website/videos/20-years-of-the-vietnam-msc-community/)
During meal, Fr. Hưng, MSC, also introduced the image of the logo for the Jubilee Year of the Bicentennial of the birth of the founder Fr. Jules Chevalier, MSC which will take place on March 15, 2024.
Introducing the construction company and the architect to the community.
The doubled joy on the day of Fr. Chevalier’s memorial is a good omen for the MSC community in Vietnam. This is an opportunity for the community to reaffirm its mission to become the missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, bringing the love of God to everyone. The love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is an unconditional love. He loves everyone, regardless of wealth, poverty, social class, or good or evil. His love is a healing love, which can ease all pain and heal all wounds of the ages.
On this occasion, let us pray for all the MSC religious to always be courageous to share the love they have experienced from the Heart of Christ to all those around them. May the founder always intercede for us to learn his spirit to bring the message of healing love to the people of today. Amen.
Communication Committee
MSC Vietnam Community
