The Mission

The Mission

Purpose
History
Remote Planning
Preparation
Key Milestones

• Up • Purpose • History • Remote Planning • Preparation • Key Milestones •

What are we doing and why?

Mark van Beeumen MSC with Dirk Milio MSC and Juan Molina MSC (members of the Working Group) at the MSC European Assembly in 2004

As Missionaries of the Sacred Heart,

we live our faith in the Father's love

revealed in the Heart of Christ.

We want to be like Jesus

who loved with a human heart;

we want to love through him and with him

and to proclaim his love to the world.

MSC Constitutions, 10

In a constant effort to share in the sentiments

of the Heart of Christ,

we will be attentive to all human needs

and aspirations, such as,

the need to be respected as persons,

the need for love and peace,

for freedom, justice and truth,

and the search for meaning in life.

We will become all things to all people,

by respecting their different cultures,

and by being ready to undertake

whatever apostolic services people may need.

MSC Constitutions, 24

The Purpose of the Mission

What is the mission about? What are its aims? To be present as a small international Christian community in the heart of a contemporary and characteristic European city as a concrete witness to the transforming love, compassion and solidarity of Jesus Christ. Read more about the objectives of the project here.

The dream for such a new inter-Provincial MSC community emerged at a meeting of MSCs in Europe in 2002. But much has happened since then...

in May 2005 we developed an initial Statement of Purpose - a clear and focused vision to guide the life of the community and give direction to the decisions that would necessarily follow.
In April 2006, following an invitation of the Archbishop of Birmingham, we drafted a more precise statement of intent.
As our dialogue with the Archbishop continued so we settled on the city of Birmingham and the neighborhood of Aston in particular.
By the summer of 2006 we had decided upon a name for our community - the MSC Cordate Community. Cordate means heart-shaped and the motto and keywords in the logo help to express the desires and vision of the community.
At the beginning of October 2007 the community moved into its new residence in the heart of Aston, Birmingham and began the task of getting to know the neighborhood and exploring possibilities for ministry. Read more

The early history of the mission

The aim at that first Assembly of MSCs in Europe in 2002 was to join each of the eight MSC European Provinces in a common effort to explore new ways of being present to the fast changing nature of Western European society The project's development since that first creative dreaming has been a fascinating story. Read more

Remote Planning - Sept 2004 to Sept 2005

The period of remote preparation began once the three members of the community had been named in July 2004. During the following year a series of three meetings were held to plan for the launching of the community. Read more

The Preparatory Period - Oct 2005 to September 2007

Finally at the end of September 2005 Carl Tranter, Ton Zwart and Mark Van Beeumen came to live together in England. Then began the more intense period of community building, reading, sharing, praying, studying, visiting and discerning the direction the Lord is leading. This time included a three week Spirituality Seminar in Tilburg, The Netherlands which gave a chance to revisit MSC history, charism and spirituality from the perspective of this new mission. These months of intense preparation led them to choose Birmingham as the location for the new community and Aston as the particular neighborhood. It also led to frustrating, lengthy delays with the building of the house they were purchasing in Birmingham. Read more...

Key Milestones to date

While many small things happen on a daily basis, it is important to remember the key milestones on the path we are travelling together ... Read more...

• Up • Purpose • History • Remote Planning • Preparation • Key Milestones •