Deacon Michael Hangan, Moonah, his MSC Commitment
Michael reflects on his journey with the MSC – and some photos from our archives.
We all realise that sometimes we take a different path and it’s not the true path to where we are supposed to be going. What I am saying is that we take the path that we think is the correct one, going in the direction we think we should be going. But God, gently refocuses us to the correct path. The path that I had taken allowed me to see the joys that God had placed along the way.
My first encounter with the MSC’s was in 1994, when, with my then fiancée Eva we came to Moonah for our marriage preparation and our wedding. A brief encounter this was, but one that allowed a spark to flicker within me. This flame slowly burned for the next eleven years before we moved to Tasmania and we took up residence in Moonah.
If we go back to 2004, deciding to change our lives completely by relocating to Tassie with our two young sons, not having jobs, no-where to live, but everything just fell into place by placing our trust in the providence of God. Arriving at the Moonah Parish , we felt immediately at home, made welcome by the community with love gathered around us.
St Therese Church
It was upon this return and under the guidance of inspirational Parish leaders (Frs. Ted McCormack, Peter Wood, Stephen Hackett, Mark Hanns and Krish Mathavan), that the MSC flame burning within was fanned.
With Mark Hanns and parishioners
Still searching, I travelled this journey, working with, the youth of the Parish and Fr Ted, toward World Youth Day, and became more involved with the Parish through many activities. It was during World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008, that I experienced an opening of my heart, my call. At Barangaroo close to the last station of the Stations of the Cross, there was a feeling of peace and calm, but with more questions I just didn’t know where to get the answers from. It was Fr Peter’s gentle guiding hand, encouraging me, helping me, nurturing me, that led me to the Diaconate and my ordination on 19th May 2013. The great joy following my ordination was to be appointed to Moonah Parish. An unusual decision, for Diocesan Clergy to be appointed to an Order (the MSC) Parish. I became immersed in the life of Parish, but somehow differently from before my ordination.
Proclaiming the Gospel at Peter Wood’s funeral Mass
The path to my commitment was not straight, and as mentioned above was probably diverted by myself and sometimes by others, but the heart kept calling.
In 2019, I was invited to join the MSC Parish Formation Team, and we (the other team members, myself & Fr Chris McPhee), travelled to Douglas Park, for our formation retreat. From here the team was to go out to parishes and form MSC Parishes in Heart Spirituality. It was during this initial retreat that I became more fully aware that the heart of Jesus reveals a God who is love and who loves us intimately. If we open the ears of our heart we fall deeply in love with God. A love that offers us enormous possibilities for life and love, and at the same time provide us with challenges which allow us to grow more deeply, in the love that God has for the Son and the Son has for the Father. This then allows us to then convey this to people around us, to live out our mission “To be on earth the Heart of God”.
In ministry
Returning from the formation retreat, I became aware of Fr Jules Chevalier’s vision for a triune participation of Professed Brothers and Priests, Lay and Diocesan Clergy, which I discussed with Fr Mark Hanns and then the Provincial Fr Chris McPhee to seek out and learn more of Fr Jules’ vision.
Fr Jules Chevalier’s vision was “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved! – the Society accepts every kind of ministry which the Church may offer, none excepted”, with his focus on “everywhere”. And as Fr Cuskelly wrote of Jules “Finally his ‘mission without limits’ embraced everyone: laity, priests, religious – everyone”. A dream of “A mission of cooperation in which everyone could be animated by the wealth and strength of a common spirituality”.
The hearing of these words inspired me to take a look at where I am, to look to see where my journey was heading, the journey I have been travelling.
Placing pen to paper I wrote to the Provincial seeking his permission (and of Provincial Council) to be an MSC. A recommencement of Fr Chevalier’s vision. But as this was new ground, it was a discerning time. I couldn’t be considered Lay, as I am ordained and I couldn’t become Professed. Provincial Council discerned my request and supported the re-envisaging of Jules Chevalier’s original dream, of having Professed (Priests & Brothers), Lay and Diocesan Clergy, as part of the society. The Provincial Council developed the Commitment wording and we then commenced the process of when the ceremony would be held. We did have an initial false start, with a date set for earlier in 2022, however, some virus got in the way, and a new date was set for Sunday, 20th November 2022.
St Therese’s interior
As the day approached, with the arrival of the Provincial, I felt calm, the Parish was excited and ready for the day. The formula for the Commitment, was three-fold Professed, Lay and Candidate, each participating. The Provincial then invited me to make my Commitment. Up until this moment as mentioned above, I felt calm, knowing in the depths of my heart this was meant the be. However as I began to declare my Commitment, a wave of nervousness came over me and my voice began to waver. I looked forward and standing in front on me was the Provincial and just behind him was the Lay MSC’s all lined up (a few with tears streaming), and I experienced an opening of my heart, a feeling of peace, calm, and a knowledge that trusting in the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the boundless mercy that is conveyed from it, that the love for all will flow from it, filled me, and I knew that this was where I belonged. I am where God wants me to be.
Everyone might be thinking, well this is new, but I recently received a letter from Fr Jim Littleton, congratulating me on this commitment, but highlighting that this had occurred when a “significant group of French Diocesan Clergy, during Fr Chevalier’s time who responded to his vision. Sadly, the concept lapsed after his (Fr Chevalier’s) death”.
I am looking forward to continuing my journey and as I promised to live with the spirit of the Society of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, and to take part in its mission, according to my own vocation and the needs of the people of God, faithful to the vision of Jules Chevalier. I ask that through the grace of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and of Saint Joseph, to help me to be faithful to my Commitment.
Michael Hangan msc Assoc.
