Douglas Park MSC Gathering, February 2026.

Last week a group of younger MSC came to St Mary’s Towers for an Ongoing Formation Gathering with Phil Hicks MSC.

Photos thanks to Trieu Nguyen MSC and thanks for this personal reflection by Hoa Tran MSC.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

The image that stays with me from the gathering is that of a sharing circle, brothers from different backgrounds, yet drawn together by the same Spirit. It is this shared Spirit, this charis, received 172 years ago from Chevalier. This charis continues to shape our path.

Personally, it has been a time of unwinding after the intensive CPE. Beyond that, what I received was a renewed sense of belonging and courage. At one point I felt anxiety when we were asked about the future.  What lies ahead for us and for me personally? I do not have a clear picture of what the future will look like.

Listening to some of the brothers share about their ministries was consoling. A few spoke about how, at first, they struggled to feel at home in their appointments. Yet, by entrusting themselves to the Spirit given to us, they found courage and hope. It was not certainty that grounded them, but trust and openness to the Spirit that first called them.

I am reminded that I belong to this Spirit, and so to this shared vision: “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.” As I look toward the future, I notice something shifting. Instead of fear, there is a sense of courage, hope, and even curiosity about what lies ahead.