Displaying items by tag: Heart of Life Centre

Heart of Life Centre 2025, Nicole Tucci

Director, Peter Hendriks MSC, writes:

Introducing Nicole!

We are thrilled to introduce to you, our newly appointed Executive Assistant, Nicole Tucci. Nicole comes to us with 20+ years’ experience in similar roles.

She is married, with three energetic boys and loves spending time outdoors. She’s also passionate about crafting—whether it’s creating something new or just getting lost in a fun project.

Welcome, Nicole!

2024 Heart of Life Centre Graduation

Heart of Life students graduated from various courses.

Daniel Magadia

and Krish Mathavan (in absentia) graduated from the Damascus Spiritual Leaders Program.

Khoi graduated from the Emmaus Spiritual Leaders Programme. Receiving his Certificate.

He is also a lecturer in the Siloam Programme. Presenting a Certificate to Yon SVD from Indonesia.

Three graduates spoke movingly of their experiences of the year and expressed how formative and transformative the courses were for them. 

A quote from Daniel’s reflection on the Damascus program.

Two words sum up the growth I have gained from Damascus: awareness and vulnerability. I learned awareness more interactively at supervision. I could share a pastoral experience and was given a space to learn and reflect on the encounter. This involves checking out how one is affected, whether emotionally or spiritually. Awareness is being able to acknowledge these movements. All the units were also helpful in teaching me this. As for vulnerability, a valuable insight is that the strength of a spiritual leader does not come from power, intelligence or whether they are a finished product. It is embracing one’s humanity, and realising they are not God.

They need God’s love as their inspiration and driving force (quoting the MSC Constitutions). I also learned that a spiritual leader is called to be an authentic leader, who’s true to themselves. There’s a vulnerability in this because it involves letting go of the masks and falsehoods. Indeed, just like Paul on the road to Damascus, my journey along this path has been life-changing.

Transition at Heart of Life, Interim Director, Alison McKenzie, to new Director, Peter Hendriks MSC.

Monday evening November 18^th saw the annual Heart of Life Centre Graduation Ceremony.

Alison presided with Peter present.

Alison McKenzie writes from the Heart of Life Centre

The final day of the course on Ecology and Sprituality led b Peter Hay. An experiential touch.

Here is a group photo from the Council of All Beings that was held today.

The experience is designed for the participants to embody another being in the natural world so as to encourage a sense of deeper wonder and awe and interconnection. As Pope Francis claims in Laudato Si we form a sacred communion with all of life. Thomas Berry a Passionist Priest and prolific writer in ecological spirituality claims we are a communion of subjects not a collection of objects and to tell the story, the deep story of something is to tell the story of everything.

In the Council each participant not only gave voice to their being but they also reflected on their being’s deep evolutionary story.

Photos Heart of Life and Gigi Anderson

Brian Gallagher visit to the new Heart of Life Centre, Croydon.

When the Centre was blessed on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, it was a disappointment that Brian was unable to be there after his time in hospital.  Heart of Life now has a permanent home, beautifully renovated interior. Project manager, Barry Smith, was back in Melbourne and drove Brian out to visit.

Students were delighted to receive a spontaneous visit from Fr Brian Gallagher msc, to Heart of Life today!

Siloam student, Amy, an Infant Jesus Sister from Malaysia, expressed what a joy it was for her to meet the man in person!  "We've heard the name, we've read your books, it's so good to finally meet you!"

Yon, Divine Word Missionary, added, "Your name always appears in our footnotes!"

George, a Christian Brother from Kenya remarked, "If it weren't for you (Brian, who started the Siloam program over 45 years ago), I wouldn't be here in Australia!"

Amy, centre, Yon, and George can be seen in the previous photo, right.

Sadly, lecturer Peter Hay had to corral the group back into class... Despite protests in jest that we were sitting with our master.

With thanks to Gig Anderson for story and photos, Heart of Life Centre Facebook page/

Alison McKenzie, interim director Heart of Life Centre

We have posted photos of the ceremony of farewelling Claire Shearman as Heart of Life Director and the welcoming of interim Director, Alison McKenzie. Here is something of Alison's story

Alison has joined the Heart of Life team as Director until the end of 2024. Alison has been semi-retired since retiring from her previous role as Director of the Chevalier Institute and she is delighted to have been given this opportunity to contribute in another of the Chevalier Families’ Spirituality ministries.

First and foremost, Alison is a family person; mother to three, grandmother to seven and a part of a wider extended family and network.  She would say family and friends, home and faith are the bulwarks of her life. Alison is particularly moved by the fact that the current home of Heart of Life was previously used to support women experiencing domestic violence; a support she once needed herself.

Alison began her professional career as a secondary school teacher, initially in far western Queensland and then, at Chevalier College for 27 years. During that time, she added to her education qualifications with a Counselling degree, with a major in group process and a Master of Theology. She has undertaken many short courses of study in a wide range of aspects of spirituality. In 2011, she spent three months on sabbatical at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute, situated in Israel just outside the Bethlehem checkpoint. That experience has heightened her sadness over current events.

In 2011, she was appointed to the Chevalier Institute whose role is formation in Spirituality of the Heart to adults in MSC Colleges and parishes. Alison combined the skills learned from her previous studies to create reflective opportunities that drew from the contemporary world and Catholic tradition   to invite people to make the journey to their hearts and to encounter the divine presence at the core of their being. To be present for these sacred journeys were privileged and poignant moments.

Alison lives with a contemplative orientation and has a daily meditation practice as a part of her own spiritual journey. She has been influenced by the work of Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault, Ilia Delio and John Ziziolous, among others. She is currently re-reading the early works of Eugene Cuskelly msc, the ‘second’ founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

In 2017 she was elected to the inaugural position of General Secretary of the International Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family and was re-elected for a second term in 2024. The original vision of Jules Chevalier was for three branches, religious men and women, diocesan clergy and laity. The laity were seen as indispensable in the mission and an integral part of the functioning of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. The International Council reflects the deepening understanding within the Chevalier Family of the place of laity; it is a truly synodal vision.

She would express her understanding of spirituality as:

All of creation is sacred – wounded and broken but made whole and holy by the presence of Love we call the Heart of God. That Heart of God, revealed in Jesus, draws creation to itself. For human beings, we are invited to make the journey to our own hearts; to the core of our being where we encounter the transforming presence of God’s Heart. God’s Heart beats in our hearts. We call this Spirituality of the Heart, and it calls us to a life of compassionate love and committed service and the challenge to continue to grow in kindness, compassion, forgiveness and humility In other words to become ever more fully human. .  It recognises this as the cure for the ills of the world.

Heart of Life Centre: Directors – Farewell and Welcome

Heart of Life staff gathered to begin the semester but also for a ritual acceptance of Director, Clare Shearman’s resignation after two and a half years and welcome to interim Director, Alison McKenzie.

Stephen Hackett paid tribute to Clare, presenting her with an MSC medal in recognition of her achievement as Director.

Stephen welcomed Alison. He also spoke to the staff about the report from the Provincial Council about Heart of Life and hopes for the future. He noted that the property bought by the province with its bush setting in Croydon and praised the renovations; it is the most attractive location the Centre has had.

Stephen also presented Heart of Life with a commissioned Icon gift. It is an icon of the Visitation, symbolic of the spirituality of Heart of Life, the Visitation, Elizabeth’s accompaniment of Mary, in her unexpected pregnancy enabling Mary to appreciate more fully God’s action in her.

From 10.00 to 4.00, the staff presented the courses, the group work, supervision and tutorials of the principal courses, Siloam, Damascus Spiritual Leaders and the Emmaus Supervision course.

Alison was present the whole day and found that it provided her with a lived impression of how Heart of Life functions. Alison spoke of her years at Downlands, Chevalier, work with the Vietnamese, The Chevalier Institute and as General Secretary of the Laity of the Chevalier Family, the MSC Heart Spirituality and charism that she brings to Heart of Life.

A farewell dinner ended the day at the Thai Green Leaf restaurant in Croydon.

And now, students and staff, to work for the second semester.

Heart of Life Centre transition of Directors

Clare Shearman, retiring director, writes

Alison McKenzie, Directors of Heart of Life Centre, second half of 2024.

Alison McKenzie has consented to serve as Director of Heart of Life for the second half of this year as Clare Shearman tendered her resignation as Director of the Heart of Life Centre for Spiritual and Pastoral Formation.

Alison is well known and highly regarded in the Australian MSC Province. She has previously taught at Chevalier College in Bowral, has served as Director of the Chevalier Institute promoting Heart Spirituality, especially in our colleges,   and is currently General Secretary of the International Council of the Laity of the Chevalier Family.

Sacred Heart: Blessing of new Heart of Life Centre

Feast of the Sacred Heart: a gathering of staff, Melbourne MSC, students past and present, friends, at Kew Kreestha, Croydon, for Mass, Blessing of the house and the renovations, tours, refreshments and renewing friendships.

A message of blessing from Provincial Superior, Stephen Hackett, apology from Brian Gallagher in rehabilitation centre. The two Family Care Sisters, Jill Harding and Michelle Toussaint were present to see the changes at their former home.

Welcome by Director, Clare Shearman,

welcome to country by Programs Director, Lynn Moresi,

Intercessions by Daniel Magadia.

Presiding at the celebration of the Eucharist, Dominic Gleeson. Blessing of the house by Barry Smith.

Inaugurated last year: Heart of Life Hall of Fame with recipients, Brian Gallagher and Chris McPhee.

This year, Peter Malone, who has written the history of Heart of Life.

Refreshments and friendships

And this is what this room looked like a week or two ago.

And, Clare with the 13 MSC present. (No Leo Wearden is not based in Melbourne but was visiting from Wadeye.)

Main photos thanks to Trieu Nguyen. Group photo thanks to Gigi Anderson.