Posted on 06. Jun, 2013 in Church of Ireland, Church Teachings, Uncategorized
A clear vision of a shared future has so far eluded Northern Ireland people and politicians alike. Last month’s statement by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister spoke of the peace walls coming down within ten years; the creation of urban villages; shared youth camps and housing. The Church of Ireland Bishop of Down and Dromore, […]
Posted on 30. May, 2013 in Church of Ireland
Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya came from Swaziland to celebrate the launch of Us, formerly United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Bishop Ellinah is the first woman bishop of a church of the Anglican Communion in Africa. There is a relationship between the Church of Ireland and the Anglican Diocese of Swaziland, which was celebrated […]
Posted on 30. May, 2013 in Church Teachings, Poverty
Michael McCullagh, a Vincentian priest said that St. Vincent de Paul had a radical understanding of mission when said “Only for your love, your love alone, will the poor forgive you for the bread you give them.” This is an understanding he says, that we need to bring to the world today in engage in […]
Posted on 30. May, 2013 in Church Teachings
“The evangelical message by our Lord Jesus Christ was given to the whole Church,” says renowned canon lawyer and theologian Ladislas Orsy SJ. He was in Ireland on May 23rd to give the memorial lecture on Michael Hurley SJ, well-known ecumenist and founder of the Irish School of Ecumenics who died in April 2011. Fr. […]
Posted on 23. May, 2013 in Celibacy/Sexuality, Church of Ireland, Church Teachings
The Church of Ireland is embarking on a structured debate throughout the island on human sexuality within the context of Christian belief. The debate was precipitated by the decision in 2011 by the Very Reverend Tom Gordon, Dean of Leighlin in Carlow, to enter a same-sex civil partnership. Largely ignored by media in the Republic, […]
Posted on 23. May, 2013 in Charity, Church Teachings, Community, Faith and Justice
“Forgiveness is the most difficult thing in the whole world,” says Michael McCullagh CM, Spiritual Director in Maynooth College. Yet it is one of the central tenets of Christianity. So how do we find the strength to achieve it? Fr. Michael tells the story of one woman who found it within herself to forgive a […]
Posted on 16. May, 2013 in Celibacy/Sexuality, Church Teachings
The Very Reverend Tom Gordon, Dean of Leighlin, County Carlow made a vigorous contribution to the recent General Synod of the Church of Ireland in Armagh regarding the sexuality issue. Referring to himself as “the only gay in the village”, Dean Gordon, a psychotherapist, reminded the Synod of the sense of exclusion and isolation of […]
Posted on 16. May, 2013 in Community, Education
Sir Alex Ferguson coached his final match last Sunday. He had a remarkable career as manager of Manchester United, being somebody who inspired awe and reverence amongst millions of fans. However he was also no stranger to controversy. Joe Dargan SJ, an Irish Jesuit, who knows Sir Alex on a personal level, says that he […]
Posted on 16. May, 2013 in Church Teachings, Feminism/Women in the Church
Pope Francis has now been in office for two months. Within a week of his appointment, Dr. Brian Grogan SJ had written a booklet entitled Pope Francis: The Jesuit Pope and what we can expect from him. Helen Gallivan, author of Dawn without Darkness reviews this booklet with Miriam Gormally. She points out that the […]
Posted on 09. May, 2013 in Religious patronage, Religious teaching, Schools
David Tuohy SJ, educationalist and author of “Denominational Education and Politics: Ireland in a European Context” looks at the issue of patronage. He explains to Pat Coyle that while the State is clear that there is a need to divest patronage away from the Church, they don’t necessarily have a clear vision of what is […]