Yesterday’s Irish News carried an article by Fr Martin Magill on the well-being and care of clergy serving across our denominations. The article is a response to the death by suicide of Fr Matt Wallace ten days ago, and follows on from interviews with Fr Magill on radio and television. You can listen [...]
‘Staring at a Wall: Exploring Belfast’s Separation Barriers in the Light of Faith’ with Jon Hatch, Thursday 20 June
Dr Jon Hatch will lead faith-based reflections on Belfast’s separation barriers in a walk this Thursday, 20 June. The event, organised by the peace group at Knock Presbyterian Church, leaves from the Knock Church car park at 7 pm and will meet up with people from other parts of the city at 7.30 pm at [...]
Fr Martin Magill’s Ecumenical Tithing–All Saints Church, Antrim
This week Fr Martin Magill’s ecumenical tithing takes him to All Saints Church of Ireland Church in Antrim, a service which includes two baptisms. What continues to be interesting to me is how Fr Magill’s visits prompt not only reflections on the services, but conversations with parishioners – evidence of the building of relationships that [...]
Cathy Higgins’ Churches in Exile – What Can Churches in Ireland Learn from the Emerging Church Movement? (Book Review, Part 3)
The last paragraph of the final substantive chapter of Cathy Higgins’ new book Churches in Exile: Alternative Models of Church for Ireland in the 21st Century, reads (p. 185): ‘Unless the churches in Ireland are prepared to shake up the system, and take risks for the sake of God’s kingdom, can they be open to [...]
Getting to Know the Association of Catholics in Ireland–Q & A with Martin Murray, Part 2
Today we continue with Part 2 of our Question and Answer series with Martin Murray of the Association of Catholics in Ireland (ACI), which began last week with this post. In the first post, he dealt with the questions of how the ACI started and why he thought such an association was needed. Today’s questions [...]
Fr Martin Magill’s Ecumenical Tithing – Church of the Good Shepherd
The evening of Sunday 9th June was beautiful as I arrived at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Monkstown for worship. I received a warm welcome from the worshippers, many of whom I had met before and who have been to St Oliver Plunkett Church. In one conversation, before the service began I heard about Falls [...]
Getting to Know the Association of Catholics in Ireland – Q&A with Martin Murray, Part I
Last week, I wrote about the launch of the Association of Catholics in Ireland, a new lay-led organisation that has adopted the motto, “Following Christ, Changing Church.” (You can view its objectives on its website). The event also was reported on in the Irish Times, as well as the Irish Independent. Martin Murray, a member [...]
Cathy Higgins’ Churches in Exile – Challenges for the Churches in Ireland (Book Review, Part 2)
In a previous review of Cathy Higgins’ Churches in Exile: Alternative Models of Church for Ireland in the 21st Century, I promised to note some of her most compelling challenges for the churches in Ireland. Higgins’ challenges are present in every chapter in the book. Indeed, the discussion or reflection questions at the end of [...]
Fr Martin Magill’s Ecumenical Tithing–Rest & Reflection at St Dorothea’s
This week Fr Martin Magill’s “ecumenical tithing” takes him to St Dorothea’s Church of Ireland in Gilnahirk. Fr Magill describes a restful, reflective service that nourished his spirit, and conversations before and after with parishioners. At the end of the post, he includes another creative suggestion for maximizing ecumenical opportunities in our churches. Fr Martin [...]
Association of Catholics in Ireland Launches Tomorrow, 1 June, in Dublin
The new “Association of Catholics in Ireland” (ACI) launches tomorrow in Dublin. ACI is lay-led and has adopted the motto, “Following Christ, Changing Church.” It lists the following “objectives” on its website (click the link to see a more extended statement): Statement of Objectives Association of Catholics in IrelandFollowing Christ, Changing ChurchAr lorg Chríost chuig [...]
New Post on Slugger O’Toole: The Second Coming of Paisley by Richard Lawrence Jordan: Book Review
I have a new post on the Slugger O’Toole blog, a review of The Second Coming of Paisley: Militant Fundamentalism and Ulster Politics, by Richard Lawrence Jordan.
About me
Welcome to Building a Church Without Walls, a website for people who are excited about how Christianity is developing in the 21st Century. I am a Lecturer and Coordinator of the Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation Studies Programme at Trinity College Dublin at Belfast (the Irish School of Ecumenics).
Please note this is my personal site. All views are my own and are not representative of TCD.
I also write for the popular NI Politics site Slugger O'Toole. Click here to view my posts on Slugger...
View my profile on Acedemia:
