Archive | May, 2012

Loss and Hope in the Irish Catholic Church Part II: Research Published in Doctrine and Life

By on May 31, 2012 in Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Ecumenism, Irish Catholic Church, Social Justice, Victims

The May-June edition of the journal Doctrine and Life carries part II of my research titled, ‘Loss and Hope in the Irish Catholic Church.’ Part I was published back in April and outlined here. Doctrine and Life is available through Dominican Publications. The research is part of my School’s wider Visioning 21st Century Ecumenism project, [...]

BelfastHistory.org Goes Live: New Post on Slugger O’Toole

By on May 30, 2012 in Dealing with the Past, NI Politics

I’ve written a new post on the Slugger O’Toole website about a new local history website, BelfastHistory.org. BelfastHistory.org has been developed by my husband, Brian O’Neill, as a vehicle for opening up new perspectives on Belfast’s past, fostering connections among history buffs, and revealing some our city’s best-kept secrets.

Fr Martin Magill on the Spirit at Work in Difference: A Message of Reconciliation for Pentecost Sunday

By on May 28, 2012 in Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Ecumenism, Irish Catholic Church, NI Politics, Social Justice, Victims

Yesterday BBC Radio Ulster’s Sunday morning service was broadcast from St Oliver Plunkett’s Church in Lenadoon, West Belfast. In a message for Pentecost Sunday, Fr Martin Magill stressed how the Holy Spirit can be ‘at work in difference.’ He presented the Spirit’s work in this way as a call to labour for reconciliation in our [...]

In Joyful Hope at Fitzroy Presbyterian: Seeking the Welfare of the City

By on May 25, 2012 in Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Ecumenism, Evangelicalism, Irish Catholic Church, NI Politics, Social Justice, Victims

The Eucharist/communion service could be considered an enactment of reconciliation – a ritual in which the sharing of bread and wine binds together diverse people with each other and with their God. That the Christian churches are unable to fully share in Eucharistic fellowship is, therefore, a scandal that mocks our claim (if, indeed, we [...]

Continuing in Joyful Hope – Sharing Communion at Fitzroy Presbyterian, 23 May

By on May 22, 2012 in Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Ecumenism, Evangelicalism, Irish Catholic Church

The last event for 2011-2012 of the ‘In Joyful Hope’ initiative will be held on Wednesday 23 May at Fitzroy Presbyterian Church in Belfast. In Joyful Hope was started in November 2010 by a group of clergy in and around Belfast who remain deeply concerned about the divisions among Christians that prevent them sharing full [...]

The Irish Catholic Church – Living or Dying? (Update on Down and Connor’s Living Church Initiative)

By on May 21, 2012 in Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Irish Catholic Church, Victims

Last week’s news about plummeting mass attendance in Northern Ireland might seem to confirm impressions of a church that is dying away. On Friday, the Irish News had a front page story and two-page interior spread on the decline in mass attendance in the diocese of Down and Connor. It was reported that just one [...]

Reconciliation vs. Peaceful Co-Existence–A Vision for Northern Ireland?

By on May 20, 2012 in Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Ecumenism, Evangelicalism, Irish Catholic Church, Morality, NI Politics, Peace Studies, Social Justice, Victims

A couple of weeks ago, I was ‘In Conversation’ during the evening service at Fitzroy Presbyterian in Belfast. It was a talk-show type event, where Rev Steve Stockman quizzed me about my background, my work at the Irish School of Ecumenics, and my latest book (co-authored with Claire Mitchell), Evangelical Journeys: Choice and Change in [...]

Pádraig Ó Tuama on Changing Attitude Ireland’s Welcome Leaflet: How Can the Churches Welcome LGBT People?

By on May 18, 2012 in LGBT, Morality, Social Justice

Changing Attitude Ireland yesterday launched its ‘Welcoming Leaflet’ for churches seeking to include LGBT people in the life of their community. The event, held at St George’s in Belfast, was billed as part of Community Relations Week and the speaker was Pádraig Ó Tuama. Changing Attitude Ireland describes itself as: a network of people, gay [...]

Harold Good on Johnston McMaster’s Overcoming Violence

By on May 13, 2012 in Book Reviews, Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Ecumenism, Evangelicalism, Irish Catholic Church, NI Politics, Peace Studies, Post Modern Theology, Postmodern Theology, Social Justice, Terrorism, Victims

“This book is a must for the desk of every pastor, priest and teacher. It ought to be available to every serious student of religion and ethics. … [It is a] manual for those of us who wish to overcome violence and to pray for and work for a lasting peace on this island.” That’s [...]

Alberto Salazar’s 14 Minutes: Book Review – The Miracle of Everyday Faith?

By on May 9, 2012 in Book Reviews, Spirituality & Sport

Many sports autobiographies feature a religious or spiritual element, but long-distance runner Alberto Salazar’s 14 Minutes: A Running Legend’s Life and Death and Life (Rodale 2012), has the rather unique hook that its author was clinically dead for 14 minutes, but lived to tell the tale. In 2007, at age 48, Salazar collapsed while walking [...]

An Assembly in the Irish Catholic Church: Any Closer?

By on May 8, 2012 in Churches & Reconciliation, Dealing with the Past, Irish Catholic Church, Victims

Yesterday about 1,000 people attended an event in Dublin organised by the Association of Catholic Priests, ‘Towards an Assembly in the Irish Catholic Church.’ I was unfortunately unable to attend because of my prior commitment to the Belfast City Marathon (to support my fundraising for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, this year’s official charity of [...]