I have a new post on the Slugger O’Toole blog on ‘The Gospel According to Christy Moore,’ performed by musicians from Fitzroy Presbyterian last night at St Oliver Plunkett’s Church in Lenadoon. (Image of Christy Moore from Rev Steve Stockman’s blog about the event)
Picking up the Pieces Through Sport in Northern Ireland
Last summer, a student from France came to interview me about my work and research in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation at the Irish School of Ecumenics. Eventually, he asked me a question about integration in my own personal life. Despite all my school’s contacts with churches and community groups doing much good work for reconciliation, [...]
Towards an Assembly in the Irish Catholic Church: Gathering on 7 May in Dublin
The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) is organising a gathering to generate discussion about an Assembly in the Irish Catholic Church. It is set for 7 May – Bank Holiday Monday – from 10.30 am-4.30 pm in the Regency Hotel in Dublin. The ACP website describes it as: … a first effort at bringing people [...]
Can Northern Ireland ‘Embrace the Language of Profound Change?’ New Post on Slugger O’Toole
I have a new post on the Slugger O’Toole blog, ‘Can Northern Ireland Embrace the Language of Profound Change?’ It deals with the content of a report launched today at NICVA, ‘Progressing Good Relations and Reconciliation in Post Agreement Northern Ireland,’ researched and written by Grainne Kelly of INCORE at the University of Ulster.
Johnston McMaster on Signing Up to the Covenant: An Alternative Vision for the Future
Beginning this year, (some) people in Northern Ireland are already planning to commemorate a series of historically divisive events, which occurred between 1912 and 1922. These events have the potential to open up old wounds and animosities and destabilise progress towards good relations and reconciliation. Are there alternative ways of looking at these events? Can [...]
What Irish Priests Really Think? Moncrieff Show’s National Priest Survey 2012
The Moncrieff Show on Newstalk 106-108 FM has surveyed Ireland’s Catholic priests on a variety of issues, ranging from the impact of the clerical sexual abuse scandals, the portrayal of priests in the media, the involvement of laypeople in parish life, the upcoming Eucharistic Congress, and allowing female priests and/or priests to marry. The results [...]
David Stevens on the Prodigal Son & the Transformation Required of Everyone
In yesterday’s post about the ‘Picking up the Pieces’ documentary on RTE Radio, I noted that the role of former prisoners, or ex-combatants, in conflict transformation is controversial for some people: This can be a controversial topic, as some doubt the sincerity of ex-prisoners, others still blame them (and them alone) for the conflict, and [...]
Ex-Prisoners: Picking up the Pieces in Northern Ireland
A new six-part series on the aftermath of the Northern Ireland peace process, ‘Picking up the Pieces,’ got underway on RTE Radio One on Saturday. The series is presented by Barbara Walshe, a graduate of my School’s Reconciliation Studies programme. The series had an intriguing start with a programme on the reconciliation work of ex-prisoners. [...]
Is there Peace in the Air? Radio Series on Northern Ireland’s Post Violence Transition Begins Saturday
A new radio series on the challenge of rebuilding community relationships in Northern Ireland begins tomorrow, Saturday 3 March, at 7.30 pm on RTE One. Titled ‘Picking up the Pieces, the six-week series is researched and presented by Barbara Walshe, a graduate of my School’s Master’s in Reconciliation Studies. Tomorrow night’s programme will explore the [...]
Fr Brian Lennon on Repentance & Reform in the Irish Catholic Church
It’s been some time since I’ve blogged about the crisis in the Irish Catholic Church. In fact, the last time was way back on 28 October, when I offered some reflections on ‘The End of Irish Catholicism’ based on a paper I’d presented at the Queen’s University Religious Studies Forum. It gets to the point [...]
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.
