Keeping people posted

The GC35 section of SJWeb.info, the website of the Jesuit Press Office in Rome, draws attention in a recent post to the defining nature of its own role in Jesuit history. In an article entitled ‘A “Global” General Congregation’, it comments that “new technology is revolutionizing the way we transmit information, also in the Society of Jesus”. “We no longer rely on sporadic faxes and short communications just about the greater events,” it continues, “as in previous General Congregations. We are making a great effort to transmit sufficient information to share the rhythm of the Congregation with the rest of the world and, at the same time, maintain privacy and a prudent distance that allows the delegates to do their work with freedom.” Read the full piece.

Time-out for legal people

Manresa are holding a day of reflection for people in the legal profession. The Jesuit Centre of Spirituality in Clontarf, Dublin, extends an open invitation to legal practitioners to attend the Centre on Saturday 29 March, 2008 from 10.00am to 5.00pm. The reflection on one’s life journey will be guided by Fr Brendan Comerford SJ and Sr Avril O’Regan RLR. They will help participants to take stock of things: “your values; God and faith in your life; the pressures of work; family life and decision making, and yet time to celebrate your talents and gifts with gratitude in it all.” For more information, phone 01 8331352 or email manresa@jesuit.ie.

Retreating to Clongowes

Slí Eile is holding a retreat in Clongowes Wood this Easter. It will run from Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 March. It is for young adults between the ages of 18 and 35, and will cost €100 for the waged and €85 for the unwaged. Application forms are now available from Patricia O’Connor, Programme Coordinator at Slí Eile. Call her at 01-8880606 or email patricia.oconnor@sli-eile.com.

Death of Walter Burghardt SJ

Fr Walter Burghardt SJ, one of the most distinguished Catholic preachers of the 20th century, has died, aged 95, in the provincial infirmary on the campus of St Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Fr Burghardt was a Senior Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Institute in Washington, D.C. and Professor Emeritus at the Catholic University of America. His articles appeared in many periodicals and journals and he authored more than a dozen books. He frequently preached on radio and television to audiences all over the world. There is a fine appreciation of his life in Rocco Palmo’s blog, Whispers in the Loggia (blog entry for Sunday, February 17).

A Jesuit Off-Broadway

Currach Books (a division of Columba Press) has announced that it is now distributing in Ireland the latest book of James Martin SJ, A Jesuit Off-Broadway. James Martin is author of other books such as My Life with the Saints and Searching for God at Ground Zero. In his recent work, Martin recounts his six months as theological consultant for a theatre company producing an off-Broadway play called The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. He spent much time dialoguing with such actors as Sam Rockwell and Philip Seymour Hoffman on God, the Bible, hell, sin and forgiveness. To order a copy, contact Columba Press.

Pilgrims on the Aran Islands

Debbie Moore of Slí Eile and Conall Ó Cuinn SJ, Jesuit Vocations Director, are leading a group of young adults on their first pilgrimage this Easter. The venue will be the Aran Islands, and they will be there for the Easter celebrations. Charlie Davy and John Humphreys SJ, of the Galway Centre of Spirituality, will be lending a hand too. For details, contact Debbie at 01-8880606 or email debbie.moore@sli-eile.com.

Liam Greene RIP

Please pray for the soul of Fr Liam Greene SJ, who died unexpectedly Friday morning, 15 February 2008 after taking ill suddenly. He was 65 years old and was working with the JUST programme in Ballymun. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Funeral arrangements
The body of Fr Liam Greene SJ will be removed to St. Francis Xavier Church, Gardiner St., Dublin 1 at 5.00pm on Tuesday, 19 February. The Funeral Mass will be in Gardiner Street on Wednesday 20 February at 11.00am, followed by burial in Glasnevin Cemetry. Donations should be sent to Jesuit University Services Training (www.justballymun.org) in lieu of flowers.

Read more »

Jesuits for a networking age

The emergence of the internet has impacted on a lot more than how society communicates, argues Nicolas Standaert SJ. It is symptomatic of a much more profound shift in the way society both sees itself and functions, and the effect of this is evident even at General Congregation 35.  “We have not yet found solutions (nor has the secular world),” he comments, “but through the repeated insistence on ‘networking’ by many members I sense the increasing ‘web-thinking’ in the Congregation. Maybe we are gradually moving towards a ‘Network Society of Jesus’?” Read the whole piece here.

Jesuits in the rare oul times

The Winter 2007 issue of Company, the quarterly magazine of the US Jesuits, has an article by Eddie O’Donnell SJ on ‘Father Browne’s Jesuit Ireland’. It includes some great Fr Browne photos of Jesuits at Rahan, Milltown, Limerick, Clongowes, etc. View the article here.

Spirituality Centre in Limerick gets busy

Parents from the Crescent recently attended the Jesuit Centre of Spirituality in Limerick for a retreat in daily life. Liam O’Connell SJ and Dermot Murray SJ each directed a number of participants. Another such retreat will be organised in May. Also, Dermot Murray and Charlie Davy animated an afternoon of personal prayer, group-sharing and Mass, on the theme of being ‘ambassadors for Christ’, for a group of six people on Sunday 10th. This was the third meeting of this group since last December. The group hopes to expand to about twelve members over the next few months. Next meeting is scheduled for 19 March.

Bringing ‘faith that does justice’ to school

Peter McVerry SJ spoke to a group of about 70 parents in Colaiste Iognaid last Tuesday night, 5 February. Organised by the school’s Ignatian Identity Group (IIG), formally known as the Ethos Group, Peter’s talk was addressing the ‘Faith that does Justice’ dimension of Ignatian pedagogy. The IIG group organises a number of activities, including welcoming new parents to the school, addressing the parents’ groups from each year, and supporting the students’ sense of Ignatian identity.

Venice Workshop revisits big questions

The Venice Workshop on Faith and Politics held in August 2006 was so inspiring that it is being reprised this year. From 24-31 August 2008, a group of young Europeans (aged 18-35) will gather at the Campo dei Gesuiti, Venice, Italy, and contribute to a workshop about politics as a Christian calling and about “faith as a means of holding on to your enthusiasm and your integrity in that calling”. For more information, contact Edmond Grace SJ, one of the organisers, at egrace@jesuit.ie or phone 00353(0)86-8160749. Read more »

Launch of education booklet for migrants

Community Links has developed a new booklet for parents, entitled  “Your Child and Schools in Ireland”. It aims to give migrant and refugee parents clear information about education in Ireland, covering such topics as enrolment, the different types of primary and secondary schools, health checks, getting financial help for sending children to school, special educational needs, and language support. It is available in Romanian, Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Arabic, Chinese and French as well as English. The official launch of the booklet will take place in Belvedere College on Wednesday 20 February at 6.00pm. For more information, contact Ruth Diaz-Ufano (Project Co-ordinator): 01-814 8644.