In defence of denominational schools

The Word magazine, in association with the Iona Institute, is holding a half-day conference on Friday 4 April in the Tara Towers Hotel ‘in defence of denominational schools’. The conference will look at how accusations that denominational education is sectarian or segregationalist have been answered in England and Scotland. It will propose a positive argument in favour of state funding for denominational schools. Speakers will include John Murray (Mater Dei), Michael McGrath (Director of Scottish Catholic Education Service) and Oona Stannard (Director of Catholic Education Service, England & Wales). David Quinn and Fr Vincent Twomey SVD will also speak. For more details, email the Iona Institute.

Annual Veale public lecture

The Department of Spirituality at Milltown Institute hosts a lecture each year to commemorate Fr Joe Veale SJ (1921-2002). Fr Veale was a leading figure in the modern renewal of Ignatian spirituality. This year’s Veale Public Lecture, ‘Discernment for the Church of our Times: Simple Practices and Profound Effects’, will take place in the Theatre, Milltown Park on Wednesday 9 April at 7.30pm. It will be given by Prof. Elizabeth Liebert SNJM, Professor of Spiritual Life at San Francisco Theological Seminary and a former president of the International Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality. She is an internationally recognized authority on Ignatian spirituality. For more details, contact Dr Una Agnew SSL.

Desperate Executives

National College of Ireland President Paul Mooney has just published his latest book, Desperate Executives. As the title with its echoes of ‘Desperate Housewives’ suggests, the book is a modern-day fable, but its focus is the world of business rather than middle-class suburbia. It centres around the predominant issues which continually emerge in executive coaching and offers an insight into the typical dilemmas faced by people in leadership and management roles. Since the author himself was an executive coach, it gives a glimpse into that world and the power of the coaching process. Paul Mooney is also involved with the Jesuit Spirituality Centre of Manresa in organising a major conference on Ignatian Humanism and education with Professor Robert Modras from St Louis Univeristy in the States, to be hosted by the NCI in May.

New faces in Dublin

Nick Rashford SJ of the Maryland Province is in Dublin teaching Strategic Management in Trinity College on the Bachelor in Business Studies degree. Nick was formerly dean of the School of Management at Rockhurst College, Kansas City, and was president of Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, for 17 years. Nick is staying in the Morehampton Road Community.

Matthew Hsu SJ was welcomed at the Jesuit Assembly as a representative of the Chinese Province. Matthew, who is originally from Taiwan, is currently studying English in Dublin and plans to go on to postgraduate studies in theology.

Feedback for Jesuits on GC35

The Irish Jesuits held their annual Assembly on 30 March, which was entitled ‘Called to the Frontiers‘ and focused on the recent General Congregation 35 in Rome. The two Irish delegates (pictured) who had attended the Congregation, Provincial John Dardis SJ and Jim Corkery SJ, addressed the Assembly on the Election of the new Father General, Adolfo Nicolás, the Congregation documents produced, and on strengthening the relationship with Rome. John Dardis gave a warm account of the process of electing the General and Jim Corkery gave his account of what it was like to be involved in writing one of the Congregation documents. These documents are currently being translated and prepared, and should hopefully be available by the end of April.

Looking back on the School of Ecumenics

In the Rite & Reason column in the Irish Times (subscription) on 1 April 2008, Cambridge professor David Ford recommends The Irish School of Ecumenics, 1970-2007, edited by Michael Hurley SJ. It will be launched in the Milltown Institute by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on Thursday 3 April at 7.30 pm. Prof. Ford is voluble in his praise for Michael Hurley himself. “He was ahead of his time,” Ford writes, “in how he brought ecumenism among churches together with interfaith dialogue and dedication to religious, political and cultural reconciliation across some of the deepest differences in our world.” Read more »

High turnout for Assembly

Over 120 Jesuits attended the annual Province Assembly this year in Clongowes, which was entitled ‘Called to the Frontiers‘ and focused on the recent General Congregation in Rome. The two Irish delegates, Provincial John Dardis and Jim Corkery, addressed the Assembly on the Election of Father General, the documents produced, and on our relationship with the Pope and the Vatican. Jim gave his account of what it was like to be involved in writing one of the documents, and both Jim and John addressed the complexities of relations with Rome. See the pictures of the Assembly on Photo Gallery.

We remember in our prayer

• Fr Tony Farren, facing an operation in a Galway hospital
• Br Joe Osborne, in hospital recovering from an operation
• The sick in Cherryfield