JRS Ireland welcomes new faces

Two new staff members have recently taken up their posts with JRS Ireland. Rory Halpin SJ (pictured right) has arrived in Limerick, and is looking forward to the challenge of assisting asylum seekers in the city and the surrounding area. And in the Dublin office, Elizabeth O’Rourke has begun her work as Integration Officer. Her role is to develop integration activities and services, with a special focus on education, and to contribute to JRS Ireland policy and advocacy work on integration, particularly, in the areas of education, housing and interfaith dialogue.

Short notices

• President Mary McAleese, who will be conferred with a HDCL (Canon Law) in Milltown next month, has invited her former lecturer, Michael O’Sullivan (pictured right), to join the Forum she is hosting on October 1st to highlight the issue of “Domestic and Sexual Abuse against women and men, including older people in Ireland.” Unfortunately on that day Michael willl be in the University of Malta to support the launch of a new MA in Spirituality.
• On 24 September Lusaka, Zambia, will see the launch of an important book by Fr Michael J. Kelly. Education: for An Africa Without AIDS is part of his service of the poor through critical research and advocacy. Professor Kelly is widely known at both national and international level for addressing the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS in Zambia and other developing countries.
• Pope Benedict has appointed two Jesuits (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye and Fr General Nicolas) to the Synod of Bishops which meets in Rome next month. Six other Jesuits will serve the Synod as experts.
• On Tuesday 30th September at 7.30pm Fr Tom Sweetser SJ, who has written important books on parish development, will address the parish of Ayrfield and interested parties from the Dublin Diocese on ‘Bringing Parish to the Next Level.’ Venue: Catholic Church, Ayrfield, off Blunden Drive. Ard na Greine, Dublin 13.
• On 13 September Manresa House hosted a retreat for Gardiner Street helpers. The day’s focus was on the work and mission of a parish, against the backdrop of the 35th Jesuit General Congregation (with insights from our Delegate there, Jim Corkery SJ); and on the huge needs of the developing world, conveyed by Sr Cyril IBVM who has worked in India for over 50 years.

Volunteers begin JVC experience

Two young and enthusiastic volunteers have just moved into Ballymun for nine months of simple living and full-time voluntary service, in a programme of social analysis and reflection inspired by Jesuit spirituality. Edel O’Donnell from Glasnevin is a former member of the Ballymun Gospel Choir. Majella Moloney, educated at Crescent College Comprehensive, has just returned from the Jesuit Magis Programme at World Youth Day in Australia. The Jesuit Volunteer Community (JVC) is a 9-month programme coordinated by Slí Eile, the Jesuit Centre for Young Adults.

Faith and politics in Venice

Edmond Grace’s focus on politics and faith brought him to Venice for a week-long reflection on the topic, together with twenty-six young adults – the photo shows them outside San Marco. They came from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Poland; the event was organised through a network of Jesuit centres around Europe, including the Manresa Spirituality Centre in Dollymount. Venice itself became part of the seminar, both because of its place in European history and because this was where Ignatius and his companions first gave themselves the name ‘Society of Jesus.’ Read more »

The death of Fr Paddy Doyle SJ

Former Irish Jesuit Provincial Fr Paddy Doyle SJ died in Cherryfield in the early hours of Sunday morning. His body was in respose at Cherryfield on Tuesday Sept 16 at 2.30pm followed by prayers at 4pm. His funeral mass will take place in Milltown Park chapel on Wed Sept 17th at 11am. As he had worked for peace on the frontiers, he crossed the final frontier peacefully. God be good to him. Read more »

Zambia’s lost leader

As the Zambian Jesuits mourn their dead president, their grief and sense of loss goes far beyond the conventional. Though Patrick Levy Mwanawasa was the third Zambian President, he was the first to die. A lawyer by profession, he kept the country united. Nobody was exempt from the law. He won praise for keeping the lid on once-rampant inflation and public spending. He had made a change in the presidency because of his upholding of honesty and his constant fight against corruption. Follow the ‘read more’ link to read the report of Jerry O’Connell SJ, who has spent most of his Jesuit life in Zambia.

Read more »

Busy partners

Joe Greenan and Deirdre Soffe, the Irish Jesuits’ Partners in Mission, have organised two workshops in the last month. They commissioned a website called jesuitlink, which uses the Moodle system to improve communications within our ministries, and introduced it to two groups (pictured right). Secondly, under the aegis of Partners in Mission, Mr Pat Behan from Heartbeat Safety ran a training day in emergency first aid for the staff of Gardiner Street. Every organisation is legally obliged to have sufficient personnel trained in safety and first-aid issues. Pat supported the theory with practical role-plays and a wealth of personal experience. As well as complying with legislation, the course offered the participants skills that would be personally useful to them.

Slí Eile runs social spirituality course

Sli Eile, the Jesuit ministry to young adults, is now enrolling applicants for its certificate course in social spirituality. The course entails weekly lectures from 30 September to June and is run in association with the Milltown Institute. The modules tackle issues such as Spirituality, Justice, Being Catholic in a culture of Choice, Women in the Church, Spirituality in the Workplace, and Social Spirituality in Northern Ireland. Contact Noelle Fitzpatrick on noelle.fitzpatrick@sli-eile.com or (01) 8943 161.