Young partners

Three initiatives this summer reflect the vital importance of our partners in mission:

JVI: Fr Liam O’Connell, who directs Jesuit Volunteers International, sent us word of two new volunteers, Josephine Kehoe from Gorey, and Dermot Bradley from Rochfordbridge, Co. Westmeath. They are going to work for one year at Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC), near Lusaka, Zambia. Josephine will manage the construction of ten Eco- friendly farmers’ houses, made from special bricks which use only 5% cement, have efficient water collection during the rainy season, use biodigesters (see below) for the creation of propane gas, and will be equipped with energy-efficient stoves. Read more »

New program for AIDS orphans

Global Friends in Action, a small NGO founded by Michael T. Kelly SJ, has launched a new program called 37&More, which provides care for children orphaned by AIDS in a large slum on the edge of Kabwe, Zambia. The program will protect and provide support for orphans and vulnerable children, who, in the shanty town of about 60,000 inhabitants, are among those worst affected by HIV/Aids. Read more »

Women in Prison: the Need for a Critical Review

The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ) is holding a seminar entitled Women in Prison: the Need for a Critical Review, on Thursday 22 May, 5-7pm, in the Bar Council Law Library, Dublin 7. The keynote speaker is Baroness Corston, author of The Corston Report, a review of women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system of England and Wales. The seminar is being held in the context of Irish Government plans to double the number of places for women in prisons. They include the relocation of the main prison for women, the Dóchas Centre, to an enlarged facility in the proposed prison complex at Thornton Hall, and the building of a new prison at Kilworth, Co. Cork. The venue is the Bar Council Law Library, Distillery Buildings, Church Street, Dublin 7. There is no charge for this event, but registration is requested: prisonseminar@jcfj.ie; tel: 01-855 6814. Further details at: www.jcfj.ie.

Promoting JUST cause

The Jesuit University Services Training (JUST) project, based in Ballymun, Dublin, which has seen more than 50 people avail of its services this year, will be spending the summer break concentrating on promoting access to third level education in the area. They plan to reach out to the growing immigrant community and will have the services of a fluent Polish speaker, Prof. Helina Czosnynka, during the summer, as well as connecting with the Polish ministry based in Gardiner Street. JUST is also exploring how it can work with the second and third level Jesuit education network in Ireland. The JUST offices are currently in the old shopping centre, Ballymun, and they are awaiting news of, hopefully, a new main-street premises with the reconstruction of the new shopping centre. The death of Liam Greene SJ is still keenly felt by staff and students.

Jesus: social revolutionary?

The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ) has announced the publication of Jesus: social revolutionary? This new book is written by one of the JCFJ team, Peter McVerry SJ, and published by Veritas. Tony O’Riordan SJ, director of the JCFJ, states that the book is “an attempt to open a debate about the meaning of our faith and the Christian obligation to question how a society that, though incredible wealthy, continues to tolerate immense poverty and inequality.” The JCFJ have set up a special section on their website, www.jcfj.ie, which contains extracts of the book and an interview with the author, Peter McVerry, on the background to the book. Read more »

A new director for Slí Eile

Slí Eile has announced the appointment of a new director. Pádraig Swan, a member of the Gardiner Street Gospel Choir for the last two years, will take up leadership of the Jesuit organisation that provides a wide range of faith and justice activities for young adults aged 18-35 in June. A native of Carlow, Pádraig first came into contact with Slí Eile through the Gospel Choir and participated in Slí Eile activities, including the last two Easter retreats in Clongowes. He studied for the diocesan priesthood in Kildare and Leighlin for three years, and he worked with Youth Work Ireland for two years. He also brings experience of several years of retail management to his new role. Padraig will work alongside Slí Eile’s current director, Rory Halpin SJ, during the month of April, before taking up his new position full time from the beginning of June.

Response to Kenya

Due to the post election violence in Kenya recently, the Irish Missionary Resource Service (IMRS) set up an emergency fund to help cope with many thousands of people displaced by the ethnic violence. The Irish Jesuit Mission Office has successfully processed two applications for this fund. A grant of €15,000 was approved for relief work by the Jesuit Refugee Service in Western Kenya. The money will be spent on tents, clothing, food and counselling among a population of 2,000 Internally Displaced families in Kachimbola, about 30km from Kitale. A second grant has just been approved for food, shelter and educational needs of 2,000 people who fled for protection to the Jesuit Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker in Kangemi, Nairobi. Frs John Guiney SJ and Gerry Whelan SJ have served for many years in this parish. It is hoped to submit a third project by the Jesuit Hakimani Centre to rebuild peace in the community in the near future.

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 »

JRS essay competition deadline

The deadline for entries for the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe competition for student journalists is 22 February 2008. Aimed at highlighting the challenges facing refugees and asylum seekers, the ‘Access to Asylum’ competition is open to students, or recent graduates, from any institute of higher education in one of the forty-three member states of the Council of Europe. And the prize? For the winner it’s a trip to a refugee camp in Malawi. And the authors of the three best entries will attend a prize-giving ceremony in Brussels and have their work circulated to European and national media. For more details, check the JRS Europe website or contact Elizabeth Underhill, JRS Europe, press.europe@gmail.com, (0032) 22503220.

Clongowes students become teachers

12 students from Clongowes will be visiting JRS on Thursday 7 February. These 12 students have completed Teaching English as a Foreign Language accreditation. They will be participating in a workshop at JRS on Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Ireland. They will then observe Belvedere students tutoring asylum seekers and refugees in TEFL, as they do each Thursday morning. The Clongowes pilot group will be providing similar classes locally in Kildare, arranged through Sr Anne Horgan of JRS.

GC35 looks at youth ministry

For what seems to be the first time in the history of Jesuit General Congregations, apostolic activities for youth was the subject of discussion at the plenary sessions on 1-2 February. According to a report from the Press Office in Rome, the Congregation had been asked to focus on “the importance of youth in our faith and justice mission, to direct more of the Society’s apostolate toward youth, and to emphasize the characteristics of youth ministry in today’s context”. The commission appointed to consider this issue reported on their progress. They sought to identify the characteristics of youth, though their description was “occasionally contested” during the discussion. Read more »

Can the body be sold?

Can the body be sold? Prostitution, trafficking and llegal adoption of children and other abuses to our bodies are the subject of Slí Eile’s January debate that is to be held Tuesday 22 January 2008 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be Pauline Conroy, social policy analyst., and the venue The Belvedere, Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1. Among the questions that will be discussed will be: Are we aware that our bodies are gift, to be respected and preserved, temples and gifts? Read more »