Leader of world peace movement in Belfast; Catholic grammars ‘top of league’;’’Irish grant’ cut for NI students; £3.4m bid to boost child literacy; Pope’s envoy apologizes to Irish victims of clerical sex abuse; Irish rugby team visits ruined Christchurch cathedral
Leader of world peace movement in Belfast
Dr Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement, speaking in Belfast Cathedral last night, said, “Right from the beginning of the Focolare Movement, which was born during the Second World War, one of the things that the Holy Spirit suggested to Chiara Lubich, founder of the movement, was to live the Gospel. She understood that the Gospel contained in an ‘art’ of loving that creates the community, establishing new relationships of trust as the solid foundation of the community. The love that Jesus brought on earth has, in fact, some typical characteristics that generate trust. For example:
“1) Christian love takes the initiative in loving, it does not expect to be loved, it does not love for self-interest or for other reasons. As we read in Letter to the Romans this is what Jesus did: ‘while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’ (Rom. 5: 5);
“2) Christian love consists in loving of neighbour ‘as yourself’ (cf.Gal 5:14). The other is really ‘another me’;
“3) Christian love prompts us to act like our heavenly Father who ‘makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous’ (Matt. 5: 45). That is, the love of the Gospel urges us to love everyone, really everyone, without the usual distinctions that we make so easily between people of different political parties, different churches, different views;
“4) Christian love includes love for our enemies: ‘Love your enemies – says Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew – and pray for those who persecute you’ (Mt 5:43-48).The Dean of Belfast, the Very Revd John Mann, said Dr Voce’s visit to Belfast for this Service of Prayerful Reflection would be ‘a wonderful chance for many people to hear a prophetic voice addressing the subject of what we understand by Communion’, going on to say,
‘This in itself is indicative of not only The Focolare’s insistence on the core Christian desire for unity, but that that is found in its joy as much as its pain in the discovery that trust, risk in the offer of love, and abandonment into the hands of others on the pattern of our Lord is the way to progress through the self-imposed barriers that only too often surround us.’
The Most Revd Noel Treanor, Bishop of Down & Connor, and by the Bishop of Connor, The Rt Revd Alan Abernethy were presen at the service.
The Focolare Movement was founded in Italy during the Second World War and is now present in 198 countries throughout the world. It has given rise to many social projects and relationships between people of different ethnic background, religion and conviction.
Dr Voce has been the Movement’s President since 2008. She has made dialogue and building relationships of trust a key priority of her Presidency.
Catholic grammars ‘top of league’
BBC – Eight out of the top 10 ranking grammar schools in Northern Ireland are Catholic, according to a list compiled by the Irish News.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18425135
‘Irish grant’ cut for NI students
BBC – From next year, Stormont will no longer pick up the bill for students from Northern Ireland who choose to study at colleges in the Republic of Ireland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18421262
£3.4m bid to boost child literacy
BBC – Education minister John O’Dowd launches a new project to boost primary school literacy, especially for pupils with special educational needs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18430445
Pope’s envoy apologizes to Irish victims of clerical sex abuse
Reuters – The Church in predominantly Catholic Ireland has been rocked by a series of cases … The head of the Irish Catholic Church apologized last month to victims of
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/13/us-ireland-sex-abuse-idUSBRE85C18C20120613
Irish rugby team visits ruined Christchurch cathedral
The Press – Irish construction workers in the central Christchurch red zone had the chance to meet players from their national rugby team this afternoon. The Irish players toured the red zone by bus before stopping in Cathedral Square, where workers from two construction companies waited for them to get off the bus. About 15 workers collected autographs and had their helmets and high-visibility vests signed. New Zealand-born Irish scrum coach Greg Feek, who used to play for the Crusaders, said he found the tour “pretty emotional”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/7095857/Irish-arrive-in-Christchurch