Making History Talk – Understanding The Ulster Covenant; Christ Church TV; DUP mayor attends gay pride event; Mary Kenny: Faith or no faith, pilgrim journeys restore our soul; Changing lives of Irish teenagers with Oak Ridge experiences; Religion and HIV; One-in-four second-level teachers on less than full hours; About 1,700 families per day applying for back-to-school aid; No appeal over Northern Ireland Water tribunal
Making History Talk – Understanding The Ulster Covenant
A public event entitled ‘Making History Talk – Understanding the Ulster Covenant’ will be held 13th September 2012 at 7.30pm in The Clinton Centre, Enniskillen. This event will be supported by Clogher Diocese (Church of Ireland), Enniskillen Methodists and Presbyterians as well as County Fermanagh Grand Orange Lodge.
Two prominent commentators (Dr Brian Feeney and Professor Brian Walker) will be keynote speakers at this unique public event, designed to promote good relations in the community. ‘Making History Talk –
Understanding the Ulster Covenant’ is the first in a series of public events designed to reflect on the decade of historic commemorations in a way that builds understanding. The inspiration for ‘Making History Talk’ comes from a desire to deal with our history in a way that heals rather than wounds. It will promote understanding of what was going on in the minds and hearts of each community at a crucial time in our history and build understanding of why each acted or reacted in the way they did.
This event has arisen out of dialogue that has taken place between the Church of Ireland diocese of Clogher, Enniskillen Methodists and Presbyterians and County Fermanagh Grand Orange Lodge. Out of this dialogue has arisen a desire to hold a public event that will promote greater understanding and good relations in the community.
The organisers are keen that members from all parts of our community attend, to encourage mutual understanding. That is why a warm invitation is extended to all
Christ Church TV
Christ Church Cathedral Dublin, has announced, “All cathedral services are now broadcast live on the internet. We’re delighted that our friends in Ireland and all over the world can now participate in services – just click here for scheduling information or to see if anything is going on in the cathedral right now! Even though the cathedral choir are currently on vacation, there are still some great choral services happening on Sundays and throughout the week.
http://www.christchurchdublin.ie/Worship/Webcast.htm
DUP mayor attends gay pride event
A DUP politician has attended a gay pride event in Belfast – a first for a party which is known for its outspoken opposition to homosexuality.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-19073211
Mary Kenny: Faith or no faith, pilgrim journeys restore our soul
Irish Independent – Every now and then — indeed, at regular intervals — the demise of the Catholic Church is announced in Ireland. But those leading the funerary rites often fail to distinguish between “the church” and “the faith”. The “church” is the ecclesiastical structure of a …
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/mary-kenny-faith-or-no-faith-pilgrim-journeys-restore-our-soul-3182863.html
Changing lives of Irish teenagers with Oak Ridge experiences
Oak Ridger – Kerry Waterstone, a Church of Ireland priest, founded the Project as a way to help change the attitudes of teens in Northern Ireland. He wanted them to see and experience the way Americans have learned to live together in their “melting pot” …
http://www.oakridger.com/newsnow/x1253623925/Changing-lives-of-Irish-teenagers-with-Oak-Ridge-experiences
Religion and HIV
Canon Albert Ogle writes – As a gay Irishman, I lived under the Victorian law that homosexuality was illegal that was only fully repealed in Ireland in 1993 in the Republic and in 1982 in Northern Ireland. The most significant groups to oppose repeal of the former colonial laws were the churches. Evangelicals and Catholics in the middle of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland in the early 1980s found a strange unity in “Saving Ulster from Sodomy.”
My own Anglican church of Ireland thought homosexuality was incompatible with an understanding of Scripture and in 1980 when it was discovered I was living in a five-year relationship with my partner, I was fired. I lost my home, job and family and we were forced to limp off to London and join the millions of LGBT global refugees who are still largely invisible all over the world. We looked for a new community where our identities could be acknowledged fully for its own reality.
http://sdgln.com/social/2012/07/27/rgod2-religion-and-hiv-remarks
One-in-four second-level teachers on less than full hours
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland has said that “increasing casualisation” of the profession is making it more difficult for teachers to secure full hours.
http://www.thejournal.ie/teachers-working-less-hours-secondary-school-540494-Jul2012/
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/lack-of-full-time-jobs-forces-teachers-out-202616.html
About 1,700 families per day applying for back-to-school aid
Examiner – About 1,700 families are applying every day for State supports to help with the cost of sending their children back to school. Almost 50,000 claims have been made over and above the 115,348 homes already issued with payments of €39.3m on foot of having received, last year, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance from the Department of Social Protection.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/about-1700-families-per-day-applying-for-back-to-school-aid-202614.html
No appeal over Northern Ireland Water tribunal
Belfast Telegraph – A tribunal ruling that a Sinn Fein minister overlooked a Protestant for the chairmanship of Northern Ireland Water because of his religion will not be appealed against. In June the Fair Employment Tribunal upheld Dr Alan Lennon’s claim of religious …
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/no-appeal-over-northern-ireland-water-tribunal-16191610.html