Addressing the evil of sectarianism: Bill Shaw on life, faith, and hope by Allan LEONARD 20 September 2023 The retreat and conference centre run by the Passionate community, Tobar Mhuire, was the venue for a guided interview with Bill Shaw, presented as an opportunity “to explore their experience of life, faith, and where they find … Continue reading Addressing the evil of sectarianism: Bill Shaw on life, faith, and hope
Being churches together: celebrating a reconciling vision of hope by Allan LEONARD 7 September 2023 A “Being Churches together in 21st Century Ireland” symposium took place at Dublin City University (DCU), as part of a number of events marking the centenary of the Irish Council of Churches (ICC) and 50 years since the Ballymascanlon talks … Continue reading Being churches together: celebrating a reconciling vision of hope
‘Human peace wall’ marks Good Friday Agreement's 25th anniversary by Allan LEONARD 7 April 2023 A “human peace wall” event at a Belfast interface marked the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. About 100 people lined up from the Falls Road to the Shankill Road end on Northumberland Street, forming a line of solidarity … Continue reading ‘Human peace wall’ marks Good Friday Agreement’s 25th anniversary
In this episode of What Northern Ireland Means to Me, we meet Martin Magill, who is a priest at St John Parish on the Falls Road in Belfast and co-founder of the 4 Corners Festival. TRANSCRIPT My family have been here for a number of generations. We're still in the family home out in … Continue reading WNIMTM — Martin MAGILL
Considering Grace: An invitation to listen by Allan LEONARD 5 November 2019 Considering Grace, by Gladys Ganiels and Jamie Yohanis, is a new book that explores how Presbyterians responded to the Troubles, through a series of narratives from 120 people who tell their stories of how they coped with trauma and tests of their faith. … Continue reading Considering Grace: An invitation to listen
The end of Catholic Ireland? by Allan LEONARD 6 November 2018 In what Alan Meban described the event as a symposium (“but don’t say it was in a bar” [The Dark Horse Inn]), Dr Gladys Ganiel, a sociologist of religion from Queen’s University Belfast, laid out quantitative and qualitative findings about the apparent secularisation process … Continue reading The end of Catholic Ireland?
One of the final events of the Four Corners Festival was a discussion on what was described as the psychogeography of the city of Belfast. A panel of four -- with one connected via a video call -- ruminated on their walking through the streets, along borders and through them, sharing their perspectives to an … Continue reading Listening to the pschogeography of Belfast
On BBC Radio Ulster’s Sunday Sequence programme, I learned of a Passion Walk event that would take place on Good Friday. Passion Walk seeks to recreate the experience of Jesus of Nazareth’s final days in a contemporary environment, using local landmarks in place of those around Jerusalem. Based on the success of a previous Passion … Continue reading The Passion Walk – Belfast 2015
National reconciliation: “Patriotism is not enough” A Journey Towards Healing seminar by Allan LEONARD for Shared Future News 19 February 2015 In the second of a series of seminars organised by Niamh Mental Wellbing, Reverend Dr Gary Mason facilitated a civic engagement in a packed room at Skainos on the Newtownards Road, Belfast. The discussants … Continue reading National reconciliation: “Patriotism is not enough”
I came across Coffee with Jesus on a display table at the front of a Barnes & Noble bookstore. Just as well, as I doubt I would have perused the religion section to discover it. Coffee with Jesus originated online, under the consortium Radio Free Babylon. It is a irreverent perspective of Christ in everyday -- … Continue reading Book review – Coffee with Jesus (David WILKIE)
The prevailing wisdom of A Love Divided by Allan LEONARD for Shared Future News 4 April 2014 Based on a true story, “A Love Divided” chronicles the aftermath of a mixed marriage in Co. Wexford, Ireland, where Protestant-raised Sheila refuses to send her children to a local Catholic school. She flees with her two young … Continue reading The prevailing wisdom of A Love Divided
Accommodating faith and diversity in Northern Ireland: @IFNetUK Inter-Faith Week 2011 by Allan LEONARD for Shared Future News 21 November 2011 OFMDFM Junior Ministers Martina Anderson and Jonathan Bell sponsored a panel discussion marking Inter-Faith Week, organised by the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum: "Accommodating faith and diversity in Northern Ireland". The panel discussion was chaired … Continue reading Accommodating faith and diversity in Northern Ireland
