6th February 2008

1.  Lent
We are now in an unusually early Lent, and words like Lenten Penance, Sacrifice, Repentance and Forgiveness are heard in relation to the season – but are they still relevant in 2008, or just memories of those for whom Lent was a much more penitential time.  Eileen Good asked well known Redemptorist preacher Fr. Tony Flannery for his memories of Lent.

2.  Pope Benedict
Michael Paul Gallagher is an Irish Jesuit who is Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. He was in Ireland recently to deliver a lecture on the theology of Pope Benedict. He spoke to Piaras Jackson about the Pope's theology and about how the bishop Rome is perceived here and in the Eternal City. Michael Paul was asked what themes he sees in the writings of Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI.

3. The Mass
 Last week in the magazine supplement to the Irish Times, going to Mass was listed number one in the ‘What’s Hot’ list – forget the spas, yoga and go to Mass!  However many non Mass goers today say they don’t go because Mass is boring.  Eileen Good asked Angela Ryan, a member of the Adult Education Team at the Priory Institute in Tallaght, Co. Dublin, for her reaction to this claim.
 

4. Coping with grief
People grieve through bereavement, divorce, disaster, diagnosis and dismissal.  Grief is about loss, and in coping, people have to undergo a transition in which they have to come to terms with a new situation. Ted Bowman is a respected American trainer, educator and consultant teaching at the University of St. Thomas Minnesota.  Eileen Good met up with him and asked him first to define grief.

5.  The Dead Sea Scrolls
One of the world’s leading experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Archaeology in the Holy Land, Professor Hanan Eshel of the Bar Ilan University in Israel was in Ireland recently to talk to religious groups on the influence of the Dead Sea Scrolls on Judaism and Christianity. Eileen Good asked him what exactly the Dead Sea Scrolls were.


6.  Accord
Accord, the marriage advice agency are putting together a handout for couples preparing for marriage. It details all the paperwork and administration that needs to be done for the ceremony. They are bringing it out for Valentine's Day and Miriam Gormally asked Stephen Cummins, director of Marriage Education how a long term commitment like marriage compares with a day of romance like Valentine's Day. Stephen began by explaining what Accord does and why they are producing this leaflet.

7.  Heroic Leadership
Leadership is a hotly debated topic at the moment as the presidential election in America gain momentum. However this isn't the only form of leadership. Chris Lowney, author, Jesuit seminarian and now business consultant, combines his Jesuit training with his work experience in JP Morgan to bring insights into leadership. He explains to Pat Coyle why we need to think about leadership in a different way and why we should all think of ourselves as leaders.

8.  Little Nellie of Holy God
On February 2nd 1908 – 200 years ago Little Nellie of Holy God died, at the age of four and a half.  Famous for her love of Jesus in the Eucharist, she was known to Pope Pius X when he decided to lower the age for children to receive Holy Communion.  New  Zealand author Leo Madigan, now living in Fatima, has written extensively on Little Nellie and he reminded Eileen Good who she was and why there is still devotion to this young child..


9.  Response to the Bill
Is it fair to imprison or detain people who are coming to Ireland seeking protection? This was the question which Deo Ladislas from the Irish refuge council put to the panel of people on Questions and Answers last Tuesday. He was responding to a new Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill which allows the government discretion to detain people seeking asylum. Miriam Gormally met Deo to discuss why the Irish refuge council want to see the bill reformed.


10.  B.C.C. in India
On a recent trip to India Fr. Jim O’Halloran discovered that India has soul – through small groups of communities flourishing in their parishes.  Many of the communities are an example of multicultural co-operation in action with Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Christians helping to improve living conditions in their area.  Eileen Good asked him why he chose to visit India at this time.

11.  Music:  The Love I Have For You
This week our music is from James Kilbane  - The Love I have for You’ from his CD Divine Love.

20th February 2008

2.  Is Lent Relevant?
As we continue through Lent, we look at some of the ‘to do’ things rather than the ‘giving up’ things and see what can make Lent a positive experience.  Eileen Good spoke to Jesuit Fr. Ciaran Quirke and started by asking him about the relevance of Lent today.

3. Daffodil Day
Friday March 7th, we will see people all over the country gathering to sell and buy daffodils. The money raised from all these daffodils will help cancer patients throughout the country. Miriam Gormally met Isobel Thompson who suffered from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and who is now working as a volunteer for Daffodil Day. She began by telling Miriam her own story.

4. Spirituality and Sexuality in Young People
Sexuality and spirituality are often considered to be separate, almost opposite. However Christine Clear from the Milltown Institute in Dublin claims that the two are linked, that a healthy and life giving sexuality leads to a vibrant spirituality. Miriam Gormally met Christine to find out more.

5.  Wellsprings
All over the country new Boards of Management have started their term of office in our Primary Schools.  They take office at a time of great change in our schools both in terms of new nationalities and different religions being part of the daily classroom routine. Eileen Good spoke to Andrew McGready of the Mater Dei Institute in Dublin and Education Advisor to the Wellsprings programme - and asked him first about the name ‘Wellsprings.’

6.  Negotiating Justice
The banking system must develop a specific Set of Codes of Responsible Lending to the less well off to avoid the problems that have arisen in the sub-prime area in the USA and are becoming evident in Ireland also. This is the view of Fr. Seamus Finn Director of ‘Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Oblate Order in Washington USA. He has been its representative of many years on the American Interfaith Centre of Corporate responsibility.  Eileen Good caught up with him on a recent visit to Ireland.

7.  Rebuilding Darfur
Darfur hit the headlines again recently when film director Steven Spielberg withdrew as artistic advisor to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing after unsuccessfully trying to persuade Chine to do more to end Sudan’s attacks in Darfur.  In October of last year Bishop Macram Gassis of the Diocese of El Obeid in Sudan, which includes the territory of Darfur, was in Ireland talking about the plight of the people there Eileen Good met him and asked him about the Church’s role in Darfur.

8.  World Day of Prayer
Friday March 7th 2008 is the World Day of Prayer. It’s an international and interdenominational day of reaching out in prayer around the world. Catherine Murtagh, one of the Irish organisers of the event, told Eileen Good what was different about the title this year.

9.   All You Need is Love
This week Peter O’Connor reviews All You Need Is Love, a musical love story directed by Julie Taymor.  Set in the 1960’s and moving from Liverpool to New York, All You Need is Love is paired with a whole host of songs that defined the era.

10. Music: Agnus Dei
Our music selection this week is taken from the Dublin Choral Foundation’s album Mozart 250.  The piece is the Agnus Dei from the Missa Brevis in C Major K. 220 “Spatzen-Messe” and conducted by Ite O’Donovan.