Tape Date: 13th May 1998

 With the country going out to vote in 9 days time, we hear about the Peace Process from Archbishop Robin Eames. Fr. Gerry Reynolds tells us about his experience as a priest in Clonard, Belfast, and Martin Browne speaks to editor Paddy Monaghan about a recently published book, Adventures in Reconciliation. All this and much more.

Side 1

1. Crossways: News in the Church and the World. In our main report this week we hear from a leading Presbyterian minister, John Dunlop on his view of the current situation brought about by the Good Friday Agreement. The news was read by Martin Browne and Elaine Comerford.

Time: 5.55

2. The 1798 Rebellion: The few weeks of rebellion in 1798 were among the bloodiest in Irish history. This year Irish people are trying to find suitable ways to commemorate those events. In Wexford, scene of the worst of the fighting, the Churches are joining together to remember the past and look forward. Alan McGuckian, SJ, spoke to Dean Leslie Forrest of the Church of Ireland and asked him first of all if there is a lot to celebrate in so much loss of life.

In: (Forrest) "I think...............in a positive way." Out: (Forrest)

Time: 6.07

3. Peace Line Priesthood: Fr. Gerry Reynolds is a Redemptorist priest, now living and working in Clonard Monastery in Belfast. The Redemptorist Peace Ministry has been credited with a lot of the background work that eventually led to the current Peace Process, talking to paramilitaries from both sides when hardly anyone else would. Clonard is situated near the so-called Peace Line, built at the height of the Troubles, in order to keep Catholics and Protestants apart. Gerry has lived most of his priestly life in the Republic, so the move, about fifteen years ago, to such a tense area of Northern Ireland meant a big change for him. He found he had to ask himself a lot of questions. Martin Browne asked him about the experience.

In: (Browne) "A priest from .................care for the other person." Out: (Reynolds) Time: 4.42

 4. Nigeria and Press Freedom: The death of journalist Veronica Guerin sent shock waves throughout Ireland and the world. In 1997, 26 journalists were murdered in 14 countries and 185 were jailed simply for doing their job. To mark World Press Freedom Day (May 3rd), Trócaire invited exiled Nigerian journalist Nosa Igiebor to speak at a public meeting in Dublin. Maria O’Loughlin asked him, why as a journalist he has been forced to flee his country.

In: (Igiebor) "I've had to leave.............or even killed." Out: (Igiebor)

Time: 5.19

5. Exam Stress: Exam time is close for thousands of students throughout the country. It can be a very stressful time for the exam candidates and their families. Carole Downey, who works as a School Guidance Counsellor in an all girls school in Dublin, talks to Cáit Mulligan, CHF, about the whole area of exam-related stress and how students and their parents can cope with it.

In: (Mulligan) "What do you make............passport to move on." Out: (Downey)

Time: 4.33

Side 2

1. Confirmation and Pentecost: Pope John Paul has named this year as the year of the Holy Spirit, in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. Because of this, Masses for the Feast of Pentecost (May 31st) will include a short ceremony of commemoration of confirmation. Many of us don't give much thought to confirmation once it's over and done with. For some people it's their last official contact with the Church. So why bother commemorating it? Martin Browne asked Fr. Bernard Cotter, the editor of the pastoral and liturgical magazine Intercom. (On our next tape, Fr. Martin Hogan, lecturer in Scripture at Clonliffe College, Dublin, reflects on the Pentecost scriptures.)

In: (Browne) "Confirmation, what is..............to be fully Christian." Out: (Browne)

Time: 4.43

2. American Prison Reform: Speaking at a recent penal reform conference in Dublin, a highly regarded American expert slated the use of prisons and detention centres in dealing with underage criminals. Dr. Jerome Miller, co-founder of the National Centre on Institutions and Alternatives in the USA has successfully provided community alternatives over the last 20 years. He began all those years ago by closing down the State reform schools in Massachusetts. Maria O’Loughlin asked him why.

In: (Miller) "Well, they are...........serious sorts of crime." Out: (Miller)

Time: 6.19

3. Politics and Reconciliation: The General Synod of the Church of Ireland has been taking place this week in Dublin. The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Revd Robin Eames is President of the Synod. In this capacity he addresses the Synod each year about some of the most important issues and events in the life of the Church. This year's speech naturally was dominated by the Peace Process and the upcoming referenda throughout the island. Martin Browne spoke to him about some of the issues he raised. (NB This interview took place in a noisy Cathedral!)

In: (Browne) "Political agreement..........a way forward." Out: (Eames)

Time: 3.15

4. Adventures In Reconciliation: 'Evangelical' and 'Catholic' are not words that normally go together. Despite this, there are many Catholics in Ireland today who describe themselves as evangelical. A book just published called Adventures in Reconciliation, reproduces the stories - or testimonies - of twenty nine such people, both clerical and lay, from all over Ireland, North and South. Many of them are actively involved in working for reconciliation with Protestant Evangelicals. Martin Browne spoke to one of the book's editors, Paddy Monaghan. Paddy describes himself as a born-again Christian, who happens to worship God in the Catholic Church.

In: (Browne) "Most of us know........in the Protestant Churches." Out: (Monaghan)

Time: 6.03

5. L'Arche Community Volunteers: Cathy Foulds is a member of the L’Arche Community in Cork. At present she is recruiting assistants for the community. Cathy told Marie Stuart, RSM, about her own introduction to L’Arche and talked about the life of a L’Arche community assistant. People who are interested in getting involved with L’Arche can contact the L’Arche at Togher Road, Cork. Tel. 021-318880.

In: (Stuart) "You're married with.......the world increases." Out: (Foulds)

Time: 5.29