Tape Date: 23rd September 1998

The Conference of Religious of Ireland has made a submission to the Government calling on significant resources to be allocated in the 1999 budget so that poverty in Ireland can be eliminated. Fr. Sean Healy talks to us about the choices available to the Government. We hear from Sr. Cyril, a Loreto sister working in Calcutta; Anthony Cotter, an entrepreneur from Cork; Luzveminda O'Sullivan, the Rose of Tralee from Castlebar; and Marshall Rosenberg from America. All this and much more.

Side 1

1. Crossways: News in the Church and the World. History was made recently in Rwanda when a court found a local authority worker guilty of war crimes which included rape. It is the first time since the introduction of the Geneva Convention in 1949 that anyone has been convicted of rape as a crime against humanity. In our main report we hear about the significance of that verdict. The news was read by Alan McGuckian, SJ, and Elaine Comerford.

Time: 6.00

2. The Rose of Tralee: Luzveminda O'Sullivan, from Castlebar, is the recently crowned Rose of Tralee. She is in her final year in Trinity College studying Biochemistry and has decided to work with aid agency Trócaire in the coming year and has launched their "Sudan Needs Change" fund-raising campaign. Elaine Comerford spoke with Luzveminda about how she came to her decision to work with Trócaire.

In: (O'Sullivan) "Well, it goes.........very proud themselves." Out: (O'Sullivan)

Time: 3.06

3. Alpha: Ever heard of the Alpha programme? It is an introduction to Christianity - one night a week for ten weeks - which started in a run-down Anglican parish in London a few years ago. The course had such a profound effect in turning the parish around that it has been taken up by all the other denominations in England and further afield. It has recently come to Ireland. Ger Gallagher works for the Catholic Youth Council in Dublin and he has begun using Alpha with young people there. Alan McGuckian, SJ, asked him what happens on this course.

In: (Gallagher) "The very first night........the bottom line." Out: (Gallagher)

Time: 6.15

5. Interchurch Marriage: For a long time, marriages between members of different Christian churches were considered undesirable and even a little suspect. Many couples found themselves ostracised by their families or congregations. Nowadays, interchurch marriage is seen in a more positive light. In the Diocese of Killaloe, a booklet entitled Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of Interchurch Marriages has just been launched by the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church. The document was drawn up by a committee headed by Bishop Edward Darling and Bishop Willie Walsh. Edwin Bailey is a member of the Church of Ireland, while his wife Frances, is a Roman Catholic. They married almost twenty-five years ago and both are heavily involved in their respective churches in Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare. Martin Browne spoke to them.

In: (Bailey) "Neither parents............................wish that as well." Out (Bailey)

Time: 5.12

4. The Price of Success: Do you know any of your neighbours? Recently the Irish Times ran a whole series of articles entitled The Price of Success. Many of the articles argued that Ireland had won its new material prosperity at a price. It was claimed that traditional community values in Ireland have declined and are being replaced by a brash, cut-throat, American-style culture. Peter Scally interviewed Fr. Peter McVerry of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, and asked him how he sees the changes in Irish Society.

In: (McVerry) "I think our life today............prophetic for the future." Out: (McVerry)

Time: 5.59

Side 2

1. Edith Stein: On the 11th of October Pope John Paul will canonise Edith Stein. She was a German jewess and agnostic, a leading feminist scholar in the 1920's and 1930's. In an extraordinary turnaround she became a Catholic and entered the convent as an enclosed Carmelite nun. The sanctuary of the convent did not protect her from the Nazi holocaust and she died in Auschwitz. Sr. Rosalie Burke is an enclosed Carmelite nun from the Malahide, Co. Dublin convent, and she spoke to Alan McGuckian, SJ, about Edith Stein.

In: (Burke) "Edith was born.......small things like that." Out: (Burke)

Time: 6.53

2. Sr. Cyril from Calcutta: She was born Josie Mooney from Bray, Co. Wicklow. For the past 42 years she has worked in India as Sr. Cyril, where she has become well known for her innovative approach to education based on the gospel. Now she runs a Loreto school in Calcutta where the wealthiest and the poorest children in the city work and play together.

In: (Sr. Cyril) "I'm running a school..............dozens of those stories." Out: (Sr. Cyril)

Time: 7.33

3. Communicating with ourselves and others: Marshall Rosenberg is a psychologist who is known internationally for his work in teaching Nonviolent Communication Skills. He has successfully taught the skills to individuals, families, teachers, health care providers, police, government officials and many other groups. Much of his work has been in war torn countries where he has been teaching the skills of resolving differences peacefully. His book titled Nonviolent Communication has just been published in English and it contains practical help toward communicating well in all kinds of everyday situations. Marie Stuart, RSM, talked to him about the meaning and practice of non-violent communication.

In: (Stuart) "Marshall, you talk ………… you to be co-operative. Out: (Rosenberg)

Time: 5.51

(Marshall's book titled 'Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Compassion' is available from Brenda Blair, 6 Laragh, Killiney Avenue, Killiney, Co. Dublin. It costs £12.50 including p&p. Further information from Brenda at 01-2849503).

4. From Public Relations to Turfagotchis (Turf-a-gotchi): In 1984 Anthony Cotter did his Leaving Certificate and got a place in college to do accounting. Cork Co. Council offered him a job at the same time. The idea of money in his pocket attracted him so he took the job. In 1988 he took a career break, worked in London for two years and then came back to Cork Co. Council. He now makes and sells turfagotchis, has written a book known as 'The Yes Book', runs a kiosk selling gift items and trades under the business name 'Arable Jam Tarts'. When Marie Stuart, RSM, talked to him about life and living she started by asking him what is a turfagotchi?

In: (Cotter) "The turfagotchi ……… test it and taste it'. Out: (Cotter)

Time: 5.40

5. The Budget - Reversing Last Year's Choices: The budget of 1998 allocated the resources to the better off in our society according to Fr Sean Healy of CORI's Justice Office. For the first time in our history we have the resources now to eliminate poverty, but it's a choice the government must make. Talking to Marie Stuart, RSM, Sean Healy argued that failure to make the necessary choices is un-Christian. He also holds that failure to deliver on the commitments of Partnership 2000 with regard to social exclusion will undermine the confidence of social partners and therefore the possibility of future agreements.

In: (Stuart) "Time of plenty …………. the eyes of a poor person." Out: (Healy)

Time: 5.56