Tape Date: 9th September 1998

I hope you are keeping well. September brings many changes. Last week thousands of families throughout the country went through the emotions of a child starting school, we hear from one parent about her experience. Others heard whether they had achieved the college places they worked so hard for. We hear from Sr. Teresa McCormack of the Conference of Religious of Ireland about proposed changed to the points system. Sr. Maura Walsh tells us of an upcoming celebration of the autumn equinox, giving thanks for the fruit of the earth. All this and much more.

Side 1

1. Crossways: News in the Church and the World. In our main report we hear from Caroline Lynch about Trócaire's new fundraising project "Sudan Needs Change". The initiative was launched by this years' Rose of Tralee, Luzveminda O'Sullivan, and hopes to raise £1 million for famine relief in South Sudan. The news was read by Elaine Comerford and Martin Browne.

Time: 5.44

2. Steps On My Pilgrim Journey: Cardinal Cahal Daly has been a priest for over fifty years and a Bishop for over thirty of those. He was Bishop of Down and Connor, based in Belfast, for some of the bloodiest years in the Northern Troubles, and was Archbishop of Armagh and Primate at the time of the scandals involving Bishop Éamonn Casey, Fr. Brendan Smyth and others. He retired just under two years ago, and has just published his memoirs, Steps On My Pilgrim Journey. Martin Browne spoke to him about his life, and in particular about his faith.

In: (Browne) "Your book is called............to serve the Church." Out: (Daly)

Time: 8.33

3. Anglicans and Gay Clergy: One of the most controversial issues before the international meeting of Anglican Bishops at this year's Lambeth Conference, was the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy. In the end, the Conference affirmed, by a large majority, that the traditional teaching on the immorality of homosexual activity still stood. Christopher Halliday of East Coast Radio was at Lambeth, and spoke to the Revd Michael Hopkins, a gay priest from Washington diocese.

In: (Hopkins) "I'm here covering.......incarnated in that position." Out: (Hopkins)

Time: 4.39

4. Starting School: Starting school is always a big step in a child's life. It can often be traumatic for the parents as well. The sight of weeping parents and children outside school gates is a familiar one each September. Geraldine Bradley's first child, Liane, started school two years ago. Her second daughter, Aoife, began her life at what she herself calls 'big school' this month. Geraldine spoke to Martin Browne about the experience of preparing for that first day at school.

In: (Browne) "Geraldine, a year or ............every day at school." Out: (Bradley)

Time: 4.11

5. Genetically Concern: The area of genetic modification has seen much expansion in recent times. Scientists are constantly working on ways of increasing crop yields, and making them more resistant to pests. However, there is a danger that insufficient research has gone into the effects these new foodstuffs will have on consumers, and that companies are more interested in profit than human health. Pharmacist John Corr is a spokesperson for Genetic Concern, an organisation run on a shoestring that is currently attempting to put a halt on the release of genetically modified foods into the market.

In: (Harkin) "What is the......................in the future." Out: (Corr)

Time: 5.31

Side 2

1. Praying as Jesus did: Christians have sometimes been slow to recognise that the one they call their Messiah was in fact a practising Jew. History has shown the tragic consequences of this failure. Dr. Maureena Fritz is a Sister of Our Lady of Sion and a lecturer in the Toronto School of Theology. She is currently based in Jerusalem and believes that Christians should get to know a little bit more about the way Jesus prayed. She was in Ireland recently - her mother came from Cork - and she spoke to Martin Browne.

In: (Browne) "A good place to begin..............are embedded in it." Out: (Fritz)

Time: 5.04

2. Creation Waits: Briege O'Hare is a Poor Clare Sister who has been writing songs since she was a child. As a contemplative sister she spends a lot of time praying the bible. However she believes that we don't all have to pray in that way. Jesus said 'I have come that you may have life'. That life is available to all of us. Many of the songs on her most recent album titled 'Creation Waits' develop this theme. When she talked to Marie Stuart, RSM, Briege stressed the fact that we do not have to be religious to receive the 'full life' Jesus promises. Marie started by asking her about the inspiration for her songs. (Creation Waits . . . Songs of Transformation from the Living Word, composed by Briege O'Hare, OSC, and sung by Marie Cox, RSM, is available directly from St Clare's Hermitage, Drogheda St., Monasterevin, Co. Kildare. Tapes £6.95, CD £9.95. All of Briege's tapes and CDs are also available from Veritas, Cathedral Books and other outlets.)

In: (Music) " Well, my songs...................nice to hear that." Out: (Music)

Time: 6.26

3. Changes to the Points System: The points system has been in operation for entry to third level for over twenty years now. While on the face of it, it is an impersonal, impartial system, it is becoming increasingly more unsatisfactory as a measurement of personal potential. Minister for Education, Mícheál Martin, set up a Commission on the Points System last October and an interim report was recently published. One of the bodies which made a submission to the Commission was CORI (Conference of Religious of Ireland). Teresa McCormack, PBVM, is a member of CORI's Education Department, and she outlined their position to Mark Harkin.

In: (Harkin) "What would.........................of 3rd level." Out: (McCormack)

Time: 7.20

4. After Omagh: It will soon be a month since a bomb exploded in the centre of the town of Omagh, leaving 31 people - including unborn twins - dead, and many more maimed and bereaved. Life will never be the same again and yet the people of the town are determined to get back to normal, to reclaim their town and their lives from the bombers. The bomb united the people of the town in a profound way. People went to wakehouses and churches they had never visited before, disregarding religious and political labels. In spite of the tragedy, Fr. Kevin Mullan, a curate in the town, sees a 'beautiful future' opening up for Omagh. He spoke to Martin Browne.

In: (Mullan) "What has remained with.......stepping back into life." Out: (Mullan)

Time: 6.55

5. Autumn Equinox Celebration: At this time of year crops have been harvested, our growing season is over and we look toward the darker days of winter. Traditionally this is a time of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and prayer for protection through the dark winter months. On Sunday September 20th a celebration of the autumn equinox will be held at An Gairdín, Portumna, Co. Galway. Marie Stuart, RSM, visited Portumna and asked Maura Walsh, RSM, about the celebration. (The celebration begins at St Mary's or An Gairdín, Portumna, at 2.30p.m. on Sunday, September 20th and will conclude at 5.00p.m. All are welcome and further information is available from Maura at 0509-41623.)

In: (Walsh) "We are celebrating the ………enlivened and refreshed." Out: (Walsh)

Time: 5.36

* Steps on my Pilgrim Journey is published in hardback by Veritas, at £24.99

** Mark Harkin conducted the interview on Genetic Concern.