Broken Faith – breaking ground?

April 19, 2011 in General, News

Up to 200 people attended the Broken Faith? Re-visioning the Church in Ireland conference in the Milltown Institute, 9 to 12 April. Guest speakers included counsellor and abuse survivor Bernadette Fahy, who spoke movingly of how her faith was indeed broken, and psychologist Marie Keenan, who outlined the particular pathology of the clerical abuser. Historian Daire Keogh posited that after penal times the Catholic Church in Ireland lost touch with its natural roots, with far-reaching consequences. And Gerry O’Hanlon SJ argued the pressing need for an all-Ireland forum on the future of the Church. Vatican correspondant John Allen (pictured here) of the National Catholic Reporter shone some rays of hope on the malaise. Audio CDs of every talk and the lively question-and-answer sessions are available from Eist Productions: [email protected]. Alternatively you can listen here to podcast interviews of selected speakers talking to Pat Coyle, JCC.