No more ‘business as usual’
Fr. Gerry O’Hanlon SJ (pictured here), of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, and Dr. Nat O’Connor, of the think-tank TASC, presented an alternative economic and theological perspective on the current economic crisis, on Thursday 11 March 2010 in Manresa, the Jesuit Centre for Spirituality. They challenged the audience to find a way of marrying a new vision of human progress, inspired by authentic values, with concrete economic models, without simply returning to ‘business as usual’. Can we learn from the current recession to develop a healthier notion of economic success? they asked. Can we initiate a conversation among ourselves around banking, financial markets, the economy, culture and values, politics and religion which might lead to a different, more holistic economic model? A lively discussion ensued, chaired by Dearbhail McDonald, legal editor of the Irish Independent.