Knock Shrine is launching a new series of online discussions to engage people during Lent.
The discussions will explore questions such as:What nurtures our faith and what challenges it today? Where do we find hope and joy in our lives? How can our faith build mental strength, wellbeing and resilience? And How has the Covid pandemic impacted upon our faith?
These and more questions will be explored over the six weeks of Lent during a new series of online discussions on the topic of ‘Living Christian Faith’. Faith Renewal at Knock Shrine is all about reaching out to people and it is hoped this will open a conversation on contemporary issues of faith and church life.
Chaired by Father Eamonn Conway DD, Priest in Tuam diocese and Professor of Theology at Mary Immaculate College, the conversations will explore a different theme each week and guest speakers will discuss some of the important questions people face in living out their faith.
The discussions will be streamed online via the Knock Shrine website and facebook page, offering people from all over the world the opportunity to engage in relevant topics and to hear from a range of people, from those in public life such as Baroness Nuala O’Loan and Senator Ronan Mullen, to groups of young teachers and members of the clergy.
On Thursday, February 18, ‘Living Christian Faith in the Family’ St John Paul spoke about how the future of humanity passes by way of the family. Patrick and Linda Treacy, who have four children and run a centre for domestic spirituality called Integritas from their home, will speak about the joys and challenges of living Christian Faith as a family today.
Then on Thursday, February 25, ‘Living Christian Faith as Young Adults’ will be led by a group of young Irish adults, for whom Christian Faith is of great importance, and who will discuss the strength it gives them and how to better communicate the joy of the Gospel today.
On Thursday, March 4, ‘Living Christian Faith in the Classroom as Young Teachers’ will be led by three recently qualified primary teachers, who will explain how their religious faith is important to them and how it influences their work as teachers in the classroom.
Then on Thursday, March 11, a ‘Living Christian Faith in Public Life’ talk will be delivered by Baroness Nuala O’Loan, and Senator Ronan Mullen, who will discuss their own faith, how it informs their public service and the challenges people of faith encounter in the public sphere today.
The events will continue on Thursday, March 18, with ‘Proclaiming Christian Faith as a priest or religious today'. In this talk, Sr Ursula Lawler, lecturer in Christian Ethics at Mary Immaculate College, returned missionary and editor of the Africa Magazine, Fr Sean Deegan SPS; Ballyhaunis Parish Priest Stephen Farragher and Father Eamonn Conway, will discuss living the priesthood and religious life today, in conversation with young Irish Catholic journalist, Jason Osbourne.
The final event will be on Thursday, March 25 and is ‘Studying Christian Faith’. Dr Máire Campbell is assistant principal of a primary school in North Dublin, Judith King is an internationally recognised psychotherapist and Margaret Naughton is a busy hospital chaplain. Yet they have all found time to fulfill their passion of doing a PhD in theological studies. They will share how their theological studies enrich their faith and their work.
The talks will be streamed at 8.30pm every Thursday during Lent. Join them at www.knockshrine.ie/watch-live or on Facebook @knockshrine.
