SEARCH Journal

Compassion that disrupts - contemplation leading to action

I AM DELIGHTED to give this response to Kevin Hargaden’s excellent talk - also to celebrate the excellent work of SEARCH to which I’ve recently been introduced. I come with an ecumenical heart and passion. Many of the young people I work with see our denominational differences as irrelevant at best and scandalous at worst. We work together in a common cause in a society so badly in need of the values of the gospel.

Speaking of young people: they are a privileged generation, yet it’s frightening to see in the recent UNICEF survey of young people that the Irish cohort of teenagers is one of the unhappiest in the world. Without going into the many reasons or to debate this topic, it’s clear to me that we have lost something essential from the fabric of Irish life: the story of our faith and spirituality.

I’m equally taken in recent times by the number of young journalists, mainly women, and also young authors, who have a common theme in their writing: yes, the Church was oppressive; yes, there were the terrible scandals; yes, there were the mother and baby homes; yes, there was the maltreatment of gay people; but maybe in abandoning the churches we have thrown something of value out.

Maybe it’s time in the celebrated words of Emily O’Reilly to “tiptoe back to the churches“. I’ve only to mention Sally Rooney, Emma Donahue, and Sarah Hart. They have all written significantly on the need to critique our current critique of the churches.

* Full article available in printed copies.

Jim Caffrey

Is Parish Priest of Balally, Dublin, where he and his team are working to build a contemplative community based on Christian meditation and service.