Communities help people to fulfil their different needs-
physical, safety, want, self-esteem, self actualisation (reach their potential)
Elements of community: co-operation (try to get along), communication (share ideas), sharing (giving
something to others)
Role is the part someone plays in the community, take on according to their talents eg. Leader
Community breakdown: community collapses due to lack of co-operation, communication+ sharing
Communities of faith
group of people that come together because of their religious beliefs eg. 1. Saint Vincent de Paul- Frederick Ozanam 1833 France, approached the Daughters of Charity (nuns) introduced him to poor. Called after catholic priest who dedicated to poor Saint Vincent de Paul. 1,100 branches in Ireland, 100 countries globally, help poor volunteers, soup
kitchens, charity shops, pay bills, manage money, Christmas appeal, committed to Matthews gospel – I was hungry and you gave me something to eat
2.Tiocaire means compassion in Irish, 1973 Irish Catholic Bishops set up to help world’s poor – 3 aims raise awareness, aims
to help long term overseas projects, relief during emergencies, stop aids, help women.
3. Homeless in Dublin Fr Peter Mc Verry
4. Poor Pope Francis ( former Jesuit priest) He is not an academic like former popes, his focus is on the poor.
Characteristics of communities of faith (religious)
1.service- doing something for others, - human dignity, like Jesus, respect, hope
2.vision- sees important and central to their work- basic needs for all people regardless of age, gender, race, religion, politic
3.leadership- guidance given in position of authority- raise awareness of injustice- 2010 Haiti earthquake
4.commitment- dedicated to something- living the gospel message Needs different than wants, need to
survive
Examples of Community of faith
1. Loreto Order 1609 founder Mary Ward
France to set up schools, in Ireland Loreto Order introduced by sister Teresa Ball. 26 schools in Ireland, chaplains, counsellors, social workers, in hospitals, prisons, schools, missions abroad – Sudan, office in United Nations New York
2. Jesuit founder founder Ignatius Loyola education for poor schools, for example Pope Francis is a Jesuit
3. Church of Ireland (Anglican) reverend Ann Wallace – female priest
Denomination – group of a religion Christina denominations – Roman Catholic (33CE), Orthodox (1054), Protestant (1517- Martin Luther)
Leadership when a leader guides his/her community - an example for their community
Leader requires commitment, knowledge, dedication, listen to members, vision, enthusiasm, think past present future, good relationship, train new leaders,
Authority official power that the leader possesses
Styles of leadership:lead their communities in different ways
1.ditatorship – total control can be wrong – Hitler
2.authoritarian:leader tells community members what to do without asking for their opinion
3.democratic: leader encourages community members to run+ decision making, vote
4.free reign: leader hands control over to members
Church of Ireland
Leadership in Church of Ireland: democratic leadership, joint leaders Archbishop of Armagh (Richard Clake) and Archbishop
of Dublin (Michael Jackson),
Leadership structure Church of Ireland democratic
1. annual general vestry – all members over 18 years.
2. select vestry – parish committee
3. Diocesan Synod: 3 years elect general synod
4. general synod: house of bishops+ house of representatives-clergy + laity
Leadership in Roman Catholic Church catholic means universal, leadership democratic+authoritian+hierarchical, Magisterium = teaching authority of Catholic Church –authority and responsibility to direct and guide church’s beliefs and moral values=Pope +BISHOPS
1. pope – papal infallibility ( saint peters successor – what he says is unquestionable),
2. cardinals ( chief advisors to Pope) – Sean Brady,
3. Archbishops ( head of group of dioceses, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmaid Martin),
4. Bishops (in charge of dioceses, 26 in Ireland, meet three times a year Episcopal meeting Maynooth),
5. Priests leader of parish, 6. Lay people/ laity
CHALLENGES to leadership Catholic Church
.Liberation theology: freedom from modern slavery, justice for the poor – Pope Francis
2.feminism – freedom from male domination in Catholic Church
Diocese- area of churches led by bishop –dioceses of Armagh – Archbishop sean brady
Sectarianism: hatred of someone because of their religious beliefs.
examples - Northern Ireland Catholic Nationalists and Protestant Unionists 1969-1998 (Good Friday Agreement) 3000 deaths
Iraq sectarianism between the Sunni and Shia
Religious conflict: when there is a lack of trust and deep hatred towards other religions leads to problems in society that is difficult to heal
Religious tolerance – religions get on together - efforts of political, clergy celebrities – John Hume, Fr. Aidan Troy, Bono
Example of sectarianism -September 2001 Protestants attack catholic schoolgirls walking to Holy Cross primary school North Belfast. For 12 weeks Fr. Aidan Troy walked with the children to school. IRA the disappeared mainly from protestant background - Jean Mc Conville - mother of 6 disappeared in 1972 body found in 2001
Ecumenism: attempts that Christians make to understand and respect each other and grow together in a more unified way.
Aims: to promoting worldwide Christian unity, “ecumenism” is derived from the Greek word oikoumene to do good deeds, to lend aid to victims of war, poverty, oppression, and natural disasters.
Ecumenical communities
1. Taize france, 1940 protestant Brother Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche, community a sign of peace+ reconciliation, prayer, work discussion groups. 2005 Brother Roger stabbed to death.
2.Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Wicklow: 1974 hope to build peace, understand conflict, resolve conflict by non violence, education, work camps, lectures.
3.World Council of Churches: Set up 1948 by Anglican& Protestant Amsterdam. AIMS to fight racist, help refuges, to solve the arms trade, to combat poverty, to understand climate change, to advance medical technology 4. Dissolving
Boundaries schools catholic and protestant north and southern Ireland- projects – TY Scoil Ui Mhuiri DUnleer Loretto Grammar Omagh
Christian denominations/groups:
Roman Catholic - 33CE first pope Saint Peter
Orthodox (Greek, Russian, Rominian), schism in 1054 too much power in west, leadership - The Patriarch of Alexandria & All Africa + the chief of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Russian Orthodox Church
Protestant (Church of Ireland, Methodist, Baptist, Quakers, Salvation Army, Presbyterians) 1517: 95 thesis/ complaints Martin Luther protest against corruption in Roman Catholic church – Pope, Nepotism, indulgences
Christian denominations/groups have in common:
Christians have Jesus, bible, sacraments, ecumenical service – symbolise the unity not division of churches.
Interfaith dialogue: communication + understanding between people from different major world religions: Christians, Jews, Muslism, Buddhists, Hindus.
EXAMPLES OF INTER FAITH DIALOGUE
1. Assisi Italy 1986 – organised by Pope John Paul 2nd,
2. World Peace Day annually on 21 September
3. World Council of Churches, Interfaith dialogue+ Ecumenism4. 2002 Assisi – response to 9/11 200 leaders from major world religions – ‘violence and terrorism are opposed to all true religious spirit’
4. the council of Christians and Jews 1981 Ireland respect for each other religion
Tolerance - respect for and communication with one another, dignity
Intolerance – lack of respect and lack of communication with one another that leads to problems, ignorance –not educated about world religions.
Vocation – a calling to serve God - laity or religious e.g. Christian Brothers- Ignatius Rice 1762 educate poor boys Waterford
Identity unique characteristics of a person or group – Catholics devotion to Mary
Amnesty international: (nonreligious organisation/community) 1961 by English lawyer Peter Benenson aim to promote human rights - no death penalty, no political prisoners, torture, disappearance of people(Chile, Northern Ireland) 1977 won peace prize
L'Arche (religious organisation/community) (French for "The Ark") began in 1964 when Jean VANIER invited two men, who were confined within a local institution because of their intellectual disabilities, to come live with him, over 130 worldwide communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities share life together in community