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Reconciliation (Kenneth Brady CP)

Just to fill you in with some of the things that I have been doing and to
invite reflection among us in this area which we are all committed to.

On 17th March I attended an Ecumenical Service in Down Cathedral,
Downpatrick. It was preceded by a Walk from Saul to the Cathedral. The
service and the meal that followed was to mark and acknowledge the
contribution that many had made to Reconciliation. People spoke positively
of the contribution of Tobar Mhuire in this regard. Since finishing studies in
the Irish School of Reconciliation (Belfast), I have met various individuals
and groups ie, Gerry Reynolds CSSR (Clonard) who organises Pilgrimages to
neighbouring churches( I went with him and his lay group to Rostrevor);
Cornerstone Community (Belfast); contact with Community Dialogue:
Mastery Foundation (an American Foundation that trains and supports
people in this ministry); Glencree: Corrymeela and many others of various
denominations. I represented the Catholic Church on a Committee of the
Victims Support Unit of the Ist and Deputy Ist Ministers' Office. From this we
have organised 6 Seminars for clergy, pastoral workers and their assistants
on Trauma-Addressing the sadness and distress arising from the conflict. On
29th/30th April I was invited by the diocese to go to the Ist Meeting of the 4
main churches held in Loughry College, Cookstown. Tony Blair asked the
churches to meet. 0ur brief was to discuss a Document Towards a Shared
Future. CORI had a similar discussion. During the conference a Presbyterian
minister and I lead a service. Some did not attend this. The reason being
that some have problems with Inter Church Dialogue that they are opposed
to (Ecumenism) while at the same time are committed to and do effective
work in the area of reconciliation and peace making. The Catholic
participants met again in June and submitted their proposals to the bishops,
We await the next step. During the summer Trevor Williams (former leader
of Corrymeela) and I spoke to some Jewish Rabbis, Moslems, Palestinian
Catholics and Arabs who came here to seek our help and experience on
their efforts at home. A key step in progress seems to be to move a group to
tell their own story and build trust by recognising their common humanity. I
attended a Conference in Knock whose focus was reconciliation in society,
church, and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

It is hard to know how to engage in this ministry. There are many
programmes and activities. The community sector is doing a lot, less by the
churches. There is a tremendous 'leaven' of people building relationships
and taking risks for peace. My impression is that the churches are caught up
too much in the internal agenda of their own church, that little time, energy
or resources are left for reconciliation. God's priority seems to me, clear "Be
reconciled." To carry on being absorbed by our own community can have
the unintended consequence of being sectarian by re-enforcing separation
and division which in the past has lead some to 'demonise the other' and
even kill. Finding the way forward seems to me about taking little steps,
developing relationships, doing things together, community projects.
Progress will be generational and slow. Commitment to the task is
necessary and vital. With John, Pat and hopefully others I hope to keep
searching for the way forward.