KNOCK Shrine is marking Lent with a series of weekly online discussions, starting today, about 'Living Christian Faith'.
Each conversation will explore a different theme with a guest speaker, and will be chaired by Fr Eamonn Conway DD, who is a priest of the Diocese of Tuam and Professor of Theology at Mary Immaculate College.
Mental health and resilience, the coronavirus pandemic and finding hope and joy are expected to be common areas addressed in the six talks organised by the Co Mayo shrine on contemporary issues of faith and Church life.
Speakers in the series will include groups of young teachers, clergy, Baroness Nuala O'Loan and Senator Ronan Mullen.
Opening the series at 8.30pm today is 'Living Christian Faith in the Family', with Patrick and Linda Treacy, who run a centre for domestic spirituality called Integritas.
They will speak about the joys and challenges of living Christian faith as a family today.
The theme next Thursday (February 25) is 'Living Christian Faith as Young Adults'.
In 'Living Christian Faith in the Classroom as Young Teachers' (March 4), three recently qualified primary teachers explain how their religious faith is important to them and how it influences their work as teachers in the classroom.
Baroness Nuala O'Loan and Senator Ronan Mullen address the topic of 'Living Christian Faith in Public Life' on March 11.
They will discuss their own faith, how it informs their public service and the challenges people of faith encounter in the public sphere today.
The following week, Thursday March 18, there will be a conversation about "living priesthood and religious life today".
The contributors are due to include: Sr Ursula Lawler, lecturer in Christian ethics at Mary Immaculate College; returned missionary and editor of Africa magazine, Fr Sean Deegan SPS; Ballyhaunis parish priest Fr Stephen Farragher; and Fr Eamonn Conway. They will be in conversation with Irish Catholic journalist Jason Osbourne.
The last talk in the series, on Thursday March 25, is 'Studying Christian Faith', which will hear from three people studying for a theology PhD: Máire McDonald, vice principal of a Dublin secondary school; psychotherapist Judith King; and hospital chaplain Margaret Naughton.
They will share how their theological studies enriches their faith and their work.
The Knock 'Living Christian Faith' series will be streamed at 8.30pm every Thursday during Lent, starting today. The conversations can be viewed here and via Facebook here.
