IRELAND: Politicians, Church leaders to address immigration

January 18, 2008 [Church of Ireland] Politicians and church leaders will January 19 tackle the issue of immigration in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland at the Hard Gospel Conference on Immigration, titled "A Pilgrim People."

Church of Ireland Primate and Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Rev. Alan Harper, and the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev. Dr. John Neill, will join Conor Lenihan TD, the Republic's minister for integration, and Gerry Kelly MLA, junior minister in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, as keynote speakers at the conference.

The conference begins the evening of January 18 at 6 p.m. at the Emmaus Retreat Centre, Swords, County Dublin, and includes a trip to a local migrant ministry project at the Mosney Accommodation center for asylum-seekers, where delegates will see the work of the Meath and Kildare Diocesan Social Inclusion Group.

The conference will also feature the premiere of "All the loves," the winning entry in the Hard Gospel's recent hymn-writing competition. Written by Roddy Cowie, a member of St. Bartholomew's parish church in Stranmillis, Belfast, the hymn will be performed by the multi-racial Discovery Gospel Choir based in Dublin.

"A Pilgrim People" is the culmination of a series of diocesan consultations on immigration held throughout Ireland. In response to key concerns raised at these meetings, conference workshops will take place on the following themes: Guidelines for ecumenical and inter-faith events and dialogue; Responding to the needs of migrants; Ten key integration guidelines for parishes; and Positive approaches to integration in schools.

"The conference is most timely because the Church of Ireland is really at a crossroads," said the Rev. Earl Storey, director of the Hard Gospel Project. "Historically, churches in Ireland have drawn themselves along tribal boundaries. But now immigration to Ireland places a huge challenge on such shallow divisions. The question, however, is whether the Church of Ireland can rise to such a challenge."

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