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Sometimes the Edmund Rice Network is described as a group or groups within a unit (‘Province’ or ‘Region’) of the Christian Brothers. On the other hand, sometimes Edmund Rice’s Brothers see themselves as a group within the Network. As my own Province, Oceania, approaches its third birthday, this has given me cause for reflection. In fact, I wonder to what extent we Brothers in Oceania, like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, have grasped the essence of our new world.

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Are you one of those who have been, directly or indirectly, involved in any of the many scores of immersion programmes that have taken place over the past ten years or more in the global Edmund Rice Network? If so, then this page is asking you to reflect on the question: Where is your immersion experience taking you? And the bigger question: Do you see the collective experience of immersions taking us anywhere?

This phenomenon of immersions is not limited to the ERN but is a common occurrence in other organisations too. So while immersions are not necessarily connected to Edmund Rice Spirituality (which I’m going to abbreviate as ERSp), surely the ones planned and conducted in and around ERN are expressions of ERSp in some way? Therefore it seems worthwhile to explore any connection between ERSp and immersion programmes in the ERN.

A web search of ‘immersion’ brought up mostly two things: (1) baptism or bathing by submerging under water; and (2) an educational programme to learn a foreign language in a foreign country. I do not use ‘immersion’ as either, but both serve as good analogies for what I mean here. I believe immersion is about entering into a foreign medium in the form of a culture or sub-culture and consequently emerging a changed person. And it is about learning a new language, though not necessarily one than can be spoken except by the heart or heard except in faith. Writing about the Christian Brothers’ Developing World Immersion Programme, Dr. Aidan Donaldson in his book Encountering God in the Margins: reflections of a Justice Volunteer, says, “Immersion is nothing less than building the Kingdom of God.” In the same book Peter McVerry SJ describes immersions as “that leap of faith into the dark which brings people into the communities and lives of others living on the edge”.

Immersion programmes come in various shapes and sizes: national, international, school exchanges, retreats, inter-cultural, building houses, experiences of poverty, disaster relief work, etc. The ERN has seen immersion programmes by schools, colleges, teachers, principals, board members, and other network people in our institutes, offices, and projects. There have been international immersion programmes like Karibu in Nairobi and ISC’s Retreat Experience in Lusaka. Provinces/Regions have people who plan, conduct, co-ordinate, and evaluate immersion programmes to and from the Province/Region. Participants in the last General Chapter had three days of inter-religious immersion before arriving in Munnar. All these have affected and/or continue to affect the lives of the individuals and institutions that were involved. Immersions are many things to as many people. Perhaps formulating a personal definition of immersion based on personal experience would be a start in exploring the larger question: Are immersions taking us anywhere?

I believe that the phenomenon of immersions was encouraged by several factors contributing to make them possible in today’s global village: affordable travel, increased proximity and meeting of foreign cultures and peoples through media and migration, more awareness of human rights and plights, increased prosperity, knowledge, and a desire to connect and help personally and practically. Within the ERN the direction of Internationality (from the Christian Brothers’ General Chapter in South Africa in 1996) has found many expressions, and more recently congregational units like Provinces have been stretched to include more than one country or territory that they previously covered. This international movement outward today is different from the Congregation’s historic missionary movements across the globe largely responding to the wishes of Irish expatriates and offering school boys an English-based education.

Individuals have been positively, even painfully, affected by their personal participation in immersion programmes. They speak with enthusiasm of how their attitudes, values, and faith have been - and continue to be - challenged and changed. Some have modified their choice of career, volunteer in aid organisations, and return on immersion more than once. Others are still looking for some relevant and suitable way to give expression to their new found energies and attitudes.

That is on the individual level, but how are immersions affecting us corporately, if at all? Is it changing the way we think and act in the ERN? Is it showing up our resistances and boundaries? Has all the energy that immersions generate affected us collectively? Is it giving rise to anything else? Are we being led to new expressions of ERSp? Are we being led “into the deeper and wider dimensions of Living”? Are we being urged “to new horizons as Edmund did before us to the unknown, the not-yet-imagined”?

If you have any thoughts on this and would like to share them, let us use this website to explore where the Spirit is leading us.

Christian Brother Senan D’Souza

International Spirituality Team (IST)

August 2010

Inmersiones -  ¿Nos llevan a alguna parte?

¿Eres tú una de aquellas personas que han participado, de forma directa o indirecta, en alguna de las docenas de programas de inmersión que han tenido lugar a lo largo de los últimos diez años o más en la red global Edmundo Rice (REN)? Si tu respueta es afirmativa, entonces esta página te está invitando a reflexionar hacia dónde tu experiencia de inmersión te está llevando. Y la pregunta de mayor envergadura: ¿crees que esta experiencia de inmersión nos está llevando a alguna parte?

Este fenómeno de inmersión no se limita a la REN, sino que también es una experiencia común en otras organizaciones. Por lo tanto, si bien es cierto que las inmersiones no se limitan necesariamente a la espiritualidad de Edmundo Rice (eER), es innegable que las que fueron planeadas y llevadas a cabo en y alrededor de la red Edmundo Rice son, de alguna manera, expresiones de la eER. De modo que merecería la pena explorar cualquier vínculo entre la eER y los programas de inmersión de la red Edmundo Rice.

Dos cosas principales surgieron de una búsqueda de la palabra ‘inmersión` en la red: (1) el bautismo o sumersión en agua y (2) un programa educacional para el aprendizaje de un idioma extranjero en el pais extranjero donde se habla ese idioma. Yo no empleo la palabra ‘inmersión` en ninguno de estos dos sentidos, pero ambos sirven de analogía para lo que quiero decir aqui. Yo creo que ´inmersión` es entrar, a través de la cultura o de la subcultura, en un medio extranjero, y a raiz de la experiencia emerger como una persona transformada. Y tiene que ver también con el aprendizaje de un nuevo idioma, pero no necesariamente uno que puede ser expresado con palabras, sino con el corazón, y ser escuchado con fé. Escribiendo sobre el Programa Global de Inmersión de los Hermanos Cristianos en el Mundo en Vías de Desarrollo, el Dr. Aidan Donaldson en su libro Encontrando a Dios en los Márgenes: Reflexiones de un Voluntario de la Justicia dice, “La inmersión no es nada mas que la la construcción del Reino de Dios.” En el mismo libro Peter McVerry SJ describe las inmersiones como “ese salto en (hacia) la oscuridad que permite a las personas entrar en las comunidades y en las vidas de otros que viven en los márgenes”.

Los programas de inmersión tienen distintos formas y tamaños: nacionales, internacionales, intercambios escolares, retiros, interculturales, construcción de casas, experiencias de la pobreza, el alivio del sufrimiento causado por los desastres naturales, etc. La red Edmundo Rice ha visto programas de inmersión realizados por escuela y colegios, profesores (docentes), directores de colegio, miembros de consejos de administración y otra gente de la red en nuestros institutos, oficinas y proyectos. Ha habido programas de inmersión internacionales como Karibu en Nairobi y ISC Experiencia de Retiro en Lusaka. En cada provincia, hay gente que planea, dirige, coordina y evalúa los programas de inmersión, que provienen de cada de provincia y que se dirigen a otras regiones. Los participantes en el último Capítulo General tuvieron tres días de inmersión interreligiosa antes de llegar a Munnar. Todas estas inmersiones han afectado y/o siguen afectando las vidas de los individuos y de las instituciones que participaron. Cada individuo tiene una experiencia personal de la inmersión. Quizás la formulación de una definición de inmersión, basada en la experiencia personal, sería un comienzo para explorar la pregunta principal: ¿nos llevan las inmersiones a alguna parte realmente?

Yo creo que hay una serie de factores que contribuyeron  positivamente a que el fenómeno de las inmersiones fuese posible en la aldea global de hoy (en mundo actual): precios accesibles en los costos de viaje, un aumento en la proximidad y en el encuentro entre las distintas gentes y culturas a través de los medios de comunicación y la migración, una mayor toma de conciencia de los derechos humanos y las dificultades de mucha gente, un aumento general de la prosperidad, del conocimiento y un deseo de conectar y ayudar en forma personal y práctica a los menos favorecidos. Dentro de la RER la dirección de Internacionalidad (del Capítulo General de los Hermanos Cristianos en Sudáfrica en 1996) ha encontrado muchas expresiones, y, más recientemente, ciertas unidades como Provincias, por ejemplo, han sido expandidas  para incluir más de un pais o territorio que cubrían anteriormente. Hoy en día este movimiento internacional hacia afuera difiere de los movimientos misioneros históricos de la Congregacion en diversas partes del mundo que respondían en gran medida a los deseos de los expatriados irlandeses y ofrecían a sus alumnos una educación basada en el modelo inglés.

Los individuos han sido afectados de manera positiva, e incluso dolorosa, por su participación personal en los programas de inmersión. Hablan con entusiasmo de como sus actitudes, valores, y su fé han sido, y continúan siendo desafiados y cambiados. Algunos de ellos han modificado su elección de carrera, se ofrecen voluntariamente a organizaciones de ayuda y vuelven más de una vez a los programas de inmersión. Hay otros que están buscando alguna forma relevante y apropiada de dar expressión a las nuevas energías (corrientes) y actitudes que han descubierto.

Todo eso a nivel personal, ¿pero cómo nos afectan a nivel global las inmersiones? ¿Están cambiando nuestra forma de pensar y actuar en la RER? ¿Está revelando nuestras resistencias y barreras (límites)? ¿Nos ha afectado colectivamente toda la energía que generan las inmersiones? Esta dando vida a alguna otra cosa? ¿Estamos siendo conducidos hacia nuevas expresiones de la eER? ¿Estamos siendo conducidos ‘dentro de las dimensiones más profundas y más amplias de la vida? ¿Estamos siendo impulsados hacia ‘nuevos horizontes a imitación de Edmundo, que se embarcó hacia lo desconocido, hacia lo que todavia no se ha imaginado?

Si tienes algunas opiniones/pensamientos sobre este tema que te gustaría compartir, utilicemos esta web para explorar hacia dónde el Espíritu nos está llevando.

Hermano Cristiano Senan D’Souza

Equipo Internacional de Espiritualidad

Agosto de 2010

La traducción de inglés por Hermano Roberto McAteer

La traducción de inglés por Hermano Roberto McAteer

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What is it that distinguishes my community as an Edmund Rice community? How are we building healthy compassionate communities grounded in heartcentred spirituality? How are we exploring the Mystery of God in all Creation? How are we opening our hearts to the cry of the earth and the poor with new freedom and creative expression? How are we addressing situations and structures that are unjust?

I wonder if it’s time to start a new community. One that takes as its basic rhythm the heartbeat of Earth. It doesn’t have an aim, but its members have the usual clutch of hopes and expectations we humans use to clothe our nakedness. Some even have plans, or want to do something. But all this nonsense has to fit within a broader context – Earth’s beating heart.

God as the bed-rock of human worth

This is an abridged version of a talk given by the Head of a Christian Brothers College to teenage students. Though the context is particular, the message has general application.

Rethinking our approach to Education

With acknowledgement to the 2-into-3 team who facilitated the Christian Brothers’ African Province in a process of rethinking our mission, culminating in intensive workshopping with leadership gathered in Lusaka in March 2010. The writer is a member of the East Africa District Leadership Team.

The shoulders on which we stand

The pioneer Brothers who established Edmund Rice schools

This is an edited text of a talk given on Edmund Rice Day this year at St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane, Australia. This was the Christian Brothers’ first school in Queensland, founded in 1875 by Ambrose Treacy. The speaker was Regis Hickey, a former Provincial leader of the Brothers, who is currently working on a biography of Ambrose Treacy. Though the details mentioned in this talk pertain to a particular school, the scenario is typical of hundreds of schools founded by Brothers all around the globe.

This is a homily given by the Christian Brothers’ African Province Leader in Freetown Sierra Leone when three new Brothers took their permanent Vows in April. Italicised sections are quotes from or allusions to the Christian Brothers 2008 Chapter Document.

This is my second letter celebrating the UN Year of Biodiversity, from Edmund Rice International. As we approach Ascension and Pentecost, which dwell on the mysteries of God's presence with us, let’s move beyond our care for pieces of God's earth (which I urged last time) to a vision for our ministries.

Becoming Brother to the ones still to be liberated by the Gospel

Things are stirring among us Christian Brothers. We are thinking and praying about our mission and ministries. We are beginning to question what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how we are doing it. We are thinking too about our formation for our essential call to be Brothers for all 24/7.

I have waited for the Easter Season to open this wonderful topic. While Lent is fine for the grief of watching countless species being flushed down the plug-hole of human indifference, Easter is where evolution receives its first big surprise, if not a dramatic reversal.

Transition – the Heart’s Call to Conversion

The last two years afforded me a unique opportunity: moving from the comfortable into the realm of the unknown. When I was asked to consider moving into formation ministry my first response was “No way” and “There are more spiritual and qualified men than me”.  But those responses really didn’t sit well with me. So I was forced to ask: “God, what are you calling me to do in this time and this place?”

Committing to the new wine in approaching ministry

This Holy Week reflection was sent to the Africa Province of the Christian Brothers as they seek to understand more clearly how to respond in Mission in accordance with the mandate Jesus gave on the night before he died. The author acknowledges the article Wine and Wineskins by Anthony Gittins CSsP in RELIGIOUS LIFE REVIEW for the basic metaphors used.

“We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is our salvation, our life and resurrection; through him we are saved and made free.” (Entrance Antiphon for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper)

Why do young people volunteer?

A growing number of young people are becoming disenfranchised by trends currently obtaining in our world. The waves of permissiveness, materialism, and atheism that are sweeping across the globe are impacting negatively on young people’s collective sub-conscious. Our basic humanity implies connection: not only greeting and sharing, but also reaching out to touch and inspire others. But one gets the feeling that with modern and post-modern trends, value-judgement systems and moral paradigms have shifted and still are shifting. The question that remains with us is where this leaves young people and the generations before and after us?

Christological foundations of a Cosmic spirituality

The following was written in Spanish. It is offered here firstly in an English translation – for the majority of our readership - and then in its original Spanish.

The Christian Brothers of the African Province are engaged in a process of articulating their mission today, together with consultant Noel O’Regan. The reflection below, first published in the East African District’s newsletter in February 2010, arose out from the early stages of this process.

A welcome contribution from a 20-something member – may there be many more from the younger side of the ERN. As always with the reflections offered in Rice Express, readers are invited to write brief comments or responses in the space provided below.

“…Pray continually and never lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)

Jesus often encouraged his disciples to “take heart … have courage”. As Jesus went about building the first apostolic community, he prepared them for the joys and sorrows, the many challenges and struggles that are involved in building the reign of God. During Jesus’ life, he modelled for his disciples a life of prayer, community, and ministry. As Jesus met people of amazing faith, people struggling with restless and unfinished hearts and people who were blinded by values of an unjust and disordered society, he challenged his followers to “...Pray continually and never lose heart.” So it is that we are called to stay in touch with our hearts and to live with consciousness and growing awareness of the Mystery of God in our lives and in all creation.

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,

‘Give me a light that I may tread

safely into the unknown.’

And he replied:

‘Go out into the darkness and put

your hand into the hand of God.

That shall be to you better

than light and safer then a known way!’

So I went forth and finding the

hand of God, trod gladly into the night.

And He led me towards the hills

and the breaking of day in the lone East.

(Minnie Louise Haskins)

Being the Self-awareness of the Universe

This article was originally published in the November/December issue of the Oceania Christian Brothers’ HEARTBEATS. We share it now with a worldwide readership.

Reflections on ERN - part 2

The name ‘ERN’ has evolved and is still evolving. ‘Network’ has changed to ‘networking’ as our experience and understanding of this reality changes. Surely a network is dead without the networking that brings it life? This is the age of networking - global, social, business, etc. It is being promoted through articles and advertisements, expressed through clever e-networks, and buoyed-up by the relentless new modes and models of technology and thinking. From road-side bill-boards on rural highways to exclusive in-flight duty-free offers, one can find new and faster ways of networking to and from places and locations thought inaccessible, isolated, inappropriate, or impossible a few months ago. Networking has long been around, but today it is bigger and quicker than ever before.

Reflections on ERN - part 1

It has been getting clearer to me for some years that Edmund Rice is bigger than the Christian Brothers. But how much bigger? This has only recently taken a quantum leap in my consciousness and I am still reeling off-balance. These reflections are an attempt to get my head around it all, something I am realizing is not fully possible as the Edmund effect in our world today is mutating and propagating as never before into expressions far different from our traditional schools. The structure and spirit of Edmund Rice keeps evolving into an ever-new reality and over the past 30 years there have been paradigm shifts in our awareness and identity as followers of Edmund. The recent growth can be traced in the documents of the last five Congregation Chapters which have clearly taken us beyond the confines of the Congregation.

The following article is extracted and adapted from the writings of Moy Hitchen, the Christian Brothers Eco-Justice Co-ordinator at Edmund Rice International, Geneva.

This is an Advent letter written by a Christian Brothers Province Leader to his Province.

The liturgical season of Advent is so full of hope and expectation, yet I wonder whether, through familiarity or narrow vision, we may miss the richness of this hope. Advent can very often be seen as being what comes before Christmas. But Advent is much more than that.

What can you do about it?

If greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise unchecked, it is likely that global warming will exceed four degrees by the end of the century. This is the conclusion from research by scientists at the British Met Office, as stated in a recent report to the UK Government. Scientists, working on behalf of Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), have found that if current high emissions continue there could be major implications for the world — with higher temperature-rises than were previously predicted.

What is the significance of the season of Advent for today?

A German children’s story tells of a poor shepherd who one day is led far away by a little gray man, to a mysterious mountain. The mountain bursts open, and inside glisten the most precious treasures. But as the shepherd stuffs his pockets with diamonds and gold, a voice calls out, “Don’t forget the best!” The poor shepherd rushes outside the cavernous mountain in terror and the door crashes shut behind him. At that moment the treasures in his pocket turn to dust.

Mohsin Hamid in ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ says towards the end of the book: ’It was right for me to refuse to participate any longer in facilitating this project of domination; the only surprise was that I had required so much time to arrive at my decision’.

Suddenly, we are in the last quarter of 2009 as I write this eighth eco-justice letter to you for 2009 on behalf of Edmund Rice International. The Gospel reading recently (Luke 12, 1 – 7) has the consoling message (for sparrows) that God does not forget a single sparrow. There are probably sparrows not far from where you are reading this; they are some of the most successful human-assisted migrants in ecological history. Most continents (Africa, Europe, Asia, North and South America) have native species of sparrows as well.

One often hears the remark, passed generally in jest, that the Saints were always very hard to live with. Lives and pictures of Saints would have us believe that they were totally other-worldly, lost in ecstasy and prayer, long-faced and ascetic. The reality of course, must have been very different. If sanctity implies closeness to God, then joy must be there too. For too long we have been nourished on a diet of joyless religion. Let us invite Blessed Edmund to open our eyes, and teach us how to find our God right in the heart of our daily living.

As I look back on 18 months of working with people infected and affected with HIV and AIDS, there are a number of factors which have influenced and inspired me to become immersed in this particular ministry at Inkanyezi, Zakariyya Park, South Africa.

Inkanyezi is one of the NGO's in Orange farm. Orange farm is one of the townships in Johannesburg city in South Africa. The approximately distance is about 45 km south of the centre of Johannesburg.

I grew up in the 1950's and 1960's at the height of the cold war. Certainly, the possibility of a nuclear holocaust was a cold reality though for a young pre-teen boy the chill of that reality was, by and large, unnoticed. That is, it was unnoticed until one day I idly picked up a children's general knowledge magazine that I had until then, ignored.

My Story:

This reflection was the direct consequence of writing my life's story. An exercise instigated by a call from our Cluster Leaders for all of us to write down a little about ourselves; this work has just recently been completed and named:

"A Child Migrant's Memories" - (Touched by the hand of God)

Some time ago a fellow musician at Saturday evening Mass in the parish said to me, "My daughter is in Year 12. She doesn't seem to want to do anything. I've tried to interest her in a few things, but she doesn't show an interest in any of them. I don't know what to do." I said, "I wish she could visit Papua New Guinea, where I worked for 20 years. Perhaps she could be a Palms Australia volunteer. If there is one thing PNG has, it is 'meaning'. Every day my life overflowed with it. You really feel your life is worthwhile; you are doing something worth doing."

South Sudan Diary
[Extracts from the diary [May to July] of Frank O'Shea cfc, who has been living in the Brothers' community in South Sudan since March this year.]

The opportunities God sends do not wake up the one sleeping (African Proverb)

With the election of Barack Obama (of Kenyan Luo descent) as the forty-fourth President of the United States, discussion has emerged about whether racism has now gone away.

Racism, as the western world understands it, is a fairly modern idea, instituted during the time when Europeans, with their ships and guns, were the dominant force. This was a time of world-wide colonial expansion which produced a false, made-up, socio/biological classification designed to assign human worth and social status. It was created by Europeans as they had the power, using themselves as the model of humanity - everyone else, therefore, has to be second or third class. The purpose was to make white skin privilege a legitimate right, a political move to justify having power over others. It was supported philosophically by the two Treatises of Government of John Locke who opined that if land was not being used by the indigenous population as Europeans understood land use, it should be taken from them in order to be used "properly."

These understandings gave a moral platform on which could be based discrimination, forced migration, economic and personal exploitation, slavery and all that flowed from such behaviors. The system worked easily because European skin color is at the lighter end of the spectrum, so it was easy to consider other people as increasingly lesser as skin color darkened. Terms developed such as "High Yaller (yellow)" to designate degrees of blackness and "quadroon and octoroon" to show the amount of European blood in one's heritage. In apartheid South Africa there was the "colored" classification between the whites and the blacks.

However, all through history people have pushed each other away based on culture, ethnicity, skin color, religion, tribal origins, language. No wonder that in the time of Jesus of Nazareth this pushing apart gave the name to sin. The word they used was diabolos - diabolical, or "of the devil," and it meant to divide, scatter, push away.

We see racism operating in every continent, often connected with religious intolerance, disputes over land, resources and trade, and fueled by the pressures of widespread migration. Europe has seen the growth of extreme racist groups, and there has been extensive civil unrest over racist practices in Germany and France. In Australia, some wrongs have been corrected in regard to land rights, but not all, and aborigines are still a marginalized people. In Asia, the Japanese have long despised Koreans, but the fact is that no non-ethnic resident of Japan, no matter how long they have lived there, will ever receive citizenship. Cambodians hold powerful prejudices against anyone from Vietnam and Chinese students have been forbidden access to higher education in Malaysia. Similar discrimination has occurred in Fiji with Indian residents, many of whose families have been in the Islands for close to 150 years.

Now, according to the United Nations conventions, there is no distinction between the term racial discrimination and ethnic discrimination. Religious discrimination also fits in, as even if there is no surface ethnic discrimination, as one finds with prejudice against Jews, there will always be economic, cultural or national bias.

In the United States, racism still has not gone away, despite the claims of many (mainly white). There may be less individual/internalized racism and interpersonal racism, but institutional racism and structural racism persist.

Institutional racism occurs within and between institutions. It involves discriminatory treatment, unfair policies, and no equality of opportunity - all based on race - produced and kept going by institutions (schools, mass media, etc). If someone in Social Security can put your request under a pile at the bottom of a drawer, or if a teacher in school can drop your marks 20 per cent because of my color, race or religion then they have great power over me. Name calling and such become mere pinpricks; these other things can really affect, indeed control, my life. If they happen, even minor functionaries in the institution have inappropriate, controlling power and can disadvantage people, taking away their freedom to live, all based on race.

Structural racism goes even further; it lies underneath, all around and across societies. In America, for instance, society was designed two hundred years ago by older white men who, naturally enough, designed a system to suit themselves. Ninety four per cent of the laws now in existence were passed in that era where racism was enforced by law and have not been repealed or replaced. Racism is very hard to oppose when to do so you must break the law. This was the power and grace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that he was able to take this course without violence.

Unfortunately, it is possible for me to be racist even if I do not wish to be so. All I have to do is sit back in a society where the system is racist and do nothing to oppose that system. If I go along with such a system and/or vote for people who are perpetuating it, I am racist. As Drew Christiansen SJ writes (May 11 2009, America) the Church has gone beyond St. Thomas Aquinas's notion that we must "avoid evil" to the idea that we must oppose grave, public evil. In Catholic teaching, acquiescence in the face of grave evil is unacceptable; action is required.

To find Jesus of Nazareth's take on all this, we need only go to Mark's Gospel. One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Luke 28:28-31 NRSV)

My discussion question is whether, when we see prejudice and discrimination, we are able to go deeper and see where the real power is; spot the systemic structures that are perpetuating the abuse. Often enough the surface of things seems to be quite all right; nothing much seems to be going on. In anti-racism circles the image used is of someone smiling and shaking your hand while reaching around to kick you in the backside as hard as he can.

The next big question is, "How do I tackle this in my society?" Where do I find a support group? How do we learn to "listen deeply to the heart" of those who differ from us- which is another name for Christian love -  and advocate for a more loving, merciful and just system? How do I find a place of peace when the inevitable violent opposition comes?

Barry Donaghue cfc has ministered in schools and retreat centres in Victoria and Tasmania, Australia, and the Fiji Islands. After completing his D.Min [San Francisco], he has, for the past eleven years, been the Director of the Providence Centre for the Sisters of Providence of St Mary of the Woods, Terre Haute, Indiana USA.

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I have come to realise of late, that living in a country is a bit like getting to know a person. The longer you spend around a person, the better you come to know them - the good sides and the bad. As I get to know them, I realise that they too are human, with faults, normalities, doubts, fears and dreams. In the same way I have, over the last three years, been getting to know Timor.

I do not wish to over play the idea that those of us who work for social justice can be so important and influential that others might want to silence us. Nevertheless, there have been a couple of times when federal politicians have taken strong exception to my speaking out. One even suggested to my employer of the time that I should be sacked. Some might see this as being effective; if you are not upsetting somebody, you are not doing your job. However, it seems to me that there is a balance to be achieved in any ministry associated with working for social justice. I have been involved in this area in both a private and a more public fashion over the past 12 years.

In amongst the myriad of words spoken and written following the publication of the Ryan Report in Ireland, in amongst all the hurts, grievances, angers flowing from aggrieved people, in amongst the stories and memories being recalled, the story of Fr Flanagan, the visionary and legendary founder of Boys Towns in USA, offers us a sobering challenge.

In 1946, Fr Flanagan returned to his birthplace and also visited the "so-called training schools", in effect the borstals or reformatories, to see if they were "a success or failure."