On 4 October last, the Association of Religious and Missionary Leaders of Ireland hosted over 100 people between returned missionaries (Religious and Lay), new missionaries to Ireland, and others, for a one-day symposium entitled ‘Mission Now’. The event included the launch of a new publication Retired Missionaries and Faith in a Changing Society, and was hosted in Avila Retreat Centre in Dublin.
Retired Missionaries and Faith in a Changing Society is a sociological study undertaken by Dr Carmel Gallagher (TUD), and her deceased co-researcher, Dr Ricca Edmondson (University of Galway), based on interviews with 37 Catholic missionary women and men, mainly religious sisters and priests, who have returned to Ireland having worked for many years in Asia, Africa and Central and South America.
Mr Ger Gallagher, AMRI secretary general, opened the symposium, stating, “Catholic missionaries have had a transformative impact around the globe by improving, and making a tangible difference, to many people’s lives, and especially so in the areas of health and education. In the face of challenging social issues such as poverty, violence and injustice, missionaries continue to offer witness to many through their faith and courage. Whist numbers are now decreasing and aging, the legacy of our missionaries will forever be an important aspect of Irish cultural history in the twentieth century. Today, mission continues in new forms.”
During the gathering, Retired Missionaries and Faith in a Changing Society was formally launched by Mr Sean Fleming TD, Minister of State for International Development. Minister Fleming stated, “our society owes you, the Irish Religious and Missionaries, a huge debt of gratitude for the work that you and your colleagues have embarked upon internationally. The wide-ranging interviews contained in today’s publication attest to a collective wisdom that is represented by this group of the Irish diaspora.”
Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly SMA of Cashel and Emly, chair of the Council for Missions of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, addressed the delegates at the book launch. Also in attendance, pictured above, were Father Tim Lehane SVD, President of AMRI; Mr Gerard Gallagher; Minister Sean Fleming; and, Dr Carmel Gallagher.
The publication details the extraordinary lives of women and men from ordinary backgrounds who, in their living witness to Gospel values, encountered some of the most challenging global social problems. Missionaries had to learn to work interculturally, and creatively, and in doing so they themselves were greatly enriched in their spirituality and understanding of mission. The research contends that the contribution of this group has been overlooked by Irish society, and has not made a meaningful impression on the Church in Ireland. Significantly, the author argues that the life and ministry of missionaries offers valuable perspectives on what it is to be Christian in contemporary society.
Retired Missionaries and Faith in a Changing Society is published by Routledge in hardback or ecopy. Until 30 November 2024 a discount promocode RMF24 is being offered for online purchases on the Routledge website.
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