06.09.2024
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Key Speaker at Dublin Seminar
Dr Rowan Williams to give three lectures in Ballaly Parish as part of the annual Dermot Lane Seminar.
Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, will be the speaker at a two day seminar in Balally parish at the end of this month. The Second Annual Dermot Lane Seminar takes place on September 28 and 29 in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, Balally, Dublin, D16EO32.
The theme of the seminar is “A noisy world in need of Meditation and Service” and Dr Williams will give three lectures. His visit to Dublin will conclude with a Eucharistic service in Christ Church Taney on Sunday September 29 at 7pm which will be celebrated by Archbishop Michael Jackson (all welcome).
This annual event is held in honour of Fr Dermot Lane, theologian, author, teacher, ecumenist and pastor who served as Parish Priest for 25 years in Balally parish and is currently the parish Chaplain. When Fr Jim Caffrey PP was appointed to Balally parish in late 2021, he wanted to find a way to celebrate the prophetic theology and pastoral leadership of Fr Dermot. The plan to have an annual event was agreed with the Parish Pastoral Council. In 2023 the first Dermot Lane event was held with keynote speaker Professor John Fitzgerald, Irish Economist, on Care for our Common Home – putting this into practice.
Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury was invited to speak in Balally after Fr Jim and some of the Parish Pastoral Council attended a seminar lead by Dr Williams at the World Community for Christian Meditation in Bonnevaux, France last November.
The theme of the seminar is complementary to the mission of Balally parish which is to become disciples of Jesus through Meditation and Service.
On Saturday September 28 the first session starts at 10.30am, when Dr Rowan Williams will present on Graced by the Holy Spirit of God after which there will be short responses from Fr Dermot and Rev Stephen Taylor of Dundrum Methodist Church. On Saturday afternoon starting at 2pm Dr Williams will present on Contemplation: Journey Inwards followed by short responses from Fr Dermot and Rev Nigel Pierpoint, Rector of Taney Parish.
On Sunday September 29 at 3pm, Dr Williams will present on Working together for justice and the care for our common home. This will be followed by a panel discussion with retired Archbishop of Armagh, the Rt Revd Richard Clarke, author of Playing Dice with God: The Risk of Discipleship (Dominican Publications 2024), Fr Peter McVerry, social activist, Dr Margaret Daly Denton, theologian and author of John: An Earth Bible Commentary: supposing Him to be the Gardener (London 2017) Jane Mellett, Church Outreach Manager with Trócaire.
All three lectures will conclude with a short question and answer forum. There will also be an opportunity to visit the new Icon Chapel in Balally on Saturday for those who have not seen it yet.
An Ecumenical Service will be held at 4.30pm in Balally on Sunday celebrated by the clergy from the Dundrum Partnership of the Catholic Churches Balally, Dundrum, Ballinteer, Meadowbrook, Church of Ireland Taney/St Nahi and Dundrum Methodist Church.
At 7pm on Sunday evening there will be a Eucharistic Service in Christ Church, Taney celebrated by Archbishop Michael Jackson and Dr Rowan Williams.
Fr Jim Caffrey PP says: “Honouring Fr Dermot through the annual seminar places his work in an ecumenical context. Having Dr Rowan Williams as the keynote speaker is a blessing. Here in Ballally we are trying to build a Contemplative parish and Rowan is a contemplative in action. Recovering our common Celtic and monastic traditions is something all our churches can do together, as they come from a time when we were united. It is one of the great joys of my ministry to work with Rev Nigel Pierpoint and Rev Jane Burns and our friends in Taney “.
This two–day event is a unique opportunity to hear from Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, a world–renowned theologian, poet and author; and to hear from other expert speakers on the need for meditation and service in a noisy world.
Everyone is welcome to attend one, two or all three presentations in Balally and to join as a community in the services and prayers over the two days in Balally and in Taney on Sunday evening.