Can there be Peace? The Troubles and Faith Leaders in Northern Ireland – Roundtable in Lowell, Mass

On Tuesday I participated in a roundtable on, ‘Can there be Peace? Faith Leaders and Healing after Violent Conflict’, sponsored by the Office of the Provost at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell.

The event was attended by members of … Read more...

New Post on Slugger: Review of ‘Beauty through Broken Windows’

I have a new post on the Slugger O’Toole blog, a review of a new book called ‘Beauty through Broken Windows’, published on Sunday, the World Day of the Poor.

The book is inspired by the legacy of Edmund Rice, … Read more...

Review of Triangle: Three Novellas of Ireland by Pól Ó Muirí, on Slugger

I have a new post on the Slugger O’Toole blog, a review of Triangle: Three Novellas of Ireland by Pól Ó Muirí. 

The review raises questions prompted by the book, such as: What happens in a society when previously dominant … Read more...

‘The past is not a place to which we would wish to return’: Shannon Campbell on the Unity Pilgrim Resources

In June there was a formal launch of Clonard Monastery’s new ‘Unity Pilgrim’ resources, which are now freely available for use in churches and among young people.

Shannon Campbell, Director of the Catholic Chaplaincy at Queen’s, was the main … Read more...

Learning from Fr Gerry Reynolds and Fr Alec Reid: New Resources for Churches and Young People

The ministries of Fr Gerry Reynolds and Fr Alec Reid, Redemptorists at Clonard Monastery in Belfast, have been recognized as vital to Northern Ireland’s peace process.

Nearly a quarter-century after the Good Friday Agreement, their work of peace remains unfinished … Read more...

Recent posts on Slugger O’Toole: From King Charles III to ‘No Religion’

It has been some time since I posted on this blog. For any faithful followers who still remain, do be aware that I have had several posts on the Slugger O’Toole blog. These include:

Reconciliation: The theme of King Charles’ Read more...

Churches as Sources of Hope in a Society Emerging from Covid-19

Last month, I was guest speaker at a conference on ‘The Importance of Hope’, organised by ‘Flourish’, a ministry of Lighthouse in Belfast.

Drawing on my research on religion during the pandemic, I spoke on ‘Something Other than a Building: … Read more...

Kroc Institute Lecture: Rethinking the Role of Clergy in Violence and Peacebuilding

Earlier this month, I spoke at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies on ‘Rethinking the Role of Clergy in Violence and Peacebuilding’ (12 April).

The lecture was initiated by the Kroc Institute’s Contending Modernities initiative … Read more...

Introduction to the Roundtable on the Special Issue of ‘Religions’ on Religious Conflict and Peacebuilding

On 7 April, Queen’s University Belfast’s Religious Studies Forum hosted a roundtable discussion of a special issue of Religions on ‘Religious Conflict and Peacebuilding’, co-edited by Joram Tarusarira me.

All articles in the special issue are open access, and you Read more...

Fortnight Review of ‘Considering Grace: Presbyterians and the Troubles’ by Claire Mitchell: ‘a gritty and poignant exploration’

Claire Mitchell has reviewed Considering Grace: Presbyterians and the Troubles, by Jamie Yohanis and me, in Northern Ireland’s Fortnight magazine (January 2022 edition). 

Mitchell, a writer based in Belfast and a former sociologist at Queen’s University, calls the book … Read more...

‘Where the Birds Sing’: A Song of Acknowledgement and Hope for Northern Ireland …

The Commission for Victims and Survivors in Northern Ireland (CVSNI) has partnered with the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition in their 10th anniversary year to sponsor a short organ piece.

‘Where the Birds Sing’, composed by Grace Evangeline Mason, had … Read more...