It is to be hoped that following their impassioned speeches in the Dáil last week about the cruel realities of life as gay men in Ireland that TDs Jerry Buttimer and John Lyons will hold their seats at the next election. What they said prompted the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, to say on RTÉ Radio 1’s This Week programme last Sunday that “the gay community in Ireland has suffered enormously. When I heard the debates in the Dáil . . . what do I say when I hear somebody spat at them? That’s a horrendous thing to happen to anybody.” [Continue Reading]
Address at the Memorial Service for the Revd Mervyn Kingston
February 8, 2014
This was one of three adresses celebrating the life of the Reverend George Mervyn Kingston at a memorial service held at St George’s Church, Belfast on 8 February 2014. Mervyn was a wonderful priest, a loyal friend and an unlikely prophet, whose prophetic ministry was particularly concerned with reconciliation between Northern Ireland’s churches and communities. He co-founded Changing Attitude Ireland with his husband and partner, Dr Richard O’Leary. [Continue Reading]
Video: Panti Bliss’ Noble Call at the Abbey Theatre
February 2, 2014
“My name is Panti and for the benefit of the visually impaired or the incredibly naïve, I am a drag queen, a performer, and an accidental and occasional gay rights activist.” [Continue Reading]
Church of Ireland Gazette: Suicide among gay people
December 13, 2013
As the Director of Cara- Friend, an LGBT mental health organisation, it was with particular interest that I noted the recent letters of the Revd Andrew Rawding and the Revd Patrick Burke (Gazette, 8th and 22nd November). In May 2013, I gave a presentation to a well attended fringe meeting of the Church of Ireland General Synod in Armagh which discussed the particular evidence for Church influenced poor mental health amongst many LGBT people. [Continue Reading]
Bishop Colton Seeks Advice and Support of Lesbian and Gay People in ‘The Listening Process’ in Cork, Cloyne and Ross
November 26, 2013
In a letter to the people of the Church of Ireland Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, written earlier this month, and to be published in the Diocesan Magazine next weekend, the Bishop, Dr Paul Colton, requests lesbian and gay people, their friends and families, to advise him on how best to put in place ‘the listening process’ for the Diocese. [Continue Reading]
Church of Ireland Gazette: Suicide among gay people
November 8, 2013
I attended the ‘Suicide Prevention and Pastoral Care’ seminar organised recently by the Irish Churches Peace Project in Londonderry. For the panel discussion, I asked how the Churches intended to prevent suicide among people who don’t feel accepted by Churches, like gay people. [Continue Reading]
Irish Times: Church of Ireland sectarianism row ‘no bad thing’ says former judge
October 28, 2013
Former Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness has welcomed recent criticism of sectarianism within the Church of Ireland by Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough Michael Jackson. However, she said she had never heard the term “polyester Protestants” to describe those who were members of the church by conviction. [Continue Reading]
Changing Attitude Ireland Lecture Marks 20 Years Since Decriminalisation
October 27, 2013
Changing Attitude Ireland marked the 20th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland with a public lecture in St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, yesterday, October 26. The lecture was delivered by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness and afterwards tributes were paid to Senator David Norris for his courage and leadership in the pursuit of the decriminalisation of same sex relations. [Continue Reading]
Photos: Changing Attitude Ireland AGM public lecture
October 27, 2013
Tributes were paid to Senator David Norris for his courage and leadership in pioneering gay rights in Ireland following the Changing Attitude Ireland public lecture in St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, on Saturday October 27. [Continue Reading]
Irish Times: ‘There is a certain combat and indeed violence deeply embedded in theology’
October 26, 2013
There was a little of Lady Macbeth in the reaction of some in the Church of Ireland to Archbishop Michael Jackson’s recent observations on sectarianism in Dublin and Glendalough. It was just a mite too upset. You will recall how Lady Macbeth on being told of the murder of Duncan, King of Scotland, at her castle, an act in which she ably assisted, betrayed herself by asking: “What, in our house?” As if. Sectarianism among the decent, God-fearing Anglicans (polyester, genetic, whatever) of Dublin and Glendalough Whoever would suggest such a thing? [Continue Reading]
