IRELAND: Religion in the workplace

Posted by Jim Stroud

October 10, 2007

ST. Patrick With all its day-to-day pressures, the work environment is not the first one would think of in terms of faith. However, the Jesuit Centre of Spirituality at Manresa and the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, both in Dublin, believe that faith is an integral part of work and its absence can only be to the detriment of workers, their managers and their customers.

The two groups are jointly running a new programme, “Making Links: Faith and the Workplace”. This series of evening events will address a number of work-life issues in the light of the Catholic Church’s social teaching and the search for an authentic spirituality rooted in gospel values.

According to Paddy Carberry SJ, director of Manresa, modern Ireland has to ask itself some serious questions. “While we have made a tremendous success of our economy, what is happening our country’s soul? What has happened to our capacity to dream? Have we got a vision for ourselves any more? Or is this it?”

Fr Carberry says that Manresa is determined to engage with the issues that face us in Ireland today and to enter into dialogue with the relevant bodies and groups. “I believe our problems today - including the lack of clear leadership and vision, the growing prevalence of addiction and its associated problems of violence and social breakdown - can best be addressed in the context of the broader picture: Where are we going as a nation? What is our vision for the future? What values do we want to pass on to the coming generation?

“Our aim in this programme is to help participants to integrate their faith in God with greater clarity in making decisions, more effective leadership, openness to new challenges in life, a deeper vision and commitment, and a sense of mission and inner peace.” The programme is spread over seven evenings and will focus on an introduction to Catholic social teaching as it relates to work.

READ: Exploring faith’s role in workplace