A leading theologian has urged the laity to educate themselves more
about theology saying that it is seen as the preserve of the religious.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony last weekend at the Priory
Institute in Tallaght in Dublin, where 84 students graduated with
degrees in theology, Dominican Friar Fr Joe Kavanagh O.P (pictured)
moderator of the priory, said, “The Irish are, in most respects, a very
educated people. However for many this certainly did not apply to the
topic of religion.”
“Indeed, the prevailing thinking tended to see religious education as
the preserve of the clergy and the religious, prompting Archbishop
Diarmuid Martin to speak of a large percentage of theologically
illiterate people in Ireland.”
The Institute runs a number of modular degree programmes in Theology with e-learning and distance learning key components.
Meanwhile the Institute is also running a number of special seminars
over the coming weeks in the run up to Christmas.
Last weekend it ran a
seminar exploring to the Gospel of Mark that was given by leading
theologian and Cashel & Emly priest Fr John Littleton.
On Monday
December 8t it will host another seminar on Mary and the warmth of
Advent which will be given by Fr Gabriel Harty OP.
On December 10, it will host a seminar on The Universal Declaration
of Human Rights at 60 to mark human rights day, led by Alpha Connelly
Institute administrator and former CEO of the Irish Human Rights
Commission.
SIC: CIN/IE