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Annual Conference 2003
The 26th annual conference for School Chaplains took place at the Shannon Oaks Hotel, Portumna, Co. Galway from 12 th to 14 th November last. This conference provides a tremendous opportunity for Chaplains from all over Ireland to come together to discuss issues surrounding School Chaplaincy. Organized by the School Chaplain's Association the conference also provides the opportunity to refresh oneself with this awesome yet privileged challenge of journeying with young people in the school context. The important of this conference was reflected in the huge number of Chaplain's present. The theme of the conference ‘Chaplaincy – A Journey of Hope, A Journey of Healing' permeated the week as a whole, from workshops, prayer, and enriching discussions.
The conference began on Wednesday evening. This was a time for welcoming newly appointed Chaplain's who were attending the conference for the first time. Thursday began the conference in earnest. Four workshops dealing with various aspects of the life of the chaplain were on offer. The themes for the four workshops were,
• Adolescent Psychology (Gary Donoghue)
• Bullying (Frank Smyth)
• School Crisis Management (Fr. Sean O Driscoll)
• Supervision for Chaplain's (Geraldine Holden)
Following lunch the conference resumed with an honest, open, and frank debate on issues of importance to Chaplain's commencing with the A.G.M. and ending with an open forum entitled ‘Chaplain's – Our Voice' which was facilitated by Martin Kennedy. Our day drew to a close with Eucharist celebrated by a past chairman of the association, Fr. Abe Kennedy (Portumna).
As is tradition on the Thursday evening of the conference our annual banquet brought a fruit filled Thursday to a close. This was attended by all chaplain's and included invited guests from the A.C.S., A.S.T.I., C.O.R.I., J.M.B. The speaker at the banquet was Eithne Woulfe of C.O.R.I. (Education Office).
The second day of the conference was addressed by John Donnellan who spoke on the theme ‘Children First'. The keynote address was by Fr. Paul Andrews S.J. who spoke on the different roles the chaplain has to deal with in the school context. This was an excellent talk on how the chaplain is expected to deal with different situations on a daily basis and he offered some ways on how to deal with these.
Having spoken to chaplains both during the conference and upon its conclusion this ‘time together journeying in hope and healing' was a tremendous support. All Chaplains departed the conference renewed and refreshed and ready for the challenges ahead.
If you are a chaplain in a post-primary school and wish to renew your membership and/or become a member of the association we would be delighted to hear from you.
Article compiled by,
Fr. Arnold Rosney, Chaplain to St. Patrick's Comprehensive School , Shannon , County Clare.
Tel: 061-361428
Email: arnoldjames@eircom.net