Adult Faith Formation

 This picture was painted by Beth Burke, a Parishoner at St Joseph's (not a junior)

Fr Gerry's Talk
  

What is it all about? Afternoon talk on Saturday 18^th June by Fr Gerry Hughes SJ

 

45  people attended, mainly parishioners but including a few guests who were very welcome indeed.

Fr Gerry’s talk lasted for an hour, from 2-3. The notes he handed out do not do justice to the simplicity, eloquence and honesty of the interaction between Fr Gerry and his audience, but they are good:-

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After Fr Gerry’s talk there was tea, coffee, cake and the opportunity for some good conversation.

People then took their seats again for a short question and answer session with Fr Gerry which finished at 4. Questions were disparate and varied, reflecting the range and breadth of the talk.

Feedback comments were requested from the audience at the end, these are copied here, very positive feedback which show how much Fr Gerry’s talk was appreciated.

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What is it all about? Question and answer session following afternoon talk on Saturday 18^th June by Fr Gerry Hughes SJ

 

The subject of Fr Gerry’s talk lends itself to many varied and interesting questions. The discussion was therefore lively. Here is an attempt at capturing some of the matters given an airing in this interaction between Fr Gerry and his audience.

 

What do you mean – creation goes beyond where science ends?

• Science perhaps explains progress from the origin/singularity/Big Bang through to Evolution and ‘the now’. Our belief in God as Creator does not make us better scientists or astronomers or doctors; we don’t in that sense know more than people without religious faith. But we can see the same truths in a very different light.

• Faith goes beyond where science can go, beyond the start of things, beyond the singularity/Big Bang to the Ultimate Cause – seeing the Universe not only as created but also as sustained by God, sustained in the way that a song is sustained by the singer. So that, to a believer, life involves ‘listening’ and ‘seeing’ in a very different way to a non believer, as life to a believer involves experiencing a very personal sense of our creator that is beyond our every day experience, as if ‘in a mirror, darkly’.

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• Suppose creation and sustenance of the Universe by the Divine is analogous to the way that the song is sustained by the Singer. But this Universe includes natural disasters and people with the freedom to do evil?

• Perhaps an edit and revision of the existing Universe is mechanically not possible. If a ‘better’ Universe had been designed instead, would we be in it?

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• Separation of the soul and body at death – what happens?

• Perhaps the soul is the organising principal of the body, inseparable from it, death being not their separation, but a rebirth and introduction to the mystical space of closeness to the Divine.

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• The occupants of Hell: how are they separate from God and how is Hell sustained?

 

• Perhaps no-one is so irreformably deformed by their own evil works that their encounter with a God who is boundless love will not transform them. Hell may therefore not have any occupants – it may not exist, other than as a possibility.

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What is it all about? Feedback reports from attendees following afternoon talk on Saturday 18^th June by Fr Gerry Hughes SJ

 
I think Fr hughes is a delightful open man, one of those peopleyou can identify as a leader in opening the questions of life and love. I don't think it matters at what levelyou feel the talk was at because all the people have different abilities and are adults. I think it was long enough for a Saturday afternoon. I am very grateful to have travelled here because we don't have these opportunities very often in N Wales. Thank you and also for the tea and welcome.
 
Content:very enjoyable and thought-provoking. A difficult topic but well presented with humour.Could be good from3-5 so that we can go straight to church for mass. 2 hours was good.
 
Difficult topic to address but Fr gerry did admirable work in pitching his talk appropriately. A stimulating and thought-provoking session.
 
Very interesting talk by Fr Gerry. Lots of deep questions were raised in a light-hearted way. Length of talk was right and the question session was well organised. Other topics: Problem of evil; who is God? Please come again.
 
Helpful. Right length. Saturday is a good day. Good background...40 mins of theory.    Good sharing and answers. Questions that came out: evil; the soul; would non-believers be saved?
 
Interesting: yes. Some of us could be left with the feeling that there is nothing to be gained by being a 'believer'. We need more of this type of talk. Thank you.
 
Wonderful talk/presentation..time just right, 2 hours. The questions need to be guided as they left the toppic in hand. Good on a Saturday
 
Time just about right. Topic interesting. Length fine. Thank God for tea and cake though. Other future topics?church history;Mary; catholic social teaching.
 
Raised a lot of questions. Would prefer more structure. maybe small parts of the bigger question explored inmore detail.
Two hours is right. Might be helpful to have some literature on the topics beforehand in order to collect thoughts and questions. Have a follow-up session.
 
For me as a 12 yr old I found it quite confusing, I think i left with more questions than i came with. I thought there would be more discussion. I did find it interesting but confusing.
 
Very interesting Time ideal and stuck to. Leaves us with more questions than answers.
 
Very interesting and easy to follow each point. Saturday afternoon a good time. Questions and answers good but maybe loger for these. Well organised. Thank you to everyone involved in the organisasion of this.
 
Most interesting and enlightening afternoon. Many points raised that will mean hours of pondering.
I look forward to more on this line. Further topics: evangelisation. Evenings, 7-8pm or Saturdays.
 
Very good Interesting. Q and A session very enjoyable. Right time of day and week. 2 hours just right.
 
Excellent talk. I learned a lot. Time was good. Length also was right with break in middle. Questions helpful.
 
Talk was very interesting. Thought provoking. Excellent! Tming just right.
 
Very informative talk, enjoyed it. Right level. Time right.
 
Very interesting. Timing just right. More of the same please.
 
Venue good. Time good.Speaker excellent.Topic very stimulating. Level right. Length of talk right. Suggestion for future: invite speaker again to talk to the young people of the parish (post confirmation - young adults...)
 
Too intellectual. Don't know who Aristotle is.
 
The talk was very interesting but I do not know if i am any the wiser. I look forward to other topics being discussed.
 
Thought-provoking: mind opening. Sense of wonder of beyond ourselves and our loimited world. Perhaps Richard Dawkins eould have a different view on things if he were a cosmologist. Biology is very limeted. More please. I hope this one was just the overture.
 
Very informative. Wish my unbelieving husband had attended. If he had known the proposed format he might have done so. Gerry delivered his talk at just the right level. Time was right and the refreshments were welcome. Well done. i look forward to more.
 
Excellent talk. Right level. Correct length to keep attention.Thought-provoking. Non-judgemental. Welcomed questions from audience. Would love to have fr gerry back for more.
 
Thank you Fr Gerry for a wonderful talk and explanation. You have given me so much to think about and have enlightened my undersatnding. I want more. May God bless you in all you give to all of us.
Until we meet at your next meeting. You were GREAT!
 
Very informative and enjoyable and about the right length. A talk/tea-break/questions is a good format. I would be interested to come again. Perhaps God and the existence of evil would be a good topic.
 
Very stimulating and interesting. More of the same from Father, less time for questions.

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