School brings together rival faiths in prayer service

THE growing diversity of Irish society is about to be embraced in the first prayer service of its kind in an Irish school.

Christian and Muslim students at Coláiste Chiarain, Croom, Co Limerick will worship together next Thursday. The service has been organised by the school’s head of religious education, Tony Kenny.

Coláiste Chiarain is a 450- pupil non-denominational secondary school managed by County Limerick VEC.

Mr Kenny said: “We have eight Sunni Muslim students and others from the Anglican and Evangelical traditions.”

Fr Eamonn O’Brien will represent the school’s Catholic majority community; Rev Rachel Lewis will represent the Anglican tradition and Imam Khalid will represent the Islamic community.

Mr Kenny said: “Ireland is becoming characterised by increasing religious, ethnic and cultural diversity.

“Our planned inter-religious service will help us to celebrate the common aspirations for peace and love that are found at the heart of all Christian denominations and Islam, while simultaneously acknowledging the cultural diversity of modern Irish society.”

He hopes it will encourage other schools to follow their example.

Mr Kenny said: “And indeed we invite them to dialogue with our RE department for guidance to enable other such services to take place.” Coláiste Chiaráin has a national reputation for innovation in the use of computers with each student using a laptop.

“We are also innovative in the field of religious education receiving special commendation by the Department of Education.

“Our religious education programme is concerned with the fostering of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes and not with faith orientation.

“Consequently, we have created a classroom environment where students of different religious traditions, and those with none at all, participate together,” he said.

He said the school’s pastoral programme provides for faith expression for both Christians and Muslims.

Mr Kenny said: “While deeply cherishing the Catholic traditions that are so important to the majority of our staff, students and parents, we believe in embracing the totality of experience that is an integral dynamic of our school life.”

He said integration is a two-way street requiring effort by the majority and minority communities.