Major conference on spirituality and addiction

September 20, 2013 in News
pmcverry 01

pmcverry 01

Peter McVerry SJ, Denis Bradley (former ‘go-between’ between the British Government and the IRA) and US theologian Fr Jim Harbaugh SJ will speak at an international conference on the role of spirituality and faith in addiction recovery on Saturday and Sunday 29. 29 Sept. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will give the homily at a closing mass.

Guest speaker from the Unites States is Jim Harbaugh SJ who is both an AA an Al-anon member. He has written on the role of  Ignatian and 12 step spirituality in addiction treatment and is author of a well known book on a twelve step approach to the Sunday gospel readings.

The aim of the conference is to explore the role faith and spirituality can play in tackling addiction, addressing those who suffer from it and those affected by it.  Majella Coyle, a recovering addict now working as an addiction counsellor will also address the conference about both her story of struggling with addiction right through to her powerful recovery. Her sister Pat will shared the podium with her reflecting on how addiction affects families and how the spriituality of 12step programmes can play a powerful role in helping family members recover from the effects of the disease of alcoholism.

Patricia Gallagher is a young pioneer who works in outreach and she will talk of her own  experience of abstaining from alcohol as a spiritual practice and the problem of alcohol abuse among young people today. Fr Barney Mc Guckian will address the spirituality of the Pioneer movement.

The conference is open to anyone from at home or abroad , concerned  about the issue and how to address  it from a faith perspective. To this end  the conference is part of ‘TheGathering Ireland’ activities for 2013.

Over one hundred people have already signed up and all are welcome on a daily or per lecture basis. For further information contact : Roisin Fulham 00353 1 8749464.