The worth of the Lenten season would be increased if we could make the connection between the refugee God we seek to know better and the refugee neighbour we probably do not know at all, says theologian Kevin Hargaden in this week’s reflection.

JCFJ Social Theologian, Dr Kevin Hargaden participated in the third round of meetings for the Higher Education for Social Transformation (HEST) initiative. The HEST Economy, Poverty and Ethics Cluster Update took place in Madrid, on 1-2 March, 2018.

This Mothers’ Day, we think of mothers who have partners in prison. The families of individuals who are in prison have done nothing wrong, yet experience massive hardship as a result, including shame, isolation and for children, the trauma of separation from a parent. 

The Shock of Exile is the theme of this week’s Lenten Reflection by our social theologian, Dr Kevin Hargaden, where he explores the anguish of exile as told in the Bible and how it is mirrored in the current housing crisis. 

This week’s Lenten Reflection looks at Exodus and the Israelites in the desert to explore how the search for home sometimes leaves us discontented, regardless of how good our circumstances are.

The second week of our Lenten Reflections series is called The Risk of Leaving our Father’s Home and looks at the unreality of a housing system dedicated to profit, not shelter.

The first in our Lenten Reflections series, by social theologian Dr Kevin Hargaden invites us to ponder our own existential homelessness.

The introduction to our 2018 Lenten Reflections series, by Dr Kevin Hargaden asks that as we spiritually prepare ourselves for the celebration of Easter, we do not express our spirituality as a withdrawal from the complexities of our life into some imagined, hidden, private space where we can feel things are simple again.  

The ‘Republic of Opportunity’ that Leo Varadkar spoke about on the occasion of his election as Taoiseach is not evident for young people, says James Doorley, in the latest edition of Working Notes.   

Mental health is the number one health concern for young people in Ireland. This may be related to the intensity and vulnerability of youth, says Dr Tony Bates, of youth organisation Jigsaw, in our latest edition of Working Notes.