Louisburgh Spirituality Group was established in January 2018. I had completed a two-year diploma in Spiritual Direction and felt there was a need in my local area for a group like this. The dream was to cater for people who were not part of an institutional church, who wanted to connect on a deeper level, and were thirsting for a new approach to gathering and praying. I also felt that it could appeal to people who were already part of a Church, but wanted to reach out to others outside of their familiar religious practices. The intention was, and remains, to provide a space where people of different beliefs and diverse faith traditions meet in a spirit of love and kindness, for prayer and meditation. Members of the group strive for tolerance and patience with each other, and there is no effort made to convert anyone to a belief held by others; instead, we highlight what each of us has to offer, what we can nurture in each other, and, most of all, what we hold in common. Recalling the words of Thomas Merton, we remind ourselves that we are all ‘members of the human race, where the divine spark is made incarnate’.

Before setting up the group, I discussed it with my local Parish Priest, who was very helpful and encouraging. I was free to include notices in the local parish newsletter. Listings in a local paper – The Mayo News – also helped to spread the word. It was very important for me to maintain links with my own Church, and for the group to feel welcome to meet in the community, even though it is not run as a parish activity.

Snippet of one shared reflection

Each meeting allows an opportunity for ‘sharing’ – offering personal responses to a reflection or spiritual reading, which I have chosen in advance; this is done with respect and confidentiality. We honour each other, not by offering solutions or opinions; instead of that approach, we hold each person within our sacred space, with deep listening, trusting that each of us sees the world from a different perspective. Alternative views prompt us to examine our own positions, in the silence of our hearts. If someone does not wish to speak, silent prayerful reflection can also be a powerful way of participating

Many people nowadays do not belong to a particular religion or Church, but want to connect with the spiritual dimension of life. Are they to be marginalised because they do not want to participate in Sunday worship?

I believe that lay people are key in terms of reaching out to others. Staying in ‘comfort zones,’ without experiencing anything different can lead to stagnation. I don’t have to change my own beliefs or opinions in order to be able to interact with others, and I ask myself what I can learn from others and what they can teach me? The person offering the greatest challenge can be the greatest teacher.

Initially, some were expecting a traditional ‘Bible Study’ group, incorporating familiar devotional practices, so setting up an interfaith group was deviating from the norm. However, I persevered, and the group has continued to thrive. Despite the current pandemic, we still manage to meet online once a month to engage in spiritual reflection and compassionate prayer. Prayer and meditation are practices, which all members of the group share. It is heartening for me to see how the group continues to flourish.

I was encouraged in my initial efforts to set up the group by Sr. Barbara Murphy (IBVM), a compassionate and tolerant, spiritual guide, who has helped establish spirituality groups across the country. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to establish this group, and I look forward to seeing it develop and attract new members in the future.

View of Croagh Patrick and Clew Bay, the natural context for this new group

Dr. Pauline Graham, a native of Scotland, is a voice teacher and choir director at Louisburgh Music School, Co Mayo, which she co-founded in 2017. Music and spirituality are two of her main interests, and she holds a doctorate in musicology, as well as a diploma in spiritual direction in the Ignatian tradition. She is also a member of the Third Order – Lay Carmel at Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin.

Dr. Pauline Graham

 

Submitted by Kathleen Friel rsm
Western Province