Virtual Methodist

When we booked Dr. Lorna Gold as our opening keynote speaker for this year's festival, with its theme of "Home?", it was because 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si', the challenging encyclical by Pope Francis, where he invites us all to take better care of our shared home, the earth...  Given that Lorna writes extensively on global economic, social and environmental issues just , has been involved with the global "Laudato Si'" Movement from its inception and is an inspiring speaker, we were delighted when she agreed, especially when she agreed to both speak in depth at our evening event at Jennymount Methodist and to be our speaker earlier that day in our live Radio Ulster Morning Service from John the Evangelist Parish Church. Our delight was doubled when two days before she spoke it was announced that she had actually been appointed as the new Executive Director of the worldwide Laudato Si' Movement in a special private audience with Pop...

I'm probably not going to get a chance to blog as much about 4 Corners Festival Belfast this year as I would like or normally do, because I have barely enough time to write the stuff I absolutely have to write and do for the events I am involved with this week (and my day-job)... Indeed yesterday morning's service on Radio Ulster (which you can listen to on  BBC Sounds for the next month until it self-destructs Mission Impossible-style) was a metaphor for my week, in that we ran out of time and had to axe Mylie Brennan reading my poem/meditation based on St. Francis' " Canticle of Creation ". Of course St. Francis' poem was also part of the inspiration for, and the source of the title of "Laudato si'" the encyclical by Pope Francis about caring for our common home, the Earth. Dr Lorna Gold, our preacher on Sunday morning and lecturer last night in another stimulating event at Jennymount Methodist Church, was, only this week, appointe...