For the Lough Derg Day of Friendship and Prayer this year, 15th May 2019, today’s growing challenges around homelessness, migration and social exclusion have led to the invitation of Fr Peter McVerry as the guest speaker who will address the topic: ‘The Social Gospel – Meeting Christ on the Margins.’
Lough Derg’s geographical location in a marginal landscape is part of what enabled it to become the place that it has been for centuries: a place of retreat and reflection, a place to review our journey in life and to find new and gospel perspective in personal terms and in our engagement with society around us.
Followers of Jesus, who could say of himself that ‘The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’, are welcome to come, along with their friends from across the denominational divides, to share what promises to be an engaging and challenging Day of Friendship and Prayer.
The programme for the day begins with a warm welcome to the Island with refreshments and meeting with others from 10.30 – 11.30am. The boats are available from 10.00am. Key note address at noon from Fr Peter McVerry SJ, ‘The Social Gospel – Meeting Christ on the Margins.” Followed by a shared Act of Worship. A light lunch follows and the boats will return from the Island from 2.30pm. Advance booking is essential. Admission €25.00/£20.00 – includes all services. Contact the Lough Derg office on 071 9861518 or email info@loughderg.org . To book https://booking.loughderg.org/
Guest speaker Jesuit Fr Peter McVerry grew up in Newry, Co Down. Working in the inner city in Dublin in the 1970s Peter came into contact with many young people who were sleeping on the streets because of their home situation. In 1979 he opened a hostel for homeless boys and this would lead him towards his life-time work. His work developed from there and he founded The Peter McVerry Trust now offering eleven homeless hostels, over 100 apartments, a residential drug detox centre and two drug stabilisation services. In 2017 alone the charity worked with over 4,900 vulnerable youths. The charity seeks to support all those living on the margins and to uphold their rights to full inclusion in society.