Ecumenical and inter-faith CD-rom for Junior Certificate Religious Education in Mater Dei Institute:
"My God" Buddhist, Christian, Islamic and Jewish leaders attend launch of an ecumenical and inter-faith CD-rom for Junior Certificate Religious Education in Mater Dei Institute.
20th November 2002

A new CD-rom to accompany the Junior Certificate Religious Education syllabus was launched today at Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin. The CD-rom was officially launched by Ms Anne Looney, CEO of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The launch was attended by representatives of the four main religious faiths in Ireland: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

The CD-rom, "Communities of Faith in Ireland" was produced by the LOGOS team of the Mater Dei Institute to accompany the Religious Education syllabus which is being examined at Junior Certificate level for the first time in June 2003. This subject may then be extended to the Leaving Certificate as a point-carrying subject in 2005. There are 333 schools in total involved in the project, fifty seven of which have pupils taking the exam for the first time next year.

Dr Andrew McGrady, Academic Director of the LOGOS project which is responsible for the production and dissemination of the CD-rom to schools throughout Ireland said, "I am particularly pleased that this CD-rom was produced in a collaborative way - in the true spirit of ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue. We worked closely with the four main religious faiths which are all given equal representation on the CD-rom. The approach taken is one which is hospitable to the diversity of faith in Ireland today and which sees the experience of faith as a key learning resource for the full human development of pupils".

This view was endorsed by Chief Rabbi Yaakov Pearlman (Jewish community), Dr Nooh Al Kaddo (Islamic Cultural Centre), Elea Wheeler (Buddhist community) and Christian leaders who included Gillian Kingston (Methodist), Trevor Garret (Church of Ireland), Rev Frank Sellar (Presbyterian) and Fr. Dermot A. Lane (President, Mater Dei Institute).

"With the ever-increasing cultural and religious diversity in Ireland today, it is an appropriate time to introduce this CD-rom to second-level schools. It is a positive ecumenical and educational exercise and one which will enhance mutual understanding and respect for the beliefs of everyone that we share this island with", said Dr. Dermot A. Lane.

The CD-rom is interactive and provides insights into the faith traditions of each religion: its beginnings, beliefs, practices and the issues each faces today. It includes quizzes, illustrated text, audio and video clips and numerous hyperlinks for 'dictionary' terms of the words and special practices that pupils might be unfamiliar with. The CD-rom will be distributed free to schools participating in the new Junior Certificate in Religious Education programme. Mater Dei has given permission for teachers to duplicate the CD-rom for distribution to pupils. It was written, coordinated and produced by Sandra Cullen, Aiveen Mullally and Enda Donlon of the LOGOS team. The CD-rom compliments the LOGOS website which can be accessed at www.materdei.ie

Anne Looney of the NCCA, who is a member of the LOGOS Steering Committee, expressed her delight at the level of cooperation which the CD-rom had entailed. "This is an appropriate time for Irish schools to become involved in the new Religious Education programme. Irish society has become increasingly pluralist, and this new CD-rom is a reflection of this". She said.

For further details:

Eileen Colgan | 01 7005656 or 087 7948929
Dr Andrew G. McGrady | 8040063 or 086 6039904