An Tairseach – a sabbatical for our time!
John Walker MSC
A chance meeting with Timothy Radcliffe, OP, in early 2024 in Australia and a shared discussion on cosmology led me to An Tairseach, Ireland, for a ten-week sabbatical focused on cosmology and ecology, with our central text being Laudato Si’.
An Tairseach (Gaelic = the threshold) was a vision of the Dominican sisters emanating from their Chapter in 1992 to establish an organic farm on their 70 acres in Wicklow, south of Dublin, along with an ecology centre overlooking the Irish Sea. It would encompass the unfolding story of the universe, as documented by Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, and in more recent times, Pope Francis’ 2015 seminal encyclical Laudato Si’. The works of Teilhard de Chardin were also prominent, including "The Divine Milieu" and "The Phenomenon of Man." The ‘threshold’ reminds us of the fact that, in response to the looming environmental breakdown, humanity has the potential to create an ecological age, and that we are, as Thomas Berry famously wrote, ‘between two stories’.
The spring program included a total of sixteen participants, featuring a surprising mix of young and old, as well as lay and religious individuals from Australia, New Zealand, Malawi, Nigeria, the USA, and, of course, some locals. Each morning, we gathered in the cosmic garden for our morning prayer and ritual. As seen in this photograph, a spiral is formed from bricks, each representing millions of years, culminating in 13.8 billion years since the great ‘flaring forth’ (Big Bang).
And at significant points in the unfolding story of the universe, rocks are placed, and it is astounding that in that visual image before us, Jesus was born a mere 2000 years ago!
The program's objective is to familiarise participants with our evolution over nearly 14 billion years, as discovered by contemporary science; to explore its implications for understanding our place in the universe; to delve into the theological implications of this new cosmology; to listen to the mystics; to reflect on themes from the Celtic Tradition; to examine our images of God while critiquing our present world order; and to explore possibilities for a sustainable lifestyle.
To help us engage with these objectives, the program is delivered through lectures led by the An Tairseach team and guest lecturers, including Diarmuid O’Murchu msc, Philip John Newell, Niamh Brennan, John Feehan, and others; art, movement, ritual, prayer, weekly cosmic walks in nature, yoga, walking the labyrinth; and visits to sacred places, such as Glendalough, the site of a medieval monastic community founded by St Kevin. John Feehan is an Irish geologist, botanist, author and broadcaster, and apart from being a member of the Royal Irish Academy, John was also one of Pope Francis’ principal consultants on the topic of biodiversity for Laudato Si’.
We were fortunate to have John with us for several days, during which we explored the evolutionary geological history along the Irish Sea shoreline and delved into the science of botany using our electronic microscopes in the conference room. As a result, we gained an entirely new perspective on creation!
Over the ten weeks, some of the topics presented included an introduction to the universe story; exploring our ecological footprint; theology in context; patriarchy; ecofeminism; cosmology; Celtic spirituality; biblical theology from an evolutionary viewpoint; mysticism; Laudato Si’ and Church teachings; creation, evolution and faith; incarnating the human; theological implications; action on climate justice; the Bible and ecology; and evolutionary theology and care for creation.
During our ten weeks together, we developed a bond, and our weekly ‘cosmic walks’ in the stunning County Wicklow countryside were certainly moments to cherish, as shown in this photo, walking along an avenue of Lime trees in the Killmacurragh National Botanical Gardens.
And, finally, the group photo before departure in the cosmic garden!
Into the future:
