Destination: Killarney

I am posting some pictures of Killarney and the area surrounding it so people can see where it is I am going. This first picture shows the location of Killarney on the Island, in the extreme southwest.


The next few pictures are of the colorful town.







Now some pictures of the surrounding area.







More pics can be seen at the Flicker group Killarney Ireland. Eventually I would like to get some pics of my own to post, these pictures have been pulled from that group and my many thanks to those photographers who have taken such great pictures.

On the state of the church in Ireland

As noted in my most recent letter, there has been news breaking regarding scandals within the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland. I thought I would take a moment to better explain here what those scandals are, since space did not allow for it in the letter.

Thanks to Ireland being a very Catholic nation, abortion is banned in the country. This created a problem. A good problem but still a problem, what is the country to do with so many unwanted babies? Often the Church would take them in, and even the unwed mothers. But such a great social stigma was held against these mothers and their illegitimate children, that the Church was able to do as they pleased, even treating them as second class servants - borderline slavery. Other harms were done as well, including sexual acts committed against these women and children. The "homes" where these women and children were housed were closed down over the years; the last known house to be closed in the mid-1990's.

The secrecy of what was happening in these houses was upheld until earlier this year, when news leaked and major news companies in the United Kingdom began broadcasting stories about these atrocities. This caused the Irish government to begin a probe into the issue, and a document was published as a result, which has been made public.

Obviously, this has created a significant distrust between the Church and the general populace of Ireland. Sadly, just as in the United States, anything associated with Christianity is viewed with equal suspicion. So we as evangelicals reaching into the Irish communities must deal with this distrust the people have for the church in general. It is a huge challenge, but with God's help, a challenge that can be overcome.

For more information, I have found the following news reports to be very helpful:

Ireland to summon Catholic orders on abuse scandal

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse - lengthy website but shows how deep this problem was. Warning: some sections are graphic in their descriptions of abuse.

The Ryan Report - This is the official report created for the Irish Government to handle those abused by the residential institutions.

An unholy secret that still haunts Ireland. Note the date - May 29, 2009. Very recent.

Hello once again!

I am officially finished with actual class time for my seminary career. It is a strange feeling knowing I will no longer be sitting in a class (unless I ever decide to pursue a doctorate) as a student. However, I am not done yet because I have a nice load of homework to complete for the summer classes I took earlier this month.

The plans for my internship / missions trip are moving along. I have been reading up on the various issues I will be encountering as I try to minister to the people of Ireland and the challenges are immense! Some of you may have heard in the news about a scandal that has come out into the open regarding the Catholic Church. This scandal is not unlike what we experienced here in the States, but in Ireland it is much broader and runs deeper with the people. In many ways it has created a strong distrust for anything “Christian.” These people need to learn the love of Christ; that the failures of the Catholic Church do not represent what the Christian faith is about. We have the message of hope, the reconciliation of God and man. But the only way to communicate that is through the building up of trust between the people and we as Christian witnesses. It will not be easy, but with God all things are possible. He can break through even the most difficult of barriers.

So much prayer is needed for the people there, as well as myself as I seek to go and reach out to them. Just the process of getting there right now seems daunting. This is why I need your prayers. I simply cannot do this alone. Also, I am still working to raise support and am looking at all of my options for funding this trip. The funds will be coming from different places, and I would like to invite you to become a partner in this ministry through your giving. As noted before, any support should be sent to CrossWorld, the address below. I am also posting updates to my web blog as well as pictures of Killarney, the town in Ireland where I will be going.

Again, thank you for your prayers and support, I am very grateful.




Ken Hurne