November 26, 2022

Care
Equality
Community
Respect
Excellence

In my years as a strategic consultant, I worked with many companies and agencies to create a set of organizational values. Creation is the easy part. Implementation is where it gets tricky as so often they just become words on a wall. At the moment, this is not how it’s playing out in Ireland.

The culmination of a decade-long consultation with schools and religious groups, there is a new framework on ethos that will require all state school religious events and experiences be reflective of the religions and beliefs of the entire school community. Although this action is the implementation of the equality value, it certainly encompasses the values of respect and community.

For a country with such a strong heritage of Catholic influence, and some would suggest dominance, this is remarkable. Moving from an ethos of monolithic to pluralistic is inspiring, especially at a time when so many in our nation want to move from a pluralistic to monolithic religious ethos. Yet for those who aspire to monolithic certainty, I would offer the monolith of the Golden Rule. One principle that is embedded in so many world spiritual traditions. One principle to which we can all aspire. 

It seems the Irish understand this. Religious rites and religious rights flowing from the same universal ethos and value. Ah, Ireland. Once again you got it right…and rite. 

Beannacht,
Judith