Diocesan News05 Oct 09

Minister for Social Development supports role of faith-based organizations in meeting social need

The Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie, says that faith based organizations have a vital role to play in meeting some of the deepest needs in our community. She also believes that government can find ways of supporting them to do this.

In an interview conducted for the website of the Church of Ireland diocese of Derry and Raphoe (www.derry.anglican.org) she talked of the challenges that still exist in Northern Ireland. “The guns are silent. We have had ceasefires since 1994, violence has ended, we have political institutions in place, but sadly we are still a divided society.”

Margaret Ritchie believes that “faith based organizations coming together across the community can provide that necessary leadership to build something that has been missing for a long period of time – that need to build a shared society”.

The Department for Social Development has a brief that includes many significant social needs. Margaret Ritchie sees an important role for faith-based organizations, including churches. She recognized that churches are “already involved in meeting social need not only through the gospel but by the good works you do on a daily basis”.

The Minister was asked about ways in which government and faith based organizations could constructively co-operate. She said that “we are currently looking at how we can assist faith-based organizations, both Christian and non-Christian, to come together and act as leading lights in their community at a time when there are high levels of anti-social behaviour, at a time when other forces are trying to break down the very precepts of a normal society”.

Commenting more specifically about ways in which government can support faith based organizations, such as churches, she said “we want to be there to support and to lever public funding, as well as provide funding for you to do your job”. Talking of the vital role of this sector she continued, “you are doing a job that government could never ever do because you know your community”.

Margaret Ritchie’s Department and the Department for Rural, Community and Gaeltacht Affairs in the Republic are currently supporting a volunteering project in Derry and Raphoe diocese.

The full interview can be viewed on www.derry.anglican.org