Fr Alan McGuckian SJ, Director
Fr Alan, a native of Cloughmills, is a member of the Jesuit community in Belfast. He has a background in both secondary education and communications. After ordination in 1984 he spent some years teaching in Clongowes Wood College, a boarding school outside Dublin. From 1991 to 2005 he was based at the Jesuit Communication Centre in Dublin. During that time he set up the websites sacredspace.ie, gettingmarried.ie and catholicireland.net. In earnáil na Gaeilge bhí sé ina eagarthóir ar An Timire agus tá sé ina sheiplíneach ag cuid de na gaelscoileanna sa deoise.
Fr. Alan acted as overall facilitator of the diocesan listening process in 2011 and authored the report that came out of it. Bishop Treanor appointed him as director of the Living Church office with overall responsibility for directing the process for the two years up to the Congress of 2013 and its immediate developments.
Mrs Paula McKeown, Assistant to the Director
Paula is joining the Living Church Team for 2 years on a career break from her post as a Speech & Language Therapist. She is from the Parish of Ardkeen and is married to Joe. Paula has been involved in a range of work both in her local parish and the Diocese, she has a strong committment to young people and is eager to see young people grow in their faith.
Paula will be working with a range of people throughout the Diocese to write the Diocesan Pastoral Plan, to organise and stage the Diocesan Congress in 2013 and support the formation of our Diocesan Pastoral Council. As we approach the Year of Faith she will co-ordinate the Living Church events that we will be running in the lead up to the Diocesan Congress.
Mr Jim Deeds, Training & Facilitation Officer
Jim is coming to the Living Church Team after a career in social work and training. Having been born and lived all his life in the Parish of St. Teresa of Avila in Belfast, he has been involved in Parish work for some years there in music ministry, child protection and as a Minister of the Eucharist. Jim is married to Nuala and together they have three children; Brendan, Joe and Eimear.
Jim will be organising training and facilitating groups of people at Parish and Vicariate level to help further the core themes set out in the Living Church Report. He will support these groups to begin or continue the sometimes difficult but exciting process of planning for Parish development. As a result Jim will become familiar with the Parishes and parishioners across the Diocese and help form and develop their relationships with the Living Church Office.
Ms Geraldine Mullan, Office Manager
Geraldine has worked for the Diocese for 9 years, her first position was working in ‘Planning for the Future’ Development Office as part of a team to raise funds for the Diocese. After the successful completion of the campaign she worked in the Finance Dept in Lisbreen for 18 months. Geraldine has 2 grown up children and is the proud ‘Nana’ of Martin, Cora and Keela.
Geraldine is now part of the Living Church Team and is looking forward to embracing this new and exciting challenge. She believes Living Church is a great place to be and would like to see families praying together and getting involved in the new challenges ahead for the future of the Church.