Mater Dei Visit to Belfast

In October 2009, over 70 students from the Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin did a one day inter-Church training placement in Belfast. 

Rev Dr Clutterbuck gave the first lecture in Edgehill College, an overview of the history of Methodism up to the present day.  To complement the lecture, a third year ministerial student spoke of her experience growing up as a Methodist.  This raised a number of questions from the Mater Dei students, having been brought up in the Catholic faith and encouraged a lively discussion on the similarities and differences of the two religious beliefs. 

After the first lecture, a ministerial student from Edgehill College gave a guided tour of Belfast.  This was particularly interesting to the majority of Mater Dei students who had never been to the Northern capital before. 

The bus tour finished in East Belfast Mission (EBM) where the students were provided with lunch, followed by a presentation by Glenn Jordan, Director of the Skainos Project.  The aim of the Skainos Project is the creation of a new shared space ‘urban village’ in inner East Belfast, free of the traditional territorial markings, through the redevelopment of a 2 acre brownfield site.

For the final session of the day a lecture was held on Methodism and the Eucharist in Mountpottinger Methodist Church.  Again this raised many questions from the Mater Dei students; from what happened to the elements after communion to the importance of hymns in the Methodist faith. 

From the feedback received the Mater Dei students found the inter-Church placement very interesting and worthwhile.