Cardinal O’Brien on Sudan

Tuesday 9 May 2006

Cardinal Keith O’Brien will deliver a public lecture on the crisis in Sudan at the University of St Andrews today (Wednesday 10th May 2006). The lecture is this year’s Religion and Politics lecture for the University’s Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics (CSRP).

Cardinal O’Brien is patron of the research centre, which focuses on the link between the two dominant forces of religion and politics. Launched in early 2005, the centre is also supported by fellow patrons Archbishop Desmond Tutu and writer and theologian Gustavo Gutierrez.

Cardinal O’Brien, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, has just returned from two weeks in the Sudan. He said: “At the present time Sudan is large in my thoughts and prayers.” The Centre has already hosted seminars and lectures including one dedicated to the assassinated Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero and another by former Desert Rat Major General Patrick Cordingley. Leading figures in religion, politics and academia, including Archbishop Mario Conti, have taken part in the Centre’s annual colloquium “On Religion and Politics”, held every October.

The Centre involves key academics across six disciplines – Divinity, History, International Relations, Management, Modern Languages, and Philosophical and Anthropological Studies. Based at the University’s School of Divinity, it is directed by Dr Mario I. Aguilar. He said:

“It is a great honour for the CSRP and for the University of St. Andrews to have Cardinal O’Brien speaking about his first hand experience of the tragedy of Darfur. It is a timely lecture following yesterday’s call by President George W. Bush to assembly a multi-national peace keeping force in order to save lives in the region.

“Cardinal O’Brien has been personally touched by suffering in the Sudan and will no doubt make this occasion a warm sign of the solidarity of Scotland with the poor and the marginalised of the Sudan.’

The CSRP Religion and Politics Lecture 2006 ‘Crisis in Darfur (Sudan)’ by Cardinal Keith O’Brien will be given on Wednesday 10 May 2006 at 5.15pm at School III, St. Salvator’s Quadrangle, St Andrews. This event is open to the public.

Weblinks: http://www.st- andrews.ac.uk/divinity/csrp ENDS

NOTE TO PICTURE EDITORS:

CARDINAL O’BRIEN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY PRIOR TO THE LECTURE – CONTACT THE PRESS OFFICE FOR DETAILS – NUMBERS BELOW.

Issued by Beattie Media – www.beattiegroup.com on behalf of the University of St Andrews

Contact Gayle Cook, Press Officer on 01334 467227 / 462529, mobile 07900 050 103, or email [email protected]

Ref: OBrien lecture 100506.doc

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