Opinion

Jim Gibney: The compassion of Fr Des Wilson serves Ireland and Christ

Fr Des Wilson, pictured in 2016 at a 'Saint who lived in our street' prayers service at Springhill, where Mother Teresa was based in the early 1970s. Fr Des supported Mother Teresa's presence in Belfast at a time when senior Church figures were less welcoming. Picture by Cliff Donaldson
Fr Des Wilson, pictured in 2016 at a 'Saint who lived in our street' prayers service at Springhill, where Mother Teresa was based in the early 1970s. Fr Des supported Mother Teresa's presence in Belfast at a time when senior Church figures wer Fr Des Wilson, pictured in 2016 at a 'Saint who lived in our street' prayers service at Springhill, where Mother Teresa was based in the early 1970s. Fr Des supported Mother Teresa's presence in Belfast at a time when senior Church figures were less welcoming. Picture by Cliff Donaldson

FATHER Des Wilson glided gently into the room with the help of a walking aid. His eyes sparkled and he smiled warmly as he scanned the room and greeted in Irish and English those who came, at his invitation, to speak about the current political situation.

There were some signs of his 90-plus years of life impacting on his physical demeanour but his mind was as sharp as a tack and his recall of people and events from 50 years ago and more was nothing short of incredible.

Fr Des spoke of the Ireland his parents grew up in - united under the British Crown - then partitioned and the terror of the early years of the new state.

It was a terror which left nationalists and Catholics in a perpetual state of fear throughout most of Fr Des's long life.

The terror has ended, he said, and been replaced with a new set of circumstances created by people in struggle demanding their rights. A point has been reached where equality has replaced inequality and nationalists and unionists can offer each other respect based on equality and peace.

Out of this, new institutions can emerge and, in time, a new and independent Ireland.

Fr Des was ordained a priest 70 years ago and has spent most of this time in Ballymurphy, in west Belfast - an area that experienced a great loss of life during the conflict and high levels of economic deprivation due to generations of state-practised discrimination.

A close friend of Fr Des's, Fr Hugh Mullan, was shot dead in a massacre by the British Army which claimed the lives of 11 people in Ballymurphy in 1971.

Throughout his life Fr Des has promoted alternative ways of thinking, alternative ideas which reflect the needs of people, living in communities; ideas rooted in people's experience of life in the Church or outside it.

The horror of the Second World War gave way to a new dawn where new ideas were flourishing across Europe dealing with big theological questions and the relationship between Christian Churches and people.

Across most of Europe the church pews were empty, unlike Ireland. And church leaders were at a loss as to what to do.

Free state education and the search by theologians to make the Church and religion connect with people encouraged change: working priests, women priests, priests living in working class communities were advocated.

The Second Vatican Council and Liberation Theology became the new benchmark for progress. Celibacy, married priests, divorce, contraception, gay rights and abortion were being openly discussed.

Fr Des Wilson was part of a group engaging with other Christian Churches in Ireland. They believed in the adage from the New and Old Testaments: "Set my people free." They believed, "if religion doesn't mean liberation, then it is nothing".

He has similar views about education. He referenced Padriag Pearse's The Murder Machine and Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, both of which deal with a wholly different approach to education.

Education is much more than preparing for and passing exams - important though that is.

Fr Des believes that people have a longing for personal freedom and education can help achieve this.

Forty years ago, with help from his close friend Fr Hugh Mullan, they opened the 'priest's house', which in time became 'Springhill Community House'.

It became the centre for alternative thinking and projects: community education, economic development, community theatre and arts and debates on a host of issues.

The late Noelle Ryan, a life-long friend and confidant of Fr Des, joined this avant-garde group of thinkers and doers.

They attracted many others to the cause of liberation through radical theology and education. Noelle worked with women in need of support and advice on a range of issues. This was Christ's social gospel in action.

And while Springhill House was reverberating to people in search of a new society, a war reverberated outside its doors and often the consequences of that war breached the safety of its walls.

Amidst such trauma and fear Fr Des Wilson, with Noelle Ryan by his side, ministered while writing and speaking about peace and justice.

Fr Des is much loved by the people of Ballymurphy and across Ireland - a compassionate, gentle and powerful intellect in the service of Christ and people's liberation.