Fr.Neal Carlin
The Director and Founder of Our Community is Father Neal Carlin. I am taking this opportunity when an article has been written for a local Newspaper to include that article in our website. As we were given an opportunity to edit it and therefore have it on the computer it would be remiss of me not to let those of you who wish to read it have access to same. So click on the Name below below to access the article. It is rather lengthy so perhaps you should print it out and read it later. Aother Article Entitled Spuds for the Prods may give some insight into the founding of Columba Community. Acknowledgements to Eugene and Paddy for this.Hopefully we will have an up to date picture to add a touch of glamour to the page. We have just opened our new Centre at White Oaks and Fr.Neal is extremely busy organising for the new intake of clients for the first 30 day course. This starts on Monday 14th October 2001.
We have now been operating for more than a year and six months. We have completed the training of 6 counsellors in the Hazelden model and have begun our new year with 4 of the counsellors employed and The Columba Community firmly behind the activities of The Centre.
This is an exciting time for White Oaks as Fr. Neal and The Community work at building onto the thirty day residential program and the other work at the Centre
a) the most appropriate spitituality for all
b) the ongoing work in the big shed with young wooden sheds, benches and beautiful bogwood pieces
c) the continuation of the sewing work and ongoing production of some excellent quality pieces
d) the developing of the two year aftercare program
e) the operation of the new fas social economy scheme which employs some 8 individuals at organic gardening, flower growing and catering and which hopes to be fully self sustaining in three years
f) the building of the workshops for therapy
g) the developing of a 7 acre garden to commemmorate the Saints of Ireland in the Golden Age (5th to the 12th Century) and examine the relevance of their lives to ours today
