SR. HELEN PREJEAN, CSJ

The Gospel comes alive as Sr. Helen Prejean reflects on human experience in the light of Jesus' ministry. Finding Christ in what the world sees as beyond redemption, Sr. Helen challenges us to be more effective in bringing the message of salvation to every human situation. She campaigns for the rights and dignity of the human person. She is a champion of the poor, oppressed and victimised. With the Gospel of Jesus as the foundation of her ministry, Sr. Helen is truly inspiring.

Sr. Helen is the author of the book “Dead Man Walking” which was the basis of the Oscar-winning film. The film is based upon the story of Patrick Sonnier who has been convicted of the rape and murder of two young lovers and is awaiting execution.

In 1982 Sr. Helen began visiting Patrick Sonnier in Angola Prison, Louisiana. She became his spiritual advisor, campaigned to save his life and two and a half years later she walked with him to the electric chair. Concerned also about the plight of the murdered victims' families she founded “Survive”, which provides counselling and support for the families.

Since 1984 Sr. Helen has divided her time between campaigning against the death penalty and counselling death row prisoners. She has accompanied another four men to their deaths and conscious some of those executed were not guilty, she wrote a second book “Death of Innocents: An eyewitness account of wrongful executions.”

Sr. Helen is a profound speaker and gifted communicator presenting the challenging message of the Gospel. She has travelled across the world and media appearances include BBC’s Everyman, BBC World Service, ABC World News Tonight, 60 Minutes, Oprah, Larry King Live, ABC’s Primetime Live and Frontline

Click here to go to Sr. Helen Prejean's official website.

FR. TIMOTHY RADCLIFFE OP

Fr. Timothy Radcliffe is in demand as a speaker, lecturer, preacher and broadcaster all over the world with bishops, priests, lay people and young people. The constant freshness of what he says makes him a man appealing to all people.

As well as writing articles and offering advice to national broadsheets such as 'The Times', his advice was also sought by 'The Sun' newspaper about the future of Christianity in Britain and he was described as 'an Englishman of who we can all be most proud.' Bishop Ambrose Griffiths said of him, "To listen to this man is to discover the source of real joy".

As a Dominican friar, Fr. Timothy has been involved in ministry in various roles and throughout many different countries. He has been a chaplain to students and has lectured at Blackfriars, Oxford. He was the Provincial of the English Dominican Order and he is also the first Dominican from the English Province to become the Master General since the Order began in 1216. This role involved leading the whole Order throughout the world and travelling over every continent. He thus has a wealth of experiences and a unique vision of the Church in today's world. Timothy Radcliffe embodies, in a rare combination, the qualities of authority in high office with openness to new ideas.

DAVID WELLS

David Wells is married to Alison with three children – Sam, Matthew and Emily - and lives in East Devon. He regards the most important loves of his life as family, food and football. Silly man!

He was a senior teacher in Catholic Education before joining the CES as a Research Assistant. He is now Co-Director of the Department for Formation within Plymouth Diocese. His role in the Diocese is to encourage more opportunities for adults to gather together and to continue to learn about their faith. It is a role which he describes as "a daunting challenge and a wonderful opportunity".

David is also a member of the Bishop's Conference Committee for Adult Education and Catechesis. He is involved in developing learning programmes for parents, including “You, Your Children and their Catholic Faith” produced by the CES and out on video.

As an increasingly renowned speaker, David has been invited to work throughout the UK, Europe, USA, and Canada. The most frequent response we hear from David's evaluations are "He made us laugh and cry in the same session, the time flew by.

David is currently writing his first book “The Reluctant Disciple” to be published by Novalis later this year.

RICHARD MOORE

Shot in the face as he made his way home from Derry’s Rosemount primary school on May 4th 1972, Richard Moore’s childhood was irrevocably changed. A British soldier fired a rubber bullet at the Creggan schoolboy running past some 10 feet away, striking him on the bridge of the nose. The 10 – year – old lost his right eye and was totally blinded in the left. It was another four weeks before Richard learnt the full extent of his injuries – an older brother took him for a walk and broke the news. A double tragedy had hit his family, just months before Richard’s uncle had been killed on “Bloody Sunday”.

Remarkably – Richard, who is the director of the Irish charity Children in Crossfire – has no resentment or anger towards the soldier or the British army.

Over the years he has thrown himself into community work in an effort to give something back to the people who offered him unwavering support from the age of 10.

tententheatre is the first national professional theatre company with an underlying Catholic ethos, working in schools, universities, prisons, young offender institutes, churches, community venues and in mainstream theatre throughout the UK. It aims to advance social, moral, spiritual and cultural education through drama and the performing arts.

In 2007, tenten produced The BABIES Theatre Project, a play about teenage pregnancy, relationships, parenthood, love and responsibility. This was seen by over 15,000 young people throughout the UK. A second tour is planned for 2008 alongside a new resource, 'Chased', for Year 9. tenten have also been commissioned to produce a new drama on climate change for CAFOD.

The DEAD MAN WALKING Schools Theatre Project was set up in 2004 in the US by Sister Helen Prejean and writer/actor Tim Robbins. The project uses the stage play of "Dead Man Walking" to engage young people in the issues and emotional truth of the drama, as well as developing discourse on the subject through other areas of the curriculum. tenten are producing The Schools Theatre Project for the first time in the UK by special arrangement with Tim Robbins.

Participant schools throughout the North-East spend a day exploring and performing scenes from the play alongside two professional actors as well as engaging in a Programme of Discourse about the issues. tententheatre performed scenes from "Dead Man Walking" throughout the Sister Helen Conference.