Readers of Faith Tides will be familiar with the name Herbert O’Driscoll. Herb, as he’s known, has been writing a regular column for Faith Tides for some time now and his words are always thought-provoking and insightful — as are his many published books.
Herb was born in Ireland and was ordained in 1954. During his long career, he worked as a parish priest, naval chaplain and cathedral dean across Canada, before retiring to the diocese of Islands and Inlets. Herb’s wife, Paula O’Driscoll, is a lifelong soloist and chorister, and a visual artist who continues to create works on canvas and with fabric.
Now, Herb and Paula are putting their name to a new initiative at the Vancouver School of Theology. The O’Driscoll Forum will be an annual three-day event held as part of the Vancouver School of Theology’s Summer School. The Forum will include a series of lectures with a focus on preaching, teaching and liturgical arts. But it promises to be more than “just another lecture series.” The program will also include a master class component, and each day participants will have the opportunity to practice preaching and creativity with guidance from experts.
In order to ensure the O’Driscoll Forum is a lasting legacy, the VST aims to create a permanent endowment, which requires around $300,000 to establish. With “quiet” fundraising among donors, around two-thirds of this amount has already been secured.
On May 31, the public portion of the fundraising campaign was launched with an online event featuring a reading by Herb, reminiscences from old friends of the couple, and a talk from Richard Topping, president of VST, about the school’s plans for the O’Driscoll Forum.
For more information about the O’Driscoll Forum and to make a donation, visit the VST website.
