100 YEARS WITH THE CLONARD REDEMPTORISTS

A history of Clonard Monastery was launched by President Mary McAleese back in June 2003.

One Hundred Years with the Clonard Redemptorists by Dr James Grant is published by The Columba Press.

Using the Clonard Redemptorists' own archival material, the book outlines the story of the Order's first one hundred years in West Belfast. The Redemptorists were invited to the city in 1896 by Dr Henry, the bishop of Down and Connor, to assist in ministering to the large numbers of Catholics pouring into the thriving industrial area in search of work.

According to James Grant, the Redemptorists, free from parochial duties, were able to pursue their primary vocation of preaching the Good News to those most in need, that is 'giving missions', throughout Ireland. In an age of devotional Catholicism, the Clonard Redemptorists successfully developed and nurtured confraternities, novenas and a wide range of popular religious services.

The war years of the early 1940s brought two unexpected additions to the Clonard apostolate. The first was the inauguration of a 'perpetual' novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, brought by an American forces chaplain who was also a Redemptorist. The second, was the 'Mission to non-Catholics', made possible in part by the easing of sectarian tension produced by the shared danger of war. First held in 1948, it continued throughout the 1950s.

Clonard's location on the Falls/Shankill frontier ensured that its religious community experienced sectarian strife at first hand from the earliest years of the foundation of the state. The early 1920s were particularly difficult, but slight in contrast to the major outbreak of violence which began in 1969, following rising tensions over civil rights.

As a result, the Clonard area became engulfed by the Troubles and the church apostolate of the monastic community devastated. However, insisting that their ministry was to all, irrespective of political affiliation or creed, the Redemptorists established a compassionate apostolate of mediation and reconciliation which became widely acknowledged and respected.

A 'Falls Road man', James Grant received his early education at St Kevin's P. E. School and at St Malachy's College. A graduate of University College Galway, he taught history at St Thomas' Secondary School, Whiterock Road and St Mary's College of Education. He received a doctorate from Queen's University, Belfast for a thesis on the Great Famine in the province of Ulster. He and his wife Stella have four grown-up children and several grandchildren.

One Hundred Years with the Clonard Redemptorists by Dr James Grant is published by The Columba Press

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