Remarks at Clonard Monastery
Belfast, 30 October 2012
I very much appreciate the opportunity to visit the historic Clonard Church and Monastery and I’d like to thank Fr. Michael Murtagh, Rector of Clonard for his kind invitation and for providing me with the opportunity to meet with you all today.
Is áit í Eaglais agus Mainistir Chluain Aird a bhfuil stair shuntasach inti chomh maith le tábhacht sa lá inniu do chathair Bhéal Feirste. Spás beannaithe é atá suite ar an gcomhéadan idir Bóthar na bhFál agus Bóthar Seanchille agus cáil idirnáisiúnta air de dheasca shaothar athmhuintearais an Athar Alec Reid agus daoine eile a ghlac páirt thábhachtach i bpróiseas síochána Thuaisceart Éireann, agus iad ag feidhmiú mar éascaitheoirí i gcomhchainteanna Hume/Adams.
[Clonard Church and Monastery is a place of significant historic and present-day importance to the City of Belfast. It is a sacred space situated at the interface between the Falls Road and the Shankill with an international reputation due to the reconciliation work of Fr. Alec Reid and others who played an important role in the Northern Ireland peace process, acting as facilitators in the Hume /Adams talks.]
Today it continues to serve the community in a myriad of ways, not least as a place of worship and a vibrant Youth Community centre.
The work done here in Clonard under the Redemptorist Fathers is an outstanding legacy which has been rightly celebrated. It is hard to believe standing here now that the original building in 1897 was a Tin Church, followed by the monastery in 1900. The once plain and unpretentious tin church became very dear to the people of Clonard.
But it quickly became obvious that a larger permanent structure was needed to meet the spiritual needs of the ever increasing congregations. And so the magnificent new church was opened in 1911 where it has since continued to be a source of great pride to Belfast Catholics.
History has determined that Clonard is situated in what is sometimes referred to as an ‘interface’ between two divided communities. This has in part shaped its mission of reconciliation and outreach and indeed the healing mission of many of the other community organisations in this city.
Many people have found refuge and solace here over the troubled years in our recent history. It is a living church, alive and busy with the sounds of an active community. Be it in communal acts of worship, individual spiritual reflection or the outreach work of the Youth Ministry Team, Clonard represents a place of personal renewal and social transformation. And more recently, ecumenical partnership is being encouraged and fostered between churches and community groups.
The Clonard community have not been slow to embrace change, far from it. No human structure can stand the attrition of time and major work was needed to preserve the fabric of the building. So a four year multi-million pound refurbishment project was completed and celebrated in March 2012 with the official re-opening of the Church.
I also see that you have embraced technology as a medium to share your message over the virtual community of the internet. Through the use of a live web cam, you have electronically opened up the church to give access to your spiritual and community events.
Of course, this is a time when across this island we reflect on the series of other significant centenaries which have been important in the history of Ireland, starting last month with the centenary of the Ulster Covenant.
Is é an dúshlán atá i ndán dúinn uile sa deich mbliain seo de chomórthaí imeachtaí suntasacha a thabhairt chun cuimhne, agus muide aireach faoi chruinneas staire agus i gcomhthéacs cómheasa agus athmhuintearais. Is é an dúshlán is mó atá romhainn sochaí a thógáil i gcomhpháirt lena chéile agus athmhuintearas a shaidhmeadh.
[The challenge for all of us in this Decade of Commemorations is to recall significant events, mindful of historical accuracy and in an atmosphere of mutual respect and reconciliation. The biggest challenge we all face is to build a shared and reconciled society.]
Conscious involvement in directing change is necessary, and we must actively discard any tendency to uncritically accept the limitations of old inevitabilities and assumptions. We must seek to be the arrow and not the target of change. I take great heart from the energy, creativity and enthusiasm that young people can bring to the transformation of society. I know that belief in the capacity of young people has long been at the heart of the Clonard community too and at the heart of many of the other organisations represented here today. The future belongs to young people and that is why I have placed engagement with young people and their vision at the heart of my presidency.
Earlier this year I had pleasure and honour of welcoming the Burmese pro-democracy leader, Aung San Sui Kyi, to Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin. Aung San Sui Kyi is a great inspiration to so many people worldwide working for peace and reconciliation. Aung San Sui Kyi once said ‘If you’re feeling helpless, help someone’. There is great wisdom in this saying. It recognises that by becoming an active member of the community, even in the most difficult of circumstances, we empower ourselves and the community around us.
As community leaders you understand and appreciate the power of an active community which is directing change from within itself. In this way a sometimes stratified, stagnant and sectarian society is moving through an incremental process of reconciliation and finding the freedom that comes with embracing and indeed taking charge of change.
I congratulate the community of Clonard on all that it has achieved and wish you well in your future work of transformation.