Clonard
I used to try to do an entry every day and now I’m lumping things together, as my life is neither interesting nor picturesque when I’m not traveling.
Yesterday’s highlight was choir practice and today’s outing was to Clonard monastery, home of the Redemptorists. Clonard hosts a novena every year and Stuart, David Arkley, and I decided to check it out. The novena runs from 6:45 am-11:30 pm Mon-Fri and 6:45 am-8:30 pm on weekends. The very large church was absolutely packed during the hour we attended, with people standing three deep at the back. The priest said 15,000 people attend a day. Imagine that. Many are seeking an intercession from Our Mother of Perpetual Help, represented by a large Byzantine icon at the front of the church. The text below explains the novena:
Clonard Solemn Novena In honour of Our Mother of Perpetual Help
"This year marks the 150th Jubilee Year of the Redemptorists’ special mission of making the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help known throughout the world. It has been a time of celebration and renewal of this mission to strengthen our love for the Mother of God.
The Church is also celebrating the Holy Year of Mercy, a time
of grace, peace, conversion and joy. It is meant for everyone: people of every age, for those far or near to the Church.
The Novena is a time to pray with Mary and celebrate God’s outpouring of abundant graces and crazy love."
The speaker was a man whose wife was murdered in 2010 while they were on their honeymoon in Mauritius. He found her dead in the bedroom and immediately became a suspect. She apparently startled thieves who killed her and escaped before he got to her. He spoke movingly of his spiritual journey through unimaginably dark times.
For a virtual tour of the church, see below.