Clonard

The house of the Most Holy Redeemer, Belfast, more commonly known as Clonard Monastery, was founded on 1st November 1896. When Ireland became an independent province in 1898 Belfast was for a few years (1901-1905) the House of Studies (major seminary).

The Redemptorists Come To Belfast

Belfast at the end of the nineteenth century was a major industrial city. During the previous hundred years it had expanded in a remarkable way, the population increasing from 22,000 in 1806 to nearly 350,000 ninety years later. Migrants poured into the city from all parts of rural Ulster, many of them to find work in the linen mills. The catholic population at the end of the century was 84,000, a phenomenal increase from a mere 4,000 in 1812.

To serve this large number of Catholics more and more churches were urgently needed. In 1895 the diocese of Down and Connor got a new Bishop in the person of Henry Henry. He believed that a religious order of priests could give invaluable help in the densely populated area of West Belfast. Accordingly he invited the Redemptorists to open a church there. It was a welcome invitation as they were already looking for a foundation in the North. They had a lot of mission work there; they were growing in numbers and were about to establish an independent province for Ireland. Only the year before their Superior General had told them to get two new foundations as a preparation for this province. Hence they gladly accepted the invitation of Bishop Henry to come to Belfast.

Clonard House

Their first home was Clonard House or Lodge. It was a large two-storied building, located in a beautiful parkland of trees and shrubs and green fields. The Bishop purchased it for £2,360 and gave to the Redemptorists as a temporary residence. Father Patrick Griffith celebrated the first Mass in Clonard House on November 1st 1896. His companions were Fathers Walter Lambert and Vincent Bourke. They were the first Clonard Fathers.

The room of the first Mass had a minimum of furniture, a common deal table serving as an altar and a soapbox for a pulpit. Eager crowds flocked to the little chapel where four Masses were said on Sundays. In those first months it was a real sacrifice to come to Clonard, as there was no street and no light. People used to walk along a plank and grope their way with the help of a couple of stable lamps laid on the ground.

Temporary Church 1897 - 1911

The first Clonard Church was built as a temporary structure in a little over three months and was opened for worship on Easter Sunday, 18th April 1897. It seated 700. Sunday Masses were on the hour from 7.00 a.m. to 12,00 noon, with devotions at 7.00 p.m. On weekdays the first Mass was at 5.55 a.m. This and the 8.05 a.m. Mass facilitated the mill workers who were so numerous in the early Clonard congregations. Many years afterwards Father Griffith described movingly the faith of the early Clonardites:

"The edifying sight was witnessed morning after morning of good holy working people spending two hours in the mills fasting, then going to Holy Communion, and in the remaining half hour taking their breakfast and returning to work at 9.00 a.m. I have no hesitation in saying that the recording angel marked down every step taken and every sacrifice made by those generous souls"

It was in 'the tin church' (so called because of its roof of corrugated iron) that the Clonard confraternities of women, men and boys were founded in 1897.

The Monastery 1900

One of Father Griffith's many burdens was to find a permanent home for his community. The plans approved by Rome provided for the erection of a building that would have a community of eighteen to twenty persons and also serve as a retreat house for men. This explains the size of the new building. In the event enclosed retreats to men were not given in Clonard until the early nineteen twenties and then only in a limited way.

The architect of the monastery, as of both churches, was J.J. McDonnell whose sons John and Gerard became distinguished Redemptorists. The monastery was completed just one year and nine months after laying of the foundation stone. On 2nd May 1900, the community took up residence in it. They had spent three years and nine months in Clonard House; on the day they left it the Sisters of Charity took possession.

Church of the Most Holy Redeemer

The ever-increasing congregations that attended the 'tin church' called for the erection of a larger and permanent building. The architect was asked to design a church of Romanesque style that would seat as many as Mount St. Alphonsus, Limerick. Bishop Henry did not accept this plan, influenced it would seem by certain clergy, notably Father Pat McConvery the well-known pastor o£ St. Paul's. To them such a church would be 'the cathedral' or 'basilica' of Belfast. The Bishop approved of a new plan that curtailed the length of the church by twenty feet and changed the style from Romanesque to Gothic. The Rector and consultors of Clonard were extremely displeased and thought of postponing the whole affair until more favourable times. The Provincial and his consultors reluctantly accepted it.

The contractors of the new church were the Naughton brothers of Randalstown who had built the 'new house' in Esker. Both of them unfortunately died before it was completed. Clonard church took three years to build and cost £32,000. It was dedicated on Rosary Sunday, 1st October 1911, by Bishop Tohill who had recently succeeded Dr. Henry as Bishop of Down and Connor.

The opening of this beautiful church of the Most Holy Redeemer gave a new dimension to the apostolate of Clonard. Henceforth it embraced not only the city but far beyond. The confessionals were in constant demand. Ever increasing numbers attended the confraternities. The coming of the Perpetual Novena was still far off, as was the Mission for non-Catholic that made such an impact in the nineteen fifties. But one might say they were a natural consequence of the zeal of the years that went before.

Words written in the IRISH NEWS on 5th May 1900, apropos of the new monastery were indeed prophetic and point to a future for Clonard from which there can be no turning back as long as there are Redemptorists in Ireland;

"In this noble pile God's work will go on, it is to be hoped for centuries to come. From it spiritual blessings will flow forth on our people, and to it their children's children will turn as of old they turned to the ancient monasteries of Bangor and Clonard. Our prayer is 'esto perpetua'."

Addendum

The question of the Redemptorists coming to Belfast was mooted even before the Limerick foundation. Bernard Hughes, the well-known baker, wanted us to build a church on his property near the new Queen's College. Shortage of manpower ruled out the possibility of such a foundation.

Some twenty years later Bishop Dorrian wanted the Redemptorists to come to the Ballynafeigh area of the city - near Balmoral - where land for a house could be easily acquired. But the proposed site was considered unsuitable for various reasons.

On 20th April 1895, a certain Father O'Doherty wrote from Melbourne to Father O'Farrell urging strongly that we go to Derry city, adding that the Bishop of Derry, Dr. O'Doherty, said we would be very welcome. Our Superiors and confreres who knew of the proposal gave it serious consideration. Then came the invitation of Bishop Henry. He had personal reasons for wishing us to go to Belfast as he knew some of our priests well and thought much of our missionary work. Incidentally he made his retreat for episcopal ordination in St. Joseph's Dundalk. We have come across no evidence that he offered us a parish. What he wanted was our services as confessors and a church that would relieve the pressure of huge congregations on the local clergy.

It is worth noting that Clonard church and monastery are in St. Peter's Parish, though most of Clonard area is in St. Paul's Parish.

Patrick O'Donnell, C.Ss.R.

SEARCH, No. 10, December 1980