Belfast-based priests and lay volunteers will accept the challenge of Pope Francis to bring the Gospel to people where they are with an ambitious plan to reach-out to pre-Christmas shoppers.
Clonard Redemptorists have announced that the Kennedy Shopping Centre will host a ‘Mercy Tent’ on November 18 and 19, allowing busy shoppers to take time out in a quiet space and also avail of the Sacrament of Confession. It is aimed at bringing the Church closer to people amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Discussions
According to Sarah Kenwright of Clonard’s Mission Team, the latest initiative came about from discussions between priests and lay volunteers on how to reach people while making the Year of Mercy accessible to everyone.
“Access was the key word for us,” she told The Irish Catholic of the process that had led the team to the Kennedy Centre.
“The centre is one of the most sociable places in West Belfast, and it seemed to be the best way to reach out to as many people as possible,” she explained, adding that, as well as priests, each Clonard team, from Mission to Youth to Peace and Reconciliation will be on hand to meet with people and to extend a friendly invitation to shoppers to visit the Mercy Tent.
Brendan Dineen, co-ordinator of Clonard’s Youth Ministry echoed, the message and told this newspaper there is great excitement about an initiative which brings together all of the many volunteers working with the Redemptorists at Clonard.
“This is joined-up thinking,” he said. “It’s about using the skills of everyone and putting them into ministry.” He added his own hopes for a very happy and successful event.
“We hope to create a happy atmosphere for people,” he said of the efforts the young volunteers will bring to the initiative, while ultimately,
“We want to communicate to people that Clonard and the sacrament are open to all.
Joking that there might be some competition from Santa taking up residence on the ground floor of the centre, he was nevertheless keen to express Clonard’s gratuitude for the management of the Kennedy Centre allowing for the Mercy Tent initiative at such a busy time of year.
Meanwhile, for Fr Noel Kehoe, Rector of the Clonard community, the Mercy tent is simultaneously a novel approach to ministry and a return to the Redemptorists’ roots.
History
“We have a history of outreach and this is an extension of our mission to go out to where people are,” he said. “And that’s what we are trying to do with the Mercy Tent, meet people where they are.”
Expressing his hopes for the event, he added: “The aim is to provide a positive presence on the street, and the hope is that, by the end, we have met even a few people who will reconcile themselves to God.”
The Mercy Tent in the Kennedy shopping centre will offer confession from 5pm to 9pm on November 18 and from 11am to 3pm on November 19.