Courtney McGrailDear Editor, For as long as I can remember the annual novena to St Gerard Majella took place in the Redemptorist church in Dundalk in October. As a youngster, I used to walk, with others, from the far side of the town for the devotions just after school. It was a novelty for us kids to go far away from home, and to have fun and pranks on the way.
The novena of nine days is even more popular today. With 12 sessions a day from 7am to 10.30pm (candlelight), in a packed church, with CCTV facilities in rooms and corridors in the monastery to cater for overflow crowds, they come from near and far, from Monaghan, Armagh, Cavan… It is widely advertised in the media and there are about 200 volunteers on duty inside and outside. There is much emphasis on congregation involvement, especially singing. About 10,000 attend every day.
This year our PP in Ballyfermot, Fr Richard Delahunty CssR organised a pilgrimage to Dundalk for 20 parishioners for an afternoon novena session. We noticed some primary and secondary school classes there. Some old-time religious stalls outside. People in the queue to sign a book of condolences for Garda Tony Golden and victims of the Carrickmines fire.
We noted a number of schoolgoers coming on their own to a later session at 4pm. A good sign of intent, indeed. A lovely atmosphere of devotion and Christian joy all round.
On the way back we enjoyed lots of ceol agus craic on the bus. I think our PP got it right when he spoke of us as “the Church on wheels”. One has a captive and responsive audience on board. The old familiar phrase says it all: religion is caught, not taught.
Yours etc.,
Bro. George Whyte,
Ballyfermot,
Dublin 10