The location of Clonard Monastery on the "border line" between the Catholic Falls and the Protestant Shankill roads placed it at the centre of the deep-seated historical conflict. Over the past 100 years, the Redemptorist Community and the people of Clonard have responded in creative ways to the challenges it has faced. Many of these responses have contributed significantly to the development of C
lonard’s Peace and Reconciliation Ministry. The Sunday unity pilgrimage remains at the heart of the mission and is supported by the Monday evening ‘Lectio Divina’ in Tres Dias House on the Springfield Rd and the Thursday silent hour of prayer for peace and the unity of Christians held in the Adoration Convent on the Falls Rd. Many of the relationships built over the years, along with those formed through the ongoing unity pilgrimages, have enabled partnerships with various groups and initiatives working together for unity, peace, justice and mutual understanding. The mission has been greatly influenced by the legacies of Fr Alec Reid and Fr Gerry Reynolds who promoted dialogue, both political and theological, and the unity of Christians within Belfast and beyond. Through the influence and guidance of those that came before, Clonard Monastery has become a place of sanctuary, a safe place for people to enter and find connection with others.
