Photo above – This year’s annual Clonard Novena is to take place online amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year’s Clonard Novena is to take place online amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Marie Louise McConville reports in the Irish News
More than 100,000 people usually attend the annual event, which is held in honour of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
With the event fast approaching and amid a host of enquiries to Clonard, the Redemptorists have announced a significant change to this year’s Novena.
Usually, the Novena is spread across 10 sessions per day for nine days.
With Clonard church packed, many worshippers also sit in the monastery’s hallways and beautiful gardens, where a loudspeaker system operates.
However, due to the ongoing coronavirus, this year’s event, which will take place from Friday, June 19 until Saturday, June 27, will be online.
Posting on Clonard’s Facebook page, the Redemptorist community said: “Lots of people have been inquiring about this year’s Solemn Novena.
“Clearly, it isn’t an option to celebrate an in-church Novena during the month of June.
“So, the Irish Redemptorists have decided to do an all-Ireland, online Novena, which will be streamed live from Limerick [Mt St Alphonsus] and Belfast [Clonard] and can be accessed in any part of Ireland, and, indeed, beyond Ireland.
“The Novena will begin on Friday, June 19th and end on Saturday June 27th, the feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. More details to follow”.
Following the announcement on social media, many of those who usually attend the event, welcomed the move.
One follower said: “Brilliant news would have been the 1st time in almost 40 year’s without doing this powerful and wonderful novena” while another added: “Great news but it won’t be the same”.
Another said: “Wise decision, but I will so miss attending the monastery, look forward to it every year” while another comment read: “Fantastic news. Thank each of you for all your hard work to make this happen. God Bless”.
The Irish News
18 May, 2020
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