Historic building looks to the future

By Brendan Anderson
BBC News

Fr Michael Murtagh in front of Clonard's high altar

A Belfast church whose priests played a pivotal role in the peace process is undergoing major renovations.

The Redemptorist priests of Clonard Monastery hope to have the face-lift completed for the church's 100th anniversary in October 2011.

Clonard, known throughout the world for its annual nine-day Novena of prayer, has been showing signs of wear and decay in recent years.

During stormy weather, worshippers often had to negotiate a series of buckets set out to collect rain-water leaping through the roof.

The ornate wall mosaics, reminiscent of the Byzantine age, attract thousands of sight-seers each year.

However, parts of the intricate patterns have now begun to disintegrate.

Rector Michael Murtagh said the church, acknowledged as one of the most beautiful in the city, was now in the second phase of a three-phase plan to restore the building to its former glory.

The huge rose window over the main entrance has been replaced during phase one and work has now begun on removing and replacing the church roof.

The church's wall mosaics have begun to decay

Fr Murtagh said £300,000 had been raised so far but a total of £1m was needed to complete the work.

"Work to the interior is also pressing and includes renovation of the ceiling, the floor and shrines and the mosaics, as well as upgrading the lighting, sound and heating systems," he said.

Clonard's priests played an important and often secretive mediation role in peace process negotiations with church buildings frequently used for meetings between representatives of the British government and the republican movement.

The monastery has been referred to as the cradle of the peace process.

Although it is nowadays well-known for cross-community and inter-church projects, Catholics and Protestants came together in Clonard's buildings as far back as 1941.

When German bombs were falling on Belfast, residents of the surrounding streets took refuge in the Church's crypt and adjoining basement.

During the air raids, the people prayed and sang hymns and many friendships were forged which outlasted the war.

The inter-church ethos has continued and now Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist ministers attend and preach during the Novena each June.

Clonard plays host to between 12,000 and 15,000 people each day at ten Novena sessions which can be accessed worldwide on the monastery's website.

Fr Murtagh said renovations would take three years to complete and he was asking supporters to do what they could to help with finance.