Formation - London and Dublin...

The Formation community of the London province were very blessed recently to be able to visit our counterparts in the Dublin province, for a few days of fraternal fellowship, prayer and recreation. It was a great blessing to be able to stay in the monastery in Dundalk, and visit some of our other monasteries on the ‘emerald isle’, in Belfast and the Esker retreat centre near Galway. We received a warm and generous welcome from all the communities we met, and it was wonderful to see some of the great works that the Redemptorists are performing, from reconciliation in Belfast and marriage preparation in Esker, to the preached Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Galway Cathedral – the spirit of enthusiasm and joy in the Gospel was infectious! 

We were also able to visit the Redemptoristine nuns in Dublin, who welcomed us into their monastery, fed us with delicious food, and provided excellent hospitality, as well as giving a whistle-stop tour of their altar-bread factory. 

The two formation communities were able to come together on an excursion to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, and despite the ferocious wind, the rain held off, and we were able to enjoy some of the natural beauty and splendour of the area. 

The custom of reciprocal visits between the formation communities of the two provinces seems to have become a very welcome tradition, and we are already looking forward to seeing our ‘opposite numbers’ again in the near future, and of hopefully welcoming them ‘over the water’ in 2015!    

Br Royston Price