A FESTIVAL that seeks to inspire people from across Belfast to transform the city for the peace and prosperity of all, has expressed dismay at an arson attack on a church.
St Patrick's Church on Donegall Street in north Belfast was set on fire in an arson attack on Monday, just days before the start of this year's 4 Corners Festival.
The 4 Corners Festival consists of innovative events designed to entice people out of their own `corners' of the city and into new places where they will encounter new perspectives, new ideas, and new friends.
The city is celebrated through music, prayer, storytelling, discussion, and more.
As a society seeking a way out of our sectarian past it is vital that we condemn in the strongest terms such attacks whether on Catholic Churches, Protestant Churches, Jewish synagogues or indeed Orange Halls, organisers said.
"We must declare that this is not being done in our name.
"St Patrick's is also closely involved in the origins of 4 Corners Festival. In the first four years of the festival we have held events in St. Patrick’s twice. Last year we used it for Captured By a Vision, when Rev Dr Ken Newell came to read from his memoir of that name.
"On this occasion, we chose the venue carefully. In his book Ken speaks of being sectarian in his early life and that it was during an Orange Lodge march that stopped outside St Patrick’s that was one of the moments that started to change his mind. He glanced into the Church as he walked past and saw Catholics in prayer. It sparked thoughts within his soul."
Festival co-founder Rev Steve Stockman said St Patrick's was the first Catholic church at which he ever took part in a service.
"In 1998 at the Jesus In the City Conference, I was involved in the closing act of worship and asked if I would pray.I decided that I would write a prayer for the entire city," he said.
"I therefore imagined standing at City Hall and looking out - north, south, east and west. I was uneasy praying in a Catholic church that evening, but actually it was a helpful event in shifting my heart, that was hardened by peer pressure to never pray or read or preach in Catholic churches. That evening in St. Patrick’s was a significant moment in my journey of faith."
The Prayer for Belfast also eventually inspired the 4 Corners Festival, he added.
"When Fr Martin Magill asked me to pray at the In Joyful Hope service in his then Church St Oliver Plunkett’s in Lenadoon I pulled it out. The prayer was very well received and just a short time later when Fr Martin and I came up with the idea of a festival to get people across their corners of Belfast, Martin suggested that we called it after the prayer. So, the 4 Corners Festival was born," he said.
During this year’s festival, there will be events across denominations, seeking that many will cross new Church thresholds for the first time and have their own prejudices provoked.
:: The 4 Corners Festival Belfast runs from February 3-12. The full programme is available on www.4cornersfestival.com.
