TWO Clonard Monastery Redemptorists will lead a major seven-day Lent mission at St Anne's Parish Church in Finaghy, starting on Saturday March 18.
Fr Brendan Keane from Galway has been a preacher of missions since ordination and has worked throughout Ireland and Britain.
A former director of Redemptorist retreat houses in Belfast and Athenry, he specialises in support for marriage and family life, especially for married people who have lost a spouse through separation or death.
Fr Johnny Doherty from Carndonagh in Co Donegal studied for the priesthood in Limerick before completing his studies in Galway where he also was ordained.
Like Fr Keane he has given missions in Ireland, Britain and further afield, and has also been director of two retreat houses.
He too has worked in support of marriage and family life, has helped develop parish pastoral councils and was involved with Veritas publications in Dublin and for Accord in Maynooth.
"The aims of the St Anne's mission, inspired by the thoughts of Pope Francis, are to celebrate the faith of the parish community, to help people make fresh commitment to the faith and to inspire activity for the future," said Fr Doherty.
St Anne's parish priest Fr Feargal Mc Grady said he hoped people from neighbouring Catholic and Protestant parishes would also attend the mission.
"This is an opportunity to come together as a community, a time for renewal in our faith," he said.
"Whether you attend services regularly, or your heart just isn't in it ,or you feel hurt or disillusioned, please come along - the door is open."
Carole O'Hara, who chairs the parish's pastoral council, said: "We will have music and singing and the primary school pupils will have art work displayed on the daily themes which include the healing presence of Christ, love in the family, reconciliation, remembering our dead, and the anointing of the sick; there will be a Mass led by young people and at the closing ceremonies we will have the blessing of babies."
The mission opens at the 6.30pm vigil Mass on Saturday and continues each day from Monday with Mass at 7am and 10am and a nightly service at 7.30pm.
