Local History
People
often ask how Clonard Church and Monastery came to be built, why is the Monastery so
large, and what Apostolate is carried on in the Church? They seek a lot of information
about a church building whose beauty attracts them.
The Local History page is a modest effort to answer such questions. Clonard is not a
parish church, which is the reason why it does not have baptisms, marriages and funerals,
something people find hard to understand. The Church and Monastery are situated in the
parish of St. Peter's, right on the boundary of St.. Paul's parish. The Church is
dedicated to the Most Holy Redeemer. The religious community that serves Clonard is
theRedemptorist Congregation.
The compilation of the Local History page has been a labour of love for the author, who
like not a few of his companions, owes his priestly vocation under God to the inspiring
lives of the Clonard priests and brothers. Fr. Patrick O'Donnell C.SS.R.
Click on Local History Link (below) to see the full Local History.
Global History
Alphonsus Liguori was born on
September 27, 1696 in a suburb of Naples, Italy. He was destined to form the Congregation
of the Most Holy Redeemer, which took its first shaky steps on November 9, 1732. By 1747
the Redemptorists numbered thirty-six members and were in great demand throughout the
kingdom. They had a reputation of nearness to the people, a popular and solid preaching
style, and a benign pastoral approach in the confessional. Fifteen years later the
Congregation had grown to one hundred and fifty members. Today the Redemptorists are
worldwide and have an international presence on the Internet.
Click on Global Link (below) to see the full Global History.
