Clergy host festival to promote listening

An inter-denominational festival aimed at promoting cross-community friendship and reconciliation will be launched by the main Christian churches in Belfast later this month.

Now in its fourth year, the 4 Corners Festival, which runs from January 28 to February 7, grew out of conversations between Fr Martin Magill, parish priest at Sacred Heart parish, and Rev. Steve Stockman of Fitzroy Presbyterian Church.

“We have chosen as our theme the art of listening and that really came out of the experience of last year’s festival when we realised how important listening is to our society at the moment,” Fr Magill told The Irish Catholic. “We have so many experiences at our events where people started sharing their story and sometimes they are stories of trauma. We are also very conscious that there are people in our society who feel their voices are not being heard. We feel listening is hugely important.”

For more information see www.4cornersfestival.com