Cathal BarryAn initiative which aimed to bring the Pope’s message of mercy to Christmas shoppers during the festive season has been praised as a resounding success.
Sixteen priests made themselves available to customers for confessions in Skycourt Shopping Centre in Co. Clare on December 8 as Pope Francis opened the extraordinary jubilee dedicated to emphasising God’s boundless mercy.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic as the initiative was underway, Shannon’s Parish Priest Fr Tom Ryan said there had been a “fantastic” response from traders and shoppers alike.
“It has been fantastic. There has been a constant stream of people and there are actually queues of people waiting to speak to a priest as we speak,” he said as this newspaper was going to print. “There is a great buzz in the centre at the moment and the reaction from the traders and shoppers has been very positive and encouraging.
“We have had people coming and thanking us for making ourselves available.
“It’s beyond what we expected it to be and we are very encouraged by the response,” he said.
Susan Delahunty, who runs Marcos Footwear in Skycourt Shopping Centre, said it was an “unbelievable day” for Shannon’s town centre.
“To have priests available in the mall today for Confession or even just a chat about something on your mind really is a wonderful initiative. It brings the message of Christmas back to what it’s all about,” she said.
Skycourt’s manager Pat Kelly said he was “surprised at what a success it has been”.
“It’s a great initiative which has brought a lot of people into the mall,” he said.
Fr Ignatius McCormack, one of the priests who heard Confessions during the day, said the experience was “excellent”.
“It was absolutely wonderful. I was busy the entire time with people coming for Confession or just for a chat or for a blessing. Everybody was very positive about us offering this facility here in a public place. A lot of people said they would come more often if the sacrament was more readily available in a public place like this,” he said.