Colm FitzpatrickThe Redemptorist Order has revealed that as well as attracting huge numbers to their churches, their annual novenas are now drawing thousands of viewers to watch the services online.
Fr Noel Kehoe, rector of Clonard Monastery in Belfast, said that on average 14,000 people had watched this year’s novena on the web – the highest number of viewers that they have had so far.
Fr Kehoe added that he was delighted to be able to pastorally minister to people – “it allows us to engage with people, with their lives and struggles”. In that way, they can be “transformed” and “confirmed”.
Fr Seamus Enright similarly said that the novena which is being held in Mount St Alphonsus in Limerick this week is “going very well”, and that he is “pleased” with the marginal increase in the number of families attending.
Social media
Digital advertising such as social media has played a large role in the big turnouts flocking to the novenas.
Fr Kehoe stated that technology is a very powerful tool for evangelisation and it would be “neglectful if we didn’t harness it”.
Fr Enright agreed that this form of advertising was beneficial in increasing the number of attendees. He stated that on one day alone, over 800 children from both Clare and Limerick went to the novena with their schools.
“I have a lot of confidence in the level of commitment and dedication of the teachers,” he said.
Family
The theme of this year’s novena was family and the home, in anticipation of the World Meeting of Families to be held in Dublin in 2018.
“The Church is going through a difficult time” said Fr Enright, adding that “the focus on family is important” as it can lead “to a lot more openness to faith”.