The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which takes place annually between 18 and 25 January, was always an important time for Fr Gerry Reynolds.
As his biographer, I know that every day of Fr Gerry’s life was a day of prayer for Christian unity. But this one week always focused his mind on the challenges ahead.
During his first years in Belfast in the 1980s, Fr Gerry was also deeply affected by the Rev Ian Paisley and his supporters’ raucous protests during Unity Week events at St Anne’s Cathedral. He was shocked and stunned – but motivated to improve understanding among Catholics and Protestants.
There are two events this coming weekend that are directly inspired by Fr Gerry.
Service at Belfast South Methodist
I’m heartened that the congregation at Belfast South Methodist Church (the Agape Centre) has decided to incorporate insights from my biography, Unity Pilgrim: the Life of Fr Gerry Reynolds CSsR, into their upcoming Sunday morning service, which begins at 11 am.
Belfast South’s ‘Good Book Club’ has been reading the book and I will be in conversation with book club members during part of the service.
Belfast South also have invited Clonard’s Unity Pilgrims to take part in the service. The Unity Pilgrims are, of course, an initiative started by Fr Gerry. The Unity Pilgrims continue to live out his vision that a group of Catholics should visit a Protestant congregation each Sunday, joining them for worship and fellowship.
Ed Petersen, who works on Clonard’s Peace and Reconciliation Ministry, will also share insights, reflecting on how Fr Gerry’s ministry can inspire Christians of all traditions to keep working for unity.
It’s events like this that encourage me that my work on Fr Gerry’s biography was not merely a historical project – but that it also can be used as a tool to shape the future.
Fr Gerry Reynolds Unity Prayer Walk
Clonard is organising a ‘Fr Gerry Reynolds Unity Prayer Walk’ on Saturday 18 January, meeting at 12.30pm outside Clonard Church. It will encircle the Falls/Shankill Peace Wall, returning by 1.15pm.