The Redemptorist community, based at the popular Clonard Monastery in Belfast, has announced that a €1.75m refurbishment of the building is to begin at the start of next year. The monastery will close down in January and remain shut for as long as twelve months to enable the project – which the Redemptorists describe as essential – to be undertaken.
The order has pledged that the 2011 Novena, that attracts thousands of people annually, will go ahead.
A temporary Portakabin-style building, with accommodation for 800 people is to be erected in the grounds of Clonard to allow services to continue while the builders are at work.
It will be the first time in the history of the 99-year old monastery that the church will close its doors to the public.
Rector Fr Michael Murtagh said he hoped the church would be re-opened before Christmas 2011 and in advance of the centenary of the opening of Clonard.
He said the move to the portakabin was reminiscent of the days before the monastery was built, when Clonard had was called a ‘tin church’.
“Already, people have seen the plans and are getting excited and are willing to make the sacrifice,” Fr Murtagh added.
“We are re-locating and it’s hard to plan but we are getting great advice.”
The project is the final stage of a three-part project which was started over two years ago and will entail the replacement of the church floor, the restoration of mosaics and the installation of new heating, security and sound systems.
The entrance to the church will also be re-designed, while stonework, shrines, altars and confessionals will also be restored.
The church’s roof has already been replaced and damaged stonework repaired in the first two phases of the project, which cost some €900,000.
Before the replacement of the roof, the fire service had to be called in periods of bad weather to pump out water leaking through the church’s roof.