Popular pilgrim shrine in Clonfert gets official recognition
A shrine in Clonfert which is regarded as "a special place for so many people," has this week been awarded a formal designation in the Catholic Church as a Diocesan Marian Shrine.
The new status has made it the only other Diocesan Marian Shrine in Ireland, apart from Knock. Located in the Church of Saint Brendan, the shrine features a statue of Our Lady of Clonfert which dates from the late 13th or early 14th century.
On Tuesday of this week, Bishop Michael Duignan travelled to the Shrine of Our Lady of Clonfert to bless the newly-renovated church and to consecrate its new altar.
In recognition of the importance of the shrine as a pilgrimage centre, he also formally approved Canonical Statutes for the shrine and signed a decree to raise the Shrine of Our Lady of Clonfert to the status of a recognised Diocesan Marian Shrine.
In the same act, Fr Declan McInerney, parish priest of Eyrecourt, Clonfert and Meelick, was appointed as the shrine's first Rector, and May 31 each year was declared a special day of prayer and devotion to Our Lady of Clonfert.
Fr McInerney said that, over the years, he had seen a constant stream of visitors to the shrine.
"They come from the local area but also from throughout the country and abroad," he said. "Many come with their own worries and fears – illness or difficulties in their relationships, at work or in their spiritual lives.
"Others come to ask for Our Lady's intercession for their family or neighbours or simply because someone has asked them to call and pray for them here or to remember sons and daughters taking exams.
"Over and over again, I meet people returning to the shrine to give thanks for favours received, nerves calmed, and a new perspective they have been given on a difficult situation in their life.
"The shrine is a special place for so many people. I am thrilled that we are officially recognising its importance in so many people's spiritual lives for so long."
Bishop Duignan described the elevated status for the shrine as an historic moment for the parish, the diocese and the wider Church community.
"Although in many places traditional religious practices may seem to be in a phase of decline, the practice of pilgrimage remains a meaningful source of spiritual nourishment for so many people," he said.
"On Tuesday, we formally recognised the long history of devotion to Our Lady in this place. We also look forward to the development of the shrine as a fount of rich spiritual sustenance for future generations."