Last Wednesday the entire student body in Clongowes Wood College came together in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation for a liturgy led by Fr Michael McGuckian SJ to mark our Lenten journey 2019.

Gathering together at 21.15 in the Sports Hall, the atmosphere was relaxed and reflective as we watched some bespoke Lenten video clips, reflected on the Word of God, listened to music and spent some time in silence. The theme of the liturgy was God’s Redeeming Grace and the film Les Miserables was featured in part as a classic example of a life changed and radically altered as a result of one act of abundant mercy by the Bishop Myriel towards Jean Valjean.

The boys of the Higher Line remained on after the liturgy and a great many students came forward to receive the sacrament on an individual basis. With extra priests coming in from neighbouring parishes the extraordinary take-up of individual confession by the students meant that almost the entire school population availed of this opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Lent.

Our ability to present a stimulating liturgy to the boys through a medium to which they relate, is greatly enhanced by our state of the art sound system in the Sports Hall, allied to a very high quality video projection system (more here). The boys’ level of engagement on the night was testimony to this reality.