The Redemptorist presence at Clonard, in the heart of the Falls Road, has been a spiritual beacon for four generations of Belfast Catholics. With the completion of their impressive monastery in 1900, followed by their splendid church less than a decade later, the Clonard Redemptorists have provided the city with a physical, architectural landmark of considerable beauty. Clonard"s geographical position on the frontier between nationalist/republican Falls and unionist/loyalist Shankill ensured that it would become uniquely embroiled, following the explosion of sectarian hatred in 1969. The Redemptorists had to resist fierce pressure to take sides politically and insist that Clonard church and its ministry were open and available to people of all political persuasions.