The 41st Novena at Galway Cathedral got underway this week, with thousands flocking to the city in search of ‘refuge in the storms of life’.

For over four decades, the Novena of Our Lady of Perpetual Help has endured in popularity among the faithful – and with those who find comfort in the various sessions and reflections from a lineup of speakers who cover everything from ‘Finding God’ to the importance of family.

Fr John Gerard Acton, Curate at Galway Cathedral, said the Solemn Novena’s enduring popularity was rooted in something very human – “our search for meaning, hope and connection.

“While many come because of a deep faith, others arrive carrying questions, grief, or burdens they may not even have words for. I have been attending the Novena since I was a child; I have always felt that there is something about it that speaks to people on every level.

“It’s a space where no one is judged; where you can just be; where the prayers, the atmosphere and the sense of community offer a kind of solace that is hard to find elsewhere,” Fr Acton.

The Novena also represented tradition for people who, like him, had been attending since childhood.

“Life moves so fast but for these nine days, people take time out to reflect, to step into something bigger than themselves.

“For some, it’s about carrying on a family tradition. For others, it’s simply an opportunity for a moment of peace in a world that often feels loud and overwhelming,” continued Fr Acton.

Caption: Redemptorist, Fr Brendan Callanan CSsR, speaking to the congregation in Galway Cathedral during the 41st Annual Novena To Our Lady of Perpetual Help this week.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.