© Redemptorists' church
This 13th century gothic style church is built from dark
Limerick limestone with some horizontal sections of red marble. The
church is oblong in shape with double transepts. To the left of the
church is the monastery of the Redemptorist community, next to which
is St Clement's College, a secondary school for boys. The church is
situated in St Joseph's
parish.
On the right of the door of the church, there is a Mission
Cross donated by the Drapers Assistants in memory of the Mission to
Men. This mission was preached in the church in January 1868. Above
the door of the church there is a statue of Our Lord surrounded by angels.
On the gable wall of the monastery, there is a statue of St Patrick,
which was sculpted by Patrick Pearse's father.
© Detail above doorway of Redemptorists' church
Inside the main door of the church there is a statue to
St Alphonsus. On both sides of the porch there is a list of over 70
members of the Redemptorist order who are buried in the crypt under
the high altar. To the right-hand side of the porch, there is an altar
to St Anne and a shrine called Ecce Homo. This shrine is a representation
of Jesus in prison. On the left-hand side of the porch there is a statue
of Christ holding a book on which are the Greek letters alpha and omega.
At the back left of the church, there is a stained glass
window of St Brigid and St Margaret. There is a statue of St Theresa
of the Child Jesus, also known as the Little Flower. Over the confession
box, there is a stained glass window of the Visitation of Archangel
Gabriel to Mary and the birth of Jesus. This window was erected to the
memory of Margaret Humphrey, and was donated by her son William in 1885.
Also on the left hand side of the nave is a stained glass
window which includes a depiction of St Alphonsus. Towards the front
of the nave, on the left, there is a statue of St Columcille and a stained
glass window of St Patrick and St Bridget converting the people of Ireland
to Christianity. The inscription on the window asks that people pray
for the souls of John and Bridget Ebrill. In 1893, on the occasion of
their silver jubilee, the Men's Holy Family Confraternity donated a
statue of St Peter with the keys of Heaven in his hand. This statue
is situated on the left of the church and above it there is an altar
to the Sacred Heart.
© Chapel to the Sacred Heart
This chapel was erected to the memory of Mrs. M. Kelly
in 1876. There is a painting of the Sacred Heart in the chapel. The
front of the altar depicts the apparition of the Sacred Heart to Sister
Margaret Mary Alacoque.
© Stained Glass windows in Redemptorists' church
There is an altar to Our Lady of Grace to the left of
the high altar. It was built in 1866. It depicts two scenes from the
life of St Alphonsus on either side of the statue; St Alphonsus praying
and writing. Over this altar there are stained glass windows of St Teresa,
St Alphonsus and St Mary Magdalene. There are also stained glass windows
of the calling of St John and of John and Jesus.
At the back right of the church, there is a statue of
St Philomena, the Patroness of the Children of Mercy and the Patroness
of the Living Rosary. There is a stained glass window of Jesus and a
woman. Unfortunately we have been unable to ascertain who this woman
is. An inscription on the window asks people to pray for Margaret, Teresa
and Mary Kelly. Beside this window, there is another stained glass window
of Jesus and the Apostles fishing on the Lake of Galilee, with an inscription
asking people to pray for the souls of James and Margaret Delany.
There is an altar to the Redemptorist saint, St Gerard
Majella on the right-hand side of the nave. He was known as 'the mother's
saint'. He lived and died in Italy in the eighteenth century. The altar
was erected in 1904 following a donation from Miss Teresa Kelly. There
is a stained glass window of Jesus and the fishermen and Jesus breaking
bread with St John the Evangelist next to this altar.
© Chapel to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Altar to St Gerard Majella
A chapel to Our Lady of Perpetual Help was erected in
1868. It was designed by Mr. Ashlin. An inscription in the chapel asks
people to pray for the souls of Margaret Teresa and Mary Ann Kelly who
built and decorated this chapel. Within the chapel there are a number
of stained glass windows. On the left hand side there are stained glass
windows of the crowning of Mary as the Queen of Heaven and of an unknown
angel and a man. The windows opposite depict the death of St Joseph
and Jesus learning the trade of carpentry. This window was dedicated
to Richard Raleigh. On the ceiling of the chapel there is a stained
glass window of Our Lady. Pope Pius IX gave a picture to the Redemptorists
in 1866. It is now placed in this chapel. The chapel also contains mosaics
and a mural done by Harry Hodgkinson. The Stations of the Cross date
from 1866. They were painted by Alcan of Paris, France and cost £270.
Hayball of Sheffield, England framed the paintings. Aubrey Hodgkinson
from Henry St in Limerick restored them in 1989.
© Stained Glass windows in Chapel to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Towards the front of the nave, there is a chapel to Our
Lady of Dolours, which contains a Pieta. Also within the chapel, there
is a shrine to St Urban, the Boy Martyr. In December 1867 the relics
of St Urban were brought to the church from the Catacombs in Rome. St
Urban was killed around 300 AD in Rome.
© Altar in Redemptorists' church and Chapel of Our Lady of Dolours
To the right of the high altar there is an altar to St
Joseph and the Child Jesus, which was erected in 1867. The two figures
kneeling in front of the altar are St Alphonsus and Sister Maria Crostarosa.
The stained glass windows above this altar depict St Philip Neri, St
Michael, and St Cajetan.
© Side Altars in Redemptorists' church
The high altar was constructed in 1865 and Mr John Quin
donated it. George Goldie designed the altar. The mosaic in the sanctuary
over the high altar was completed between 1925 and 1927. It depicts
Christ the King and St Alphonsus with the Redemptorist family underneath
them. A Latin inscription reads 'with him is plentiful redemption'.
In 1865, the Sheehan family donated the pulpit, which
was also designed by Mr Goldie.
© Pulpit and Rose Window
Above the high altar on the left, there is a rose window,
which depicts a number of different symbols. The top panel is the dove,
the symbol of the Holy Spirit and peace. Below this panel, are the symbols
of chi-rho, the bread of life and the Greek symbols alpha and omega.
Chi-rho is a combination of the first two Greek letters of Christ's
name, X or chi, and P or rho. Alpha and omega are the symbols for the
beginning and the end. The bottom section of the window depicts the
Scourging at the Pillar and the Crown of Thorns.
© Stained Glass window over the
main door of the Redemptorists church
The impressive stained glass window above the main door
of the church depicts scenes from the life of Jesus, including the Holy
Family, the Crucifixion, and the Ascension into Heaven. The church organ,
which dates from the beginning of the twentieth century, is situated
beneath this window.
Mr. John Quin, a merchant, donated a lot of the church
fixtures. He also paid for the construction of the bell tower in the
church, which cost £8,000. The bells cost £1,195. The Redemptorists
church had a bell tower before the tower of St John's Cathedral was
completed. In 1879 the Mount St Alphonsus Bell Ringers Society was formed.
This society is still in existence and continues to sound the bells
across the city of Limerick.
Website by Lúnasa
Design
