When Limerick-born Redemptorist priest Fr Gerry Reynolds first arrived in Belfast in August 1983, it was to a city starkly divided by conflict and violence. His instinct to reach out to those who were suffering, on both sides of the community, would develop into a lifelong devotion to the cause of peace and Christian unity.
Through the friendships of the Cornerstone Community and the Clonard-Fitzroy Fellowship, his involvement in secret talks with republican and loyalist paramilitary groups, and the setting up of the ‘Unity Pilgrims’, Gerry would play a crucial role in the Northern Ireland peace process. He believed the church could be ‘God’s peace process in human history’, and that dialogue and friendship would open hearts to the mutual understanding and trust that are the foundations of true peace.
Above all, Gerry was a pilgrim, struggling in his faith, journeying with his sisters and brothers, and always striving towards the goal of Christian unity, one small step at a time. This book draws on Gerry’s own words and writings, and the recollections of his family and friends, to uncover the story of this gentle priest, pilgrim and peacemaker.