Balally Parish adopted as its mission “Building Hope through Meditation and Service”.
An essential part of that programme of meditation was introducing the notion of Christian Meditation.
This proposes the use of the mantra Maranatha which was introduced by Fr. John Main and continued by Fr. Laurence Freeman.
When Balally Parish decided to adopt this kind of meditation it was also felt that it might be useful to have a specific place of prayer where people could meditate and pray in an atmosphere of quiet and beauty.
After considerable reflection and having visited the Icon chapel in Glenstal Abbey, it was agreed that it would be a good idea to turn a room which was becoming available in the Pastoral Centre into an Icon Chapel.
That’s how the idea was born of an Icon chapel dedicated to the memory of Fr. John Main and allowing people the chance to pray alone and together: alone while meditating or using whatever form of prayer they wish and together by reciting the Divine Office in the morning and in the evening.
Balally Parish welcomes everybody to pray in the beauty and the quiet of our John Main Icon Chapel.
