Residents of Moyross and local actors will join the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in re-enacting a live Passion of Christ on March 1 in the estate.

Father Sylvester of St Patrick's Friary, Delmege Park said that the success of the live nativity play on December 15 has spurred the order to bring the community and beyond together again.

"In our community in the Bronx, we do something similar every year but it is handled by our youth group and is situated in a church. In communities in New York and the UK, members of the order do a 'cross walk' where they walk through the streets carrying the cross just as Jesus did so we are combining the two events in Moyross," he explained.

"We are going to do live Stations of the Cross in different places or estates around the area—rather than confining it to a church and there will also be a cross. We will have local participants and some professional actors will take part. There will be music and a healing service with the Eucharist at the end, where-ever we end up," he joked.

The nativity—with real people and animals—attracted massive crowds and Father Sylvester said that that he and his five colleagues were overwhelmed by the support.

"There was a great buzz around the area and people felt good about it, which was a big step given the recent past. About 500 people turned up in a real show of support and we hope for double or triple that for the Passion."

Easter is a particularly special time for all religious orders but the Franciscan Order has a connection to the origin of the stations we see today in churches, he added.

"It's a very Franciscan devotion. What used to happen is that people would go to the Holy Land and walk in the footsteps of our Lord. Later on, when this became harder to do St Francis popularised the idea of putting the 12 stations in a miniature form in local churches so people could still do that."

Father Sylvester said that the friars will take part in assorted Easter services.

"We're hoping to have a big procession on Palm Sunday with the same donkey from the nativity. We really feel like part of the community and see ourselves as a catalyst. This year, we are starting to develop an apostholic centre—the John Paul the Great Catholic Cultural Centre—and will run a café style hospitality set-up and a chapel. People can come and visit and we are starting to do some youth work as well."

This Friday (February 1), the friars will hold their inaugural "First Friday devotional holy hour" from 7.30 to 8.30pm at Corpus Christi Church with music and prayer.

Br Shawn, Fr Sylvester, Br Martin, Fr Paulus and Br Seraphim were invited to the city last year by Bishop Donal Murray because he saw the spiritual renewal of the community as equally important as the physical rebuilding.

Father Sylvester said he has experienced his warmest welcome ever in the northside community and his colleagues are all very grateful to local people for the reception.

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