Rev Steve Stockman’s surmise: 4 CORNERS FESTIVAL 2026 – THE ROME SECTION

https://open.substack.com/pub/sstockman/p/4-corners-festival-2026-the-rome?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

The 4 Corners Festival is getting ready for its 14th edition in the first week of February. It is a packed programme of talks, drama, music, workshops, walks, knitting and this year a fun run.

Before that however, for one year only, there is an extra 6 days of programming… in Rome.

From January 20th to 26th, covering much of the Week of Prayer For Christian Unity, 28 people will take part in a different section of this year’s Festival.

It all came about when Festival founders, Fr Martin Magill and I, found ourselves in the company of the Irish and British Ambassadors to the Holy See while in Rome in 2024. Frances Collins (Irish) and Chris Trott (British) showed interest in the 4 Corners Festival and a plan was hatched to bring them across to Belfast for the 2026 Festival and ask them about this building close to St. Peter’s Square with both the Irish and British flags flying from it.

Then, for whatever reason, they were not able to come to Belfast but asked us to come to Rome. Giving Magill and myself such ideas is not always a good idea and so we took them at their invitation and Board and committee members as well as some of Friends of The Festival (those who support us financially on a monthly basis) will be off to Rome.

It is now quite a programme. As well as the Ambassadors there will be various ecumenical meetings. We will also spend time with Benedictine monk Martin Browne of Glenstal Abbey, Limerick currently working at the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican. Martin will tell us about his involvement in King Charles’ historic prayers with Pope Leo in October.

The trip will finish at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Wall where Pope Leo will lead the Vespers around St. Paul’s conversion to end the Week of Prayer For Christian Unity.

For me, maybe best of all will be the time together to reflect on what we hear and experience. Fr Martin and I have always modelled and suggested that reconciliation flourishes through friendship and almost a week together will nurture that in this little 4 Corners’ Community for sure.

There is an album of photos of the 4 Corners trip to Rome in our media gallery: https://focolareireland.org/4-corners-pilgrimage-to-rome/