Ards brothers are looking to the future
TUCKED away in the rolling landscape of Ards, a quiet transformation is taking shape.
One that blends ecology, community and Franciscan spirituality into what one friar hopes will become “a beacon of hope in a world that’s kind of rapidly descending into despair.”
The Capuchin friary, with a presence stretching back a century, is now embarking on a multi-million-euro redevelopment as part of a wider renewal of its mission and place in the community.
Brother Ade, who arrived in 2021, is part of the team driving that change.
“I was asked to come just to be part of a kind of renewal project, to look at what it is that we are here in Ards,” he said.
At the centre of the transformation is ‘Joy Farm’, a developing agricultural and community initiative rooted in sustainability and inclusion.
What began as a land use review has grown into a working farm, with a five-acre walled garden, organic growing and a small herd of Dexter cows, alongside plans to expand into sheep, goats and poultry.
He said: “I came without any experience, I’d been a nurse for ten years and I had to learn how to engage with the land and ecology.”
But the project is about more than food.
A view of the poly tunnel inside the wall garden at Ards Friary.
“What we want from the farm is to be a space where we can invite people in, to grow with us.
“People can come and do a day’s work and take a bit of food home,” he said.
Plans are also in place to develop social farming, offering opportunities for people recovering from mental health difficulties or addiction to engage with the land and community.
“At its heart is community,” he said. “That’s central to Franciscan life.”
Alongside the farm, the friary is working on a three-strand vision: environmental land stewardship, building renovation and a renewed retreat and events programme known as “growing togetherness”.
However, the scale of that ambition comes with a significant financial challenge.
The overall redevelopment is expected to cost in the region of €3.5 million.
A substantial portion is required to upgrade the ageing retreat centre, where plumbing failures have already forced the suspension of residential retreats.
“We have an amount of money that we need to find in order to be able to renovate the retreat centre,” Brother Ade said.
The funding model will see roughly half of the cost raised through public and charitable giving, with the remainder coming from internal resources, financing and potential grants.
“We’re only looking to fundraise half of that €3.5 million,” he said. “If people feel that they want to contribute, whatever they can give, we’re deeply grateful.”
Given the scale of the project, works may be carried out in phases.
The retreat centre in Ards which is closed due the condition of accommodation in Ards Friary.
“We might have to phase the work,” he added.
Despite the challenges, demand for what Ards offers is growing.
“There’s an increasing demand,” Brother Ade said. “People are looking for spaces where they can find stillness, away from the speed of the world.”
For lay Brother Ade, whose own journey began in mental health nursing in Bristol, the project reflects a deeper calling.
“I wanted to work with people nobody else wanted to work with,” he said. “And when I met the Capuchins that just resonated.”
Now, as the friary looks to the future, the message remains rooted in community.