Statue of Saint Francis of Assisi at the Ards Friary
The Ards Friary is part of the Ards Friary and Forest Park area. The friary is known as a retreat center and it is run by the Capuchin Franciscans. There doesn’t seem to be an active friary anymore but the main activity here is holding retreats. The friary is in a very beautiful location to hold these kinds of activities. They have a calendar of retreats and conferences lined up. You can also see that some of the activities take more than one day, so it is possible to spend the night here. For those who are not too keen on spending the night here, there is also an option of going home and coming back the next day. I can imagine how nice it would be to participate in such activities.
Bench at the Ards Friary Grounds
Usually participants would be given time alone to think about what has been said. I can’t think of a better place than the immediate surroundings. The friary is built by the bay. The waters seems to be calm in this area. There are a few walking trails from the friary and even benches for people contemplate life on. The days wasn’t so nice as it was overcast and even threatening to rain. I dare not venture too far from the friary lest I be caught outside without a raincoat.
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