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Archbishop Eamon Welcomes Pope Leo XIV’s First Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas

Magnifica Humanitas: What kind of world are we building?

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas: On Protecting the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, has been warmly welcomed by Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

Archbishop Eamon describes the encyclical as “a much needed intervention from the Holy Father” at a time when humanity stands at a “historic crossroads.” Artificial intelligence is no longer something distant or theoretical. It is already shaping our homes, schools, workplaces, hospitals, public services, economies and democracies.

At the heart of his response is a simple but searching question:

What kind of people are we becoming, and what kind of world are we building?

Archbishop Eamon welcomes the good that AI may bring in areas such as medicine, education, accessibility, scientific discovery, environmental protection and care for those often forgotten by society. Human creativity, he notes, is a gift from God when it serves life, relieves suffering, supports human dignity and helps care for our common home.

At the same time, he highlights Pope Leo’s warning that AI must never reduce the human person to data, output, profile or performance. In Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, we see the true dignity of every person: a human face, a human voice, a human heart, loved by God and called into communion.

Drawing on the encyclical’s contrast between Babel and the City of God, Archbishop Eamon asks whether we will use AI to build a world of control, confusion and domination, or a world marked by peace, fraternity, justice and care for the vulnerable.

He also points to three areas already affected by AI: truth, work and freedom. Truth becomes fragile when images, voices and information can be manipulated. Work is threatened when people are made to serve machines rather than machines serving people. Freedom is weakened when data, surveillance and hidden systems shape people’s choices without their knowledge.

From Ireland’s point of view, Archbishop Eamon stresses that AI is not something happening far away. It is already being hosted, shaped, governed and developed on this island. He hopes Magnifica Humanitas will open a serious, honest and practical conversation across Ireland involving Church, State, universities, schools, public bodies, technology companies, workers, families, young people and wider society.

The Church does not claim to have a technical answer to every AI question. But she does offer moral wisdom rooted in human dignity, the common good, solidarity, justice, care for creation and protection of the vulnerable.

The Church has faced technological revolutions before. Each time, the question returns:

What does it mean to be human?

Pope Leo’s first encyclical invites us to answer that question again, with courage, faith and love and Pope Leo XIV urges us:

“Let us protect our magnificent humanity.”

Click Here to access Magnifica Humanitas

 

 

Magnifica Humanitas:  Infographic Gallery

Click Image to enlarge

Magnifica Humanitas: A Video Reflection

Full Text of Archbishop Eamon Martin’s Reception and Welcome of Magnifica Humanitas

Magnifica Humanitas: What kind of world are we building?

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas: On Protecting the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, has been warmly welcomed by Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

In his statement, Archbishop Eamon describes the encyclical as “a much needed intervention from the Holy Father” at a time when humanity stands at a “historic crossroads.” Artificial intelligence is no longer something distant or theoretical. It is already shaping our homes, schools, workplaces, hospitals, public services, economies and democracies.

At the heart of the Archbishop’s response is a simple but searching question:

What kind of people are we becoming, and what kind of world are we building?

Human creativity is a gift

Archbishop Eamon is clear that the Church does not approach artificial intelligence from fear. Human creativity is a gift from God. Our desire to heal, discover, build, understand and serve is part of what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God.

When technology protects life, relieves suffering, supports learning, strengthens good work and helps us care for the vulnerable and for our common home, it should be welcomed with gratitude.

AI may help bring real advances in medicine, education, accessibility, public services, scientific discovery, environmental protection and care for those often forgotten by society. At the same time, many people are rightly asking what AI will mean for their children, their work, their privacy, their freedoms, their relationships and their future.

Babel or the City of God?

One of the striking features of Magnifica Humanitas is its use of two contrasting biblical images: Babel and the City of God.

Babel is what happens when human power turns in on itself. It is the world of control, pride, domination and confusion. It is what we build when we forget God, when we want to be “gods” ourselves, when we ignore our neighbour and neglect the poor.

The City of God points us in another direction. It speaks of peace, reconciliation, love, fraternity and respect for the dignity of every person. It opens our hearts to the Kingdom of God, where every voice matters and the vulnerable are not pushed aside.

The choice before us is not simply whether to accept or reject technology. The deeper question is whether we will use AI to build a world grounded in human dignity, fraternity and care.

As Archbishop Eamon asks:

“Will we be architects of Babel, or builders of the City of God?”

The living human person

At the heart of Pope Leo’s encyclical is the Christian conviction that every person is made in the image and likeness of God.

The mystery of the Incarnation deepens this truth. In Jesus Christ, “the Word became flesh, and lived among us.” God did not communicate with humanity from a distance. He came among us with a human voice, a human face and a human heart.

For that reason, the human person can never be reduced to data to be copied, gathered, manipulated or sold. In a world of screens, artificial voices and digital masks, the Church defends the dignity of the person with a real face and an authentic voice.

AI can do remarkable things. It can sort through vast amounts of information, recognise patterns, and create words, images and voices that feel very real. It can mimic human behaviour and even appear to show empathy.

But AI does not have a conscience. It cannot care, love, suffer, forgive, pray or hope as human beings can. Nor can it be truly wise.

Wisdom grows in human hearts and minds, in families, communities and societies. It grows through truth, humility, mercy, good judgement and love of neighbour. Sometimes it grows through bitter experience, failure and repentance.

As Pope Leo reminds us, artificial intelligences do not experience life, do not possess a body, do not know joy or pain from within, and do not understand what love, work and responsibility mean.

Truth, work and freedom

Archbishop Eamon highlights three areas where AI is already touching daily life: truth, work and freedom.

Truth becomes fragile when images, voices and information can be changed or invented, and when public stories are manipulated or polarised.

Work is put under pressure when people are expected to keep up with machines, rather than machines being designed to assist workers and support human dignity.

Freedom is weakened when data, surveillance or hidden systems shape people’s choices without them fully knowing it.

These are not abstract concerns. They affect families, schools, parishes, businesses, public life and democracy itself.

As Christians, and as citizens, we need to ask deeper questions of AI:

Is it true?
Is it just?
Does it honour the person made in God’s image?
Does it protect the vulnerable?
Does it serve the common good?
Does it help us become more human?

War, peace and human responsibility

The Archbishop also draws attention to Pope Leo’s warning about the use of artificial intelligence in war and violence.

The delegation of life-and-death decisions to automated systems risks making the use of force more distant from human conscience and moral responsibility. Pope Leo is clear that decisions about war, violence and the protection of civilians can never be reduced to technical calculation.

As Archbishop Eamon notes:

“No algorithm can make war morally acceptable.”

Human responsibility cannot be passed on to technology.

Why this matters for Ireland

From Ireland’s point of view, artificial intelligence is not something happening far away. It is already being hosted, shaped, governed and developed on this island.

That gives Ireland both an opportunity and a responsibility.

Archbishop Eamon hopes that Magnifica Humanitas will open a serious, honest and practical conversation across Ireland about AI. Such a conversation should involve Church, State, universities, schools, legislators, public bodies, technology companies, workers, families, young people and wider society.

These questions cannot be left only to markets, machines or private interests. They must be brought into the light with honesty, hope and care for those whose faces and voices are too often hidden.

The Church does not claim to have a technical answer to every question about AI. But she does offer ethical principles to guide integral human development: the dignity of every person, the common good, solidarity, justice, care for creation, responsibility and protection of the vulnerable.

The Church has faced technological revolutions before. Each time, the question returns:

What does it mean to be human?

Pope Leo’s first encyclical invites us to answer that question again, with courage, faith and love.

As the encyclical urges us:  “Let us protect our magnificent humanity.”

+ Archbishop Eamon Martin 

Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland 

 

World Communications Day 2026: Pope Leo XIV Reflects on Artificial Intelligence

Pope Leo:  “Preserving Human Voices and Faces”

This Sunday, 17th May 20206, the Church marks the 60th World Day of Social Communications. In his message for this year’s celebration, Pope Leo XIV reflects on one of the most important questions facing society today: how artificial intelligence, digital media and technology are shaping the way we communicate, relate to one another and understand what it means to be human.

Under the theme “Preserving Human Voices and Faces,” Pope Leo reminds us that every person is unique, sacred and created in the image and likeness of God. In a world where technology can imitate voices, create convincing images and influence how people think and respond, the Holy Father calls us to protect truth, human dignity and authentic encounter.

Pope Leo warns against allowing technology to replace human thinking, conscience, relationships and discernment. At the same time, his message is hopeful. He believes that digital technologies and artificial intelligence can serve the common good when they are used wisely, ethically and in ways that deepen communion rather than isolation.

CLICK HERE to Access Pope Leo’s Message for World Communication Day 2026

 

Archbishop Eamon’s Reflection on Pope Leo’s Message

To accompany this year’s World Communications Day, Archbishop Eamon Martin has prepared a pastoral reflection resource responding to Pope Leo XIV’s message and exploring what it means for families, schools, parishes, young people and communicators today.

In his reflection, Archbishop Eamon writes:

“Before a person is a profile, a statistic, a screen-name, a consumer, a complainant, or a ‘case’, they are someone created in the image and likeness of God. Their face and voice matter.”

 

 

 

The Archbishop invites all of us to ask important questions about the way we communicate online and offline:

  • Are we listening to real voices?
  • Are we protecting real faces?
  • Are we speaking truthfully?
  • Are we allowing technology to serve communion, or are we letting it replace encounter?

Alongside the reflection, a series of resources have been prepared for parishes, schools, youth groups, pastoral councils and faith communities who may wish to reflect more deeply on the theme together.

These include:

  • Pope Leo XIV’s Message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications
  • Archbishop Eamon Martin’s pastoral reflection
  • A Facilitators Resource and Reflection Gathering Guide
  • A Session PowerPoint Resource for schools, parishes and groups

The resources provide a simple conversational and prayerful format to help communities reflect on communication, truth, discernment, AI, digital culture and the dignity of the human person in today’s world.

CLICK HERE to Access Archbishop Eamon’s Reflection Resource

Resources for World Day for Social Communications Day 2026

Facilitators Resource and Reflection Gathering Guide
https://we.tl/t-LnWdf6uuiKXDdFuR

Session PowerPoint Resource
https://we.tl/t-73UdMfq7eVL9Vqyp

Pope Leo’s Message 

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/communications/documents/20260124-messaggio-comunicazioni-sociali.html

We encourage parishes, schools, families and youth groups to make use of these resources over the coming weeks and months as we continue to reflect on how the Gospel calls us to communicate with truth, compassion, wisdom and humanity in an increasingly digital age.

The Archdiocese of Armagh Welcomes Three Newly Ordained Priests.

Joyful celebrations in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh on Saturday, 9th May, as three new priests are ordained.

The Archdiocese of Armagh marked a joyful occasion on Saturday 9 May as Archbishop Eamon Martin ordained Gabriel Neal, Jacek Tuszkiewicz and Paul O’Reilly to the priesthood in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh.

Family members, friends, clergy, parishioners and members of the wider diocesan community gathered for the ordination Mass, which Archbishop Eamon described as a moment of deep thanksgiving for the Church.

In his homily, Archbishop Eamon reflected on the generosity and courage required in responding to God’s call in the modern world, encouraging the newly ordained priests to remain close to Christ and close to the people they are called to serve. 

The ordinations bring to twelve the number of priestly ordinations in the Archdiocese of Armagh in recent years and were received as a sign of encouragement and hope for the local Church.

The three new priests reflect the international character of priestly life within the Archdiocese today. Fr Gabriel Neal comes from the United States, Fr Jacek Tuszkiewicz from Poland, and Fr Paul O’Reilly from Cork. Together, their different backgrounds and experiences speak to the universal nature of the Catholic Church and the richness of vocation across cultures and communities.

The Archdiocese also acknowledged the role of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary and formation community in Dundalk, where the newly ordained priests undertook years of spiritual, pastoral, academic and human formation.

The faithful of the Archdiocese are asked to continue to keep Fr Gabriel, Fr Jacek and Fr Paul in their prayers as they begin their priestly ministry in service of God’s people.

A Prayer for the Newly Ordained Priest

Heavenly Father,
we give you thanks for the gift of Fr Gabriel, Fr Jacek and Fr Paul.
Priests newly ordained to the priesthood
for the service of your people here in the Archdiocese of Armagh.

You have called them by name
and entrusted them with the care of your Church.
Strengthen them now with the grace of the Holy Spirit,
that they may serve with humility, courage and compassion.

Keep them close to Christ the Good Shepherd,
faithful in prayer, generous in service,
and attentive to the joys and wounds of those they meet.

When ministry is demanding, sustain them.
When they grow weary, renew them.
When they rejoice, deepen their gratitude.
May their lives always point others towards your love and mercy.

Bless too their families, friends, formators,
and all who have accompanied them on the path to priesthood.

Through the intercession of Saints Patrick, Brigid, Malachy and Olover
Our Lady, Mother of Priests,
and all the saints of Ireland.
May they guide and protect them in the years ahead.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

      

 
 
 
 
 

Achdiocese of Armagh Gives Thanks Ahead of Three Ordinations to the Priesthood

Archdiocese of Armagh Gives Thanks Ahead of Three Ordinations to the Priesthood

There is a real sense of joy and thanksgiving across the Archdiocese of Armagh this weekend as Deacons Gabriel Neal, Jacek Tuszkiewicz and Paul O’Reilly prepare to be ordained to the priesthood.

Archbishop Eamon Martin will ordain the three men tomorrow, Saturday 9 May, at 3.00pm in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh. The ordinations mark a significant and hope-filled moment in the life of the Archdiocese, as Gabriel, Jacek and Paul prepare to offer their lives in service to Christ, the Church and the people of God.

Speaking ahead of the ordination, Archbishop Eamon said:

“We here in the Archdiocese of Armagh feel a deep sense of joy and thanks as we prepare for the ordination of these three men to the priesthood. I give thanks for their generous ‘yes’ to God’s call, and my hope is that they will have many years of fulfilment in serving God’s people here in the Archdiocese of Armagh.”

Archbishop Eamon also noted that tomorrow’s celebration brings to twelve the number of priestly ordinations for the Archdiocese of Armagh in recent years. At a time when the Church in Ireland is facing many challenges, these ordinations are a sign of encouragement, renewal and quiet hope.

The three men also reflect something of the increasingly international character of priesthood in the Archdiocese. Gabriel comes from the United States, Jacek from Poland, and Paul from Cork. Each has followed a different path, shaped by his own family, culture, formation and experience of faith, yet each has discerned a call to serve here in the Archdiocese of Armagh.

This diversity is now part of the lived reality of the Church in Ireland. The priests serving in the Archdiocese today come from a range of backgrounds, countries and pastoral experiences. Their presence speaks not only of the universality of the Catholic Church, but also of the generosity of those who leave home, family and familiar surroundings in order to minister among the people of God in a new place.

It is also a testament to the sustained investment the Archdiocese has made in priestly formation, including investment in it’s formation community and Redemptorist Mater Seminary in Dundalk, where seminarians and those discerning priesthood have been accompanied in prayer, study, pastoral experience and human formation.

Tomorrow’s ordination will be a moment of gratitude for all who have supported Gabriel, Jacek and Paul along the way: their families, friends, formators, parish communities, priests, religious and lay faithful who have encouraged them in their vocation.

As they prepare to be ordained, the Archdiocese asks the faithful to keep Gabriel, Jacek and Paul in prayer, that the Lord may bless them with faithful hearts, generous spirits and deep joy in their ministry.

May their priesthood bear lasting fruit in the lives of the communities they are called to serve.

Church Leaders condemn femicide, all violence against women and misogyny

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: A Call to Compassion, Cultural Change and Responsibility

 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

 

 

 

Following their latest meeting, which took place on Friday 1 May, the Church Leaders Group (Ireland), which is made up of the Catholic and Church of Ireland Archbishops of Armagh, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and the Presidents of the Methodist Church in Ireland, and the Irish Council of Churches, have expressed their sympathy and prayerful support for all families who have been affected by violence against women and girls, calling it ‘an epidemic sweeping across Ireland.’

Following the horrific murder of Amy Doherty, Christian leaders from across Ireland’s Churches spoke with one voice in condemning femicide, misogyny and all forms of violence against women. In their statement, they described violence against women as “an epidemic sweeping across Ireland.”

The leaders expressed particular concern that Northern Ireland has become one of the most dangerous places in Europe for women, noting that 30 women have been murdered there since 2020 and that many were killed within their own homes — places which should have been safe environments of trust and protection.

Behind every statistic is a human life. A daughter. A mother. A sister. A friend. A person created in the image and likeness of God.

As Christians, we cannot remain silent in the face of such suffering.

The Church Leaders rightly point out that legislation and public policy, while essential, are not enough on their own. Long-term cultural change is needed,  a society where misogyny is challenged both online and offline, where women are respected and protected, and where boys and young men are encouraged towards models of positive masculinity rooted in dignity, compassion, responsibility and love.

The Christian understanding of human dignity leaves no room for violence, coercion, control or abuse. The Gospel calls society towards relationships marked by respect, equality, justice and self-giving love.

Church communities also have a vital role to play. Parishes, schools, ministries and faith groups must continue striving to be places where women feel safe, heard, valued and supported. Pastoral accompaniment, safeguarding awareness, practical support and partnership with charities and frontline organisations remain critically important.

At a time when anger, online hostility and dehumanising narratives are increasingly normalised, the statement is also an invitation to reflect deeply on the culture we are creating together and the example being handed on to younger generations.

We pray for all women who have lost their lives through violence, for all survivors of abuse, and for all families carrying unimaginable grief.

Read the full statement from the Church Leaders Group here:
Full Statement

Text of the Church Leader’s Statement

The Church Leaders said, “Following the recent horrific murder of Amy Doherty, which marked the 65th women to be murdered on the island of Ireland since 2020 – as people of faith, we wish to express our sympathy and prayerful support for all those families who have been bereaved in such terrible circumstances and also our deep concern at what has become an epidemic of violence against women sweeping across Ireland.

“As Church leaders we are grieved and shamed by reports that Northern Ireland is now one of the most dangerous places for a woman to live in Europe, with 30 women murdered since 2020.  We are deeply troubled by the reports that have found that the most dangerous place in Northern Ireland for a woman is her own home.  No one should feel unsafe inside their home.  Yet 21 of the 30 women murdered in Northern Ireland were attacked in what should have been for them a safe environment.

“As Christian leaders, we condemn femicide absolutely and all forms of violence perpetrated against women.  While we welcome the introduction of policy and strategies to address the horror of violence against women and girls in both jurisdictions in recent years, it is regrettable that this has not resulted in a decrease in this abhorrent murder rate.  At this particular time, we urge politicians, men and women together, to continue to work with the emergency services and the courts, to ensure that they have the resources necessary to combat this epidemic.

“While legislation and policy are important, they can only do so much.  At all levels of society there needs to be active long-term cultural change, where misogyny is not tolerated online or elsewhere, with boys and young men given the opportunity to discover the joys of positive manhood, that loves, respects, and honours women and girls, just as God loves them equally.

“Together, we want to encourage churches to remain vigilant and where possible to provide practical and pastoral support to women seeking refuge from abuse.  At the same time, we want to affirm the work that is being done by charities currently supporting these women.

“Finally, for all who have been let down by society and are grieving the loss of a loved one taken so unnecessarily, it is our prayer that you will know justice, and that the ‘…peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:7).”

Most Reverend Eamon Martin
Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland 

Most Reverend John McDowell
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
 
Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
 
Very Reverend Dr Charles McMullen
President of the Irish Council of Churches
 
Reverend Alan Wardlow
President of the Methodist Church in Ireland

Ordination to the Priesthood in the Archdiocese of Armagh

Ordination to the Priesthood in the Archdiocese of Armagh

The Archdiocese of Armagh rejoices as Deacon Gabriel Neal, Deacon Jacek Tuszkiewicz and Deacon Paul O’Reilly prepare to be ordained to the priesthood.

Their ordination will take place on Saturday 9 May 2026 at 3.00pm in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, with Archbishop Eamon Martin presiding.

This is a significant and joyful moment not only for Gabriel, Jacek and Paul, but for the whole Archdiocese. Their response to God’s call is a gift to the Church and to the communities they will serve in the years ahead. All three have undertaken their formation with the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Dundalk.

In preparation for the ordination, a Prayer Vigil will take place on Thursday 7 May at 7.30pm in Church of the Sacred Heart, Cloghouge. All are welcome to attend this time of prayer as we support the three deacons in the final days of their preparation.

The faithful of the Archdiocese are warmly encouraged to attend both the vigil and the ordination, and to keep Gabriel, Jacek and Paul in their prayers as they take this important step in their lives of service to God and His people.

May the Lord guide and bless all three men as they are ordained to the priesthood. 

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock Takes Place on Sunday 31 May

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock Takes Place on Sunday 31 May

There are now just five weeks to go until our annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, which will take place on Sunday 31 May, the final Sunday of May.

Each year, pilgrims from across the diocese make the journey to Knock for a variety of reasons. For some, it is an opportunity to give thanks and mark important milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries or special family occasions. For others, it is a quieter journey shaped by grief, remembrance or a need for prayer during difficult times. Many simply come seeking peace, healing and renewed hope.

Knock Shrine has long been a place where people bring both the joys and burdens of life before God. Whether you are returning again this year or considering making the pilgrimage for the first time, all are welcome.

This year is particularly significant as it marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Basilica of Mary Queen of Ireland, which was officially opened in 1976. This milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the countless pilgrims who have visited Knock over the past five decades and the many prayers offered there.

We would love to see every parish in the diocese represented on the day. Parish groups and individuals are encouraged to begin making arrangements now, including organising coach transport where possible. If you are interested in attending, please contact your parish for further information.

Priests and deacons are also warmly encouraged to attend and support pilgrims from their parish communities.

As we prepare for this year’s pilgrimage, we entrust all those travelling to the care of Our Lady of Knock.

Our Lady of Knock, pray for us.
St Joseph, pray for us.
St John, pray for us.

Knock Pilgrimage Director:  Canon Benny Fee
Cloghog Road, Clonoe BT71 5EH, Telephone:  028 877 49184

 

Archbishop Eamon Martin – In Memoriam Pope Francis

Archbishop Eamon celebrates Mass in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, on the first Anniversary of the Death of Pope Francis

On the first anniversary of the death of Pope Francis, Archbishop Eamon Martin reflects on a papacy marked by mercy, humility and a deep commitment to mission. Drawing on powerful moments from his visit to Ireland in 2018, his homily, which was preached in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Armagh on Tuesday 21st April 2026, invites us to recognise both the brokenness and the hope at the heart of our faith, and to rediscover what it means to be a Church that reaches out, accompanies, and heals.

Text of Archbishop Eamon’s Homily

I can’t forget the joy on the face of Pope Francis as his ‘pope-mobile’ entered Croke Park for the Festival of Families in August 2018. The pope was late because his private meeting with survivors of abuse had run over time. It was especially poignant then, that just as the Holy Father arrived into the packed stadium, Patrick Bergin and the festival choir were singing the chorus of Leonard Cohen‘s “anthem”:

“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in”.

Here was a pope who seemed to understand the brokenness and sinfulness of human beings, but who kept encouraging us never to give up on Hope. There may be a “crack in everything” – no one is perfect; we are all sinners – but, thanks to the mercy of God, and to the saving death of Christ on the cross, the light of hope shrines on to heal and to dispel the darkness.

In one of his first interviews, Pope Francis was asked, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” His answer was unexpected: “I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.” It reminded me of our own Saint Patrick who similarly introduced himself, “I am a sinner“. In the case of Pope Francis, we learned that as a seminarian in Rome, he was deeply inspired by Caravaggio’s painting of the calling of Saint Matthew which hangs in the Church of St. Louis of France. Matthew, the tax collector and sinner, is shocked when Jesus gazes at him with great love and calls him: “Follow me!”

“Who, me?”, Matthew seems to say. “No! I’m not ready to change my life.” But the light of Christ’s mercy penetrates Matthew’s brokenness, getting in through the cracks. “Mercy-ing” him, Jesus calls him. Pope Francis revealed that was why he chose as his motto, “Miserando, atque eligendo” Mercy-ing him, he chose him!

Looking back on the pontificate of Pope Francis one year after his death, it strikes me how much he reached out to the peripheries – to those who are most in need of God’s mercy. Early in his pontificate he wrote:

“I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security”

Like his namesake, Francis of Assisi, he prioritised the poor and the marginalised – not just those who are financially poor – but everyone who is exploited, excluded, forgotten, or abused. Pope Francis liked to look into the faces of vulnerable people, touching their flesh, drawing them close, as if to assure them, “God loves you… Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything”.

Perhaps that is why he wasted no time in announcing an extraordinary jubilee year of mercy in 2015-16, to include those who are spiritually poor, those who feel empty inside.

Pope Francis’ moving gestures of compassion spoke to millions around the world – his sincere empathy for migrants, his going into prisons to wash and kiss the feet of prisoners, and his humble avoidance of many of the traditional privileges and accoutrements of the papacy.

Beneath it all, everything Pope Francis did was about mission – reminding us that the Church has to get out and accompany people where they are at. He said: ”A Church which does not come out of herself to evangelise becomes self-referential and then gets sick.”

Our late Holy Father had a deep sense of his own brokenness and sinfulness, and that moved him to be different, always encouraging us to be “merciful like the Father”. He often used to say “pray for me – and don’t forget”! As we mark his first anniversary, let’s promise to do just that: Pray for the happy repose of Pope Francis’s soul – and don’t forget!

 
+ Archbishop Eamon Martin
Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All ireland

 

 

United in Prayer for Peace with Pope Leo XIV

A Diocese United in Prayer with Pope Leo, 11th April 2026, 5pm (Irish Time)

In a world marked by conflict, division, and uncertainty, Pope Leo XIV has issued a simple yet profound invitation: to pray for peace.

On Saturday 11th April, he will lead a Rosary and Vigil for Peace in St Peter’s Basilica, calling Christians across the world to unite in prayer. This moment is not simply an event in Rome. It is an invitation to the whole Church.

In response the Archdiocese has invited every parish, community, and household in our diocese to take part in a Novena for Peace in the days and weeks ahead.

This novena is rooted in Scripture and each day reflects a different dimension of peace: peace in our hearts, peace among nations, justice for the vulnerable, and reconciliation between peoples. It reminds us that peace is not abstract. It is personal, communal, and deeply spiritual.

Pope Leo, in his Easter Urbi et Orbi message, speaks powerfully of the kind of peace our world needs. It is not a peace imposed by force, but one born of love, dialogue, and transformed hearts. It is the peace of the Risen Christ, who meets fear with mercy and division with reconciliation.

At a time when many feel powerless in the face of global conflict, this call to prayer is both grounding and hopeful. It reminds us that prayer is not passive. It is an act of faith, solidarity, and participation in God’s work of healing the world.

Parishes are encouraged to incorporate the novena into liturgies and prayer gatherings. Families and individuals are invited to pray it at home. In doing so, we join a global chorus of prayer, united with the Holy Father and with Christians everywhere.

Peace begins in the heart. But it does not end there.  As we pray this novena, we are also called to become what we ask for: instruments of peace in our daily lives, our relationships, and our communities.

Click here to Access the Novena for Peace

 

Click Here to Access Pope Leo’s Easter Urbi et Orbi Message

 

Light in the Darkness: An Easter Message of Hope from Archbishop Eamon Martin

Light in the Darkness: An Easter Message of Hope

Easter begins in darkness and before the joy of the Resurrection, before the alleluias are sung, a small flame is lit in the night. From that flame, the Paschal Candle is carried into the church and a simple but powerful proclamation is made: “The Light of Christ.” And we respond together: “Thanks be to God.”

This year, that ancient ritual speaks with a particular depth.

Across our world, many are living through darkness in very real and painful ways. The shadow of war, the suffering of innocent people, and a growing sense of uncertainty can weigh heavily on hearts and minds. Even from a distance, we feel the ripple effects, in our news, in our communities and within ourselves.  Yet into that darkness, Easter speaks a different word.

In his Easter message, Archbishop Eamon Martin invites us to rediscover the enduring Christian hope that shines even in the bleakest moments. It is not a naïve or easy hope, but one rooted in the truth of the Resurrection, one that knows that light is stronger than darkness, love is stronger than hatred, and life is stronger than death. This truth lies at the heart of Easter: the promise that no darkness is final.

As we journey through this sacred season, we are invited not only to receive that light but to carry it into our homes, our communities, and a world in need of hope.

 

Text of Archbishop Eamon’s Easter Message

The theme of “light in the darkness” is at the centre of our Easter readings and celebrations. As the new Paschal Candle is lit from the Easter fire outside and carried into the church, these profound and hopeful words are spoken:

“May the light of Christ rising in glory
dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds”.

 
Lumen Christi! Deo Gratias! The Light of Christ! Thanks be to God! 

In recent months, dark clouds of war and violence have overshadowed the coming of spring and the promise of hope that springtime naturally brings into the world. Although from this distance we cannot hear the bombs and sirens of warfare from the Middle East or Ukraine, the distressing impact of conflict ripples around the world with escalating prices and volatile markets, and a creeping sense of despair.

Proponents of so-called “modern warfare” try to tell us that attacks can be clinical and contained, but that’s an illusion. We are deceiving ourselves to think that the ongoing use of rockets and bombs in built up areas, or the destruction of essential infrastructure, roads, bridges, water and fuel stations does anything other than spread fear and terror among innocent, civilian populations. Let us be clear: war currupts and depresses. War is ‘a defeat for humanity’.

All the more reason then for us to “hold on to hope”, this Easter. This is the Christian season of “darkness into light”, of “the Hope that does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5).

It is of course hard to find Hope in the rubble of a bombed hospital or school, or in the frightened eyes of a displaced family who have lost everything they own, or in the tears of those whose loved ones have been killed through acts of violence.

But the promise of Easter is that the Risen Christ defeated the darkness of evil on the Hill of Calvary. That Good News is needed this year more than ever, and it is our mission as Christians to make it known. Pope Benedict XVI once said Easter declares “History is not in the hands of dark forces, of chance, or of merely human choices. The Lord, (who is) the supreme arbiter of historical events, rises above the discharge of evil energies.”

Although it was very early in the morning and still dark when the women came to the tomb with spices to anoint the body of Jesus, an angel bathed in light says to them, ‘There is no need for you to be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said he would.” The women, who had come to the tomb in sadness and grief, run quickly away, filled with joy and hope, to share the Good News with the others.

As Easter people here in Ireland, despite the temptation to be overcome by the darkness of despair and give up on peace, let us also be witnesses for the Risen Christ in these days, speaking and spreading the Easter promise of love, forgiveness, healing, reconciliation and the hope of a new springtime.

Peace be with you. Beannachtaí agus Síocháin na Cásca oraibh go léir.

Happy Easter.

 
+ Archbishop Eamon Martin 
Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland
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