Temperance Sunday 2026: Choosing Hope, Compassion and Care
This Sunday, 15 February, the Church in Ireland marks Temperance Sunday, a Day of Prayer inviting us to reflect on our relationship with alcohol, drugs and other habits or dependencies that can harm our freedom, dignity and wellbeing.
In his message for this year, Bishop Michael Router, Liaison Bishop with the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative, reminds us that addiction continues to impact individuals, families and communities across Ireland in ways both visible and hidden. Behind statistics are real lives marked by suffering, strained relationships, mental and physical health challenges, and deep personal struggle.
Yet the Gospel always calls us away from judgement and towards compassion. Our response as Church and community must begin with accompaniment — walking patiently with those who struggle and supporting families who often carry heavy burdens quietly.
A key part of this response is prevention and early intervention, especially among young people. In this context, the renewed Confirmation Pledge, which now includes vaping and cigarette smoking alongside alcohol and illicit drugs, is an important development. It reflects the lived reality facing young people today and offers them spiritual and moral support as they navigate complex social pressures.
The pledge is not simply a personal promise; it becomes a shared commitment involving families, schools and parish communities, helping young people know they are supported in making healthy, life-giving choices. The inclusion of a prayer for parents and guardians, inviting them also to reflect on their own example of moderation, strengthens this shared responsibility.
On Temperance Sunday we pray especially for those struggling with addiction, families affected by substance misuse, those working in treatment, recovery, education and pastoral care and communities seeking to build healthier futures for all.
We also ask for the grace to challenge cultural habits and social norms that can normalise harmful behaviour and leave vulnerable people isolated.
In prayer we turn to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to Venerable Matt Talbot, whose life reminds us that transformation and healing are always possible.
May this Temperance Sunday renew in us a commitment to protect and cherish life, caring for both body and soul, so that every person may grow and flourish in hope.
Text of Bishop Michael’s Statement for Temperance Sunday 15/2/2026
This Sunday, 15 February 2026, the Church in Ireland marks Temperance Sunday, a Day of Prayer that invites reflection on our relationship with alcohol, drugs, and all substances or behaviours that can diminish human dignity and freedom. It is a time to pray for those who struggle with addiction, to support families and communities affected by its consequences and to renew our commitment to building a culture of care and moderation.
Addiction, in its many forms, continues to exact a devastating toll on individuals, families, and communities. The human cost, seen in suffering, broken relationships, mental and physical health problems, criminality, and social upheaval, is beyond calculation. Yet the Gospel calls us away from despair and condemnation to compassion and accompaniment.
Central to the mission of the Irish Bishop’s Drugs Initiative is the conviction that prevention and early intervention are as vital as treatment and recovery. Education and formation, especially of young people, are essential if we are to respond meaningfully to substance misuse. In this context, we warmly welcome the rewording of the Confirmation Pledge to explicitly include vaping and cigarette smoking, alongside alcohol and illicit drugs. This development reflects a thoughtful and prayerful response to the lived realities of young people today. Vaping has become widespread and is often presented in ways that obscure its risks and normalise dependency. By naming these realities clearly, the Church affirms her commitment to truth and to the wellbeing of young people.
The renewed Confirmation Pledge ensures that this long-standing tradition remains relevant and meaningful. It offers young people a moral framework and spiritual support as they navigate adolescence, while situating personal choice within the wider context of family, faith and community. Addiction thrives in isolation. By involving families, schools, parishes, and the wider faith community, the pledge becomes a shared commitment to support and hope.
The pledge may be taken either during the Confirmation ceremony itself or at the Ceremony of Light, depending on local pastoral practice and in consultation between priests, parents, and schools. We encourage dioceses, parishes, and schools to consider these options as they prepare for Confirmation celebrations in 2026. The inclusion in the Ceremony of Light option of a prayer spoken by parents and guardians, inviting them to reflect honestly on their own choices and to renew their commitment to being good examples of moderation, is significant and important.
On this Day of Prayer for Temperance, we hold in our hearts all who suffer from addiction, and their families who often carry hidden burdens. We also give thanks for those who work tirelessly in treatment, recovery, education, pastoral care, and community support. The Church’s response must always be rooted in mercy, meeting people where they are, affirming their dignity, and speaking honestly about harm while challenging the social and cultural norms that contribute to it.
As a society, Ireland continues to suffer the far-reaching consequences of drug and alcohol abuse, with costs felt across health services, workplaces, communities, and public life. These realities call for a collective response that will be honest and effective.
In praying for the grace of temperance, we turn to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to our own national example of the power of prayer to overcome addiction, Venerable Matt Talbot, whose life bears powerful witness to the possibility of transformation and hope. With the help of the Holy Spirit, may we become a people who choose and protect life, caring for both body and soul, so that everyone may grow and flourish.
+Bishop Michael Router
Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh and Liaison Bishop for the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative
Please keep all affected by addiction in your prayers this Sunday and consider how each of us can help build communities of compassion, support and recovery.