MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
ST. PATRICK CATHEDRAL, ARMAGH
Thursday, 9 April, 1998
HOMILY BY CARDINAL SEÁN BRADY

Every Holy Thursday we commemorate the Lord’s Supper. We remember that Jesus on this holy night gave the sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist and Holy Orders to us as a supreme sign of his love. He did this so that always and everywhere people may be able to receive his body and blood, so that always and everywhere people may have this wonderful source of grace. He also gave us the splendid example of his love for us when he washed the feet of his disciples. He also gave us a new commandment, the commandment of love. “Love one another as I have loved you”.

We are commemorating all of this evening in Armagh as in every Mass. This evening we commemorate it in a special way, with the washing of feet, the procession afterwards to the altar of repose, we accompany Jesus as he leaves the Upper Room and proceeds to the Garden of Gethsemane where he begins his life-giving passion for love of us.

This evening then we celebrate the institution of the sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist. Jesus having loved his own who in the world loved him to the end. Maybe on an evening something like this, the friends of Jesus had gathered around the table. A sense of stillness, sadness perhaps, certainly a sense of the sacred hung in the air. It was the most sacred night in the Jewish year, they had gathered to commemorate the liberation of their ancestors long ago, out of the slavery of Egypt.

The twelve apostles did not know, maybe Judas knew, but Jesus certainly knew, his hour had come. One treasures every word and every gesture of the last hours of a loved one’s presence. Jesus feels he has said enough now he is going to give them a parable in action. He began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with a towel. “I have given you an example”, he said, “that you should do as I have done to you”.

Jesus came, not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. This was not the kind of Master the kind of Messiah which they were expecting. No wonder poor Peter was all upset. Yet Jesus is quite clear, “You call me teacher and Lord, you are right so I am”. Jesus knew that he had come from God, the source of our love and that he was going to God in the fullness of love.

He knew that his task here on earth was to reveal and put us in communion with that God of love and compassion. Nothing and no-one, not even Peter, was going to sway him from that. Jesus knew the compassionate God of the Exodus who had seen the miserable state of his people in slavery in Egypt. God had heard their cries to be free and it had inspired Moses to lead the people into freedom. Jesus knew that the same compassionate God had sent him to lead you and me and all of us out of the bondage of sin and out of all that prevents or hinders full life. Yes, Jesus claimed his identity as Lord and Master but not as the world would envisage. Not as those around him would have him Lord and Master but as God his Father would have him Lord and Master, that is, as servant, full of compassion, mercy and love.

“Greater love than this no-one has than the one who lays down his life for his friends”. One of the twelve, Judas, couldn’t live with his Master as servant. He couldn’t believe in such love and mercy so he went out into the night, others, washed and fed and moved by such powerful memories of love, went through the night of Friday to the light of Sunday.

Jesus has left us the Eucharist as the memorial of his love, the memorial of his death. The meaning of the Eucharist can only be fully understood if we reach back to the faith of the people of the Old Testament. We need to go back to the Covenant which was so central to both the Jewish and Christian traditions. The Covenant was a treaty or an alliance between two parties. In the Scriptures we used the word ‘Covenant’ to describe the special relationship which God established with His people – Israel. God’s new and special relationship with His chosen people, the Covenant, is sealed with the pouring of blood and the eating together of some of the sacrificial food this was ‘Communion’. Moses says of the blood: “Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord has made for you”. The blood was sprinkled upon both the altar, symbolising God and the people, a powerful expression of the unity of life which God establishes. By eating the sacrificial food together, the people are made ONE as they share together the blessings of the God.

There is one fundamental Covenant which unites the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is expressed in the words of God: “I will be their God and they shall be My people”. Unity with God and unity with each other belongs together.

Through the prophets God had promised His people a Covenant of Peace, a new and everlasting Covenant. As Christians we believe that Jesus Christ established that new Covenant. At the Last Supper Jesus echoed the words of Moses: “This is my blood of the covenant”. By sharing this gift of his body and blood we become truly united in deep communion with God himself and with one another.

The Mass is a celebration of the Eucharist and lies at the heart of the life of our Church, so the Mass is the vital centre of all that the Church is and does. The Eucharist is the heart of the Church’s life because at the heart of the Eucharist is the real presence of our crucified, risen and glorified Lord. Jesus Christ remains present with us in our Holy Communion to continue and to make available his saving work among us.

The most Holy Eucharist holds within it the whole spiritual treasure of the Church, namely Christ himself. That is why we bow down and genuflect before it. That is why people organise twenty-four hour adoration, that is why we light candles and put flowers on our altars, that is why use incense to show honour and respect to Jesus who is really present, hidden here under the appearance of bread and wine. He is just as present as he was that night when he washed the disciples feet.

So tonight we do once again what the Lord did – giving thanks and pronouncing a blessing Jesus took bread in his hands, broke it and gave it to his disciples and said: “Take and eat all of you for this is my body, do this in memory of me”.

People often write to me saying: Why don’t you call for special prayers for peace at this time? But every day and every Mass celebrated throughout the world there are prayers for peace: “Deliver us Lord from every evil and grant us peace in our day”. “Lord Jesus Christ you said to your apostles, I leave you peace, my peace I give you look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live forever and ever”.

Tonight we pray those prayers more earnestly and more fervently than ever. I urge you to spend some time before the altar of repose, and tonight when you go home ask other people to come out and pray that the long awaited peace, the long awaited deal, the long awaited agreement, may be issued tonight.

Lord grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live forever and ever.

AMEN

ST. MALACHY’S CHURCH, ARMAGH
MASS FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACE
1 JANUARY 1998 – 11.00 A.M.
HOMILY BY MOST REVEREND SEÁN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH

Fifty years ago the United Nations produced its Declaration of Human Rights. The Second World War had just ended. During that war certain peoples had seen even their right to exist denied. The United Nations were anxious to ensure that this would never happen again. They wanted to find the basis for a just and lasting peace. They found it in the recognition of the dignity and rights of human beings.

From Bethlehem to Armagh
Ever since the year 1957 a lighted lamp has been brought from the place of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem to all the churches in Austria. That burning flame was, and is, a symbol of their desire for world peace. This year the lamp has been brought via the European Parliament to Armagh. In a few moments it will be presented here in the Offertory Procession. We welcome it with great joy. It reminds us that what the United Nations declared fifty years ago, Jesus had already revealed almost two thousand years ago.

When he became one of us Jesus united himself in some way with every human being. He came on earth to reveal the boundless love of God. But Jesus also showed us the unique value of every human person. The Church acknowledges this value and celebrates it once again at this feast of Christmas. It proclaims the sacred value of human life from its beginning until its end. The lamp brought to us from Bethlehem reminds us of the words of Jesus to his friends: “My peace I give you”. Ever since those words were spoken they have provided tremendous inspiration for people to go out and work for justice, the kind of justice which overcomes division and provides the only solid foundation for peace.

Recently I watched a film about the work of the Irish for the street children of Calcutta. There was this marvelous voluntary worker named Edith Wilkins who looked after fifteen children single-handed. When she was asked why, “it is the kids’ right” she said, “to be fed and sheltered and clothed and educated”. Another Irish girl, Therese Hennessey, spoke of her work for the sick and the dying in Calcutta. She and her colleagues try to ensure that these poor people die with dignity. Human dignity and human rights are at the centre of their work.

Justice Goes Hand in Hand with Peace
“Justice goes hand in hand with peace”, Pope John Paul tells us in his message for this World Day of Peace. When one is threatened justice and peace both falter. When justice is offended peace is also placed in jeopardy. For example, the majority of the world’s fifteen million refugees are victims of war. In war, lands and crops are destroyed, people are deprived of their livelihood and security. Money and skills are directed away from social uses and necessary schemes. The cost of one Trident submarine would pay for one year’s schooling for sixteen million children in developing countries. And for the cost of ten fighter aircraft all the infants of the developing world could be immunized against disease. These facts confirm the words of Pope John Paul when he says that “when either peace or justice is threatened both falter”.

Peace for all comes from the justice of each one of us
The human rights of everybody are to be recognised and respected. They are to be protected and promoted. These rights are universal; they belong to one and all. They are also indivisible because social and economics rights are involved and are to be promoted as well as political and cultural rights which must also be recognised, protected and observed.

Peace for all comes from the justice of each one of us. “No-one is excused from the task of such importance”, Pope John Paul tells us in his message for today. “Human beings are equal in dignity. All deserve the same respect and have the same rights and duties”. It is important that we take these fundamentals as the basis for any lasting peace.

The Northern Ireland Situation
All of this is very relevant to our situation here in Northern Ireland. Despite the tragic and terrifying events of recent days, the celebration of the World Day of Peace this year takes place in a climate of somewhat greater hope than in other years. The restoration of the IRA cease-fire last July and the participation of parties representing more than eighty percent of the population in peace talks give hope of progress. There is a growing realisation of the futility of a conflict which has lasted almost thirty years, a conflict which nobody has won and which apparently nobody can lose. The terrible events of recent days are sombre reminders that there really is no alternative to discussion and dialogue. Hopefully these killings are only temporary setbacks on the road to a permanent settlement and a just and fair agreement. Hopes rise that conditions can be agreed to allow a peaceful and just co-existence. These hopes rest on the seeds of dialogue and discussions which are beginning to emerge.

Other Grounds for Hope
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has identified four areas which are to be given priority: marching, fair employment, policing and mechanisms for the protection of human rights. A Commission for Racial Equality has been set up. The Government has committed itself to incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law through legislation in the form of a Bill of Rights. It has stated that it intends to implement the recommendations of the Hayes Report for an entirely independent system for the investigation of complaints against the Police. The British Government is also sponsoring a review of the effectiveness of fair employment legislation and of government policies. Unfortunately these developments are not seen by all as positive and helpful. There is much fear and apprehension in certain quarters. Every effort must be made to calm people’s fears. Those who try to increase people’s fears at this time bear a heavy responsibility. The fact that human rights issues are being addressed is seen by some as a threat. There are some people who feel that the recognition of the rights of others in some way infringes their rights. The recognition of human dignity threatens no-one. Human rights belong to everyone. The human rights agenda is not a sectarian agenda. In fact their recognition is the bulwark and defence of true peace everywhere.

The shootings of recent days are to be condemned. They have claimed three lives, injured many and raised doubts about the peace process. I urge those involved in the talks not to lose their nerve and to deny the perpetrators of these atrocities their expected prize of the disruption of the peace talks and to press on towards the far more precious prize, the achievement of a fair and lasting settlement.

Refugees
Indeed the failure to protect human rights lies at the root of another urgent problem; that of refugees. Every twenty-one seconds a refugee is created somewhere in the world. In the last ten years the number of refugees has jumped from eight to fifteen million. As a group of democracies the European Union finds its political and ethical basis in human rights. This includes internationally accepted rights to asylum and the right not to be discriminated against. Pope John Paul has called the tragedy of refugees a wound which reveals the conflicts of the modern world. We are now part of a union of fifteen European states in which there is free movement of people by right. This process is irreversible, even though at times it may give rise to hostile reactions and alarm among some. Today we stand at a cross-roads. We can choose to turn in on ourselves and turn our back on the stranger and in doing so turn our back on our own history and indeed turn our back on the Christian faith. We are now among the richest nations in the world. We could decide to share some of that wealth, resources and opportunities with foreigners, as so many societies in the past did for our people. By doing so we could set an outstanding example of respect for the dignity of people less fortunate than ourselves.

Lack of Respect
Lack of respect for the value of other people is seen in a culture and language of contempt and disparagement. Anything which rubbishes and denigrates those who are different has no part to play in any genuine peace process. A just peace threatens no-one. Talks are the only way to reach such a peace. Talks are the only way to dispel fears. People need to be reassured that their neighbour has exactly the same hopes and fears as they. They hope to live in security, to be on good terms with their neighbours and to enjoy their esteem.

Recent Developments
During these days the thoughts of many turn to those people who lost their lives through violence in 1997. The first was Stephen Restorick, shot dead in Bessbrook last February. The last was Seamus Dillon, shot dead in Dungannon last Saturday. The parents of those two men have been united in grief and heartbreak at the loss of a son. They have also been united in a firm determination to do all in their power to ensure that no-one else will ever die in political violence in Northern Ireland. Each one of us must resolve to do the same. The shootings of recent days are of course, a threat to peace and to the peace talks. Some people have taken the law into their own hands and proceeded to shoot fellow human beings, thereby depriving them of something sacred – their human life. Everyone has the right to have their gift of life respected. Every human community is founded on that right. The political community is no exception.

The hope which the birth of Christ brings us
We urgently need the hope which the birth of Christ brings to us. Jesus comes to give us hope. He comes to give us hope in the midst of sadness and disappointment. He comes to tell us never to despair of the glory to which God calls us. He comes to ensure that we never lose the courage and trust which we need.
Christian hope focuses our attention on our final destiny. We are made to share God’s life in Heaven but we are also made to live in peace and harmony with our neighbour here on earth. Peace is about right relationships. Where violent conflicts have taken place right relationships have been disrupted. The process of healing the bad memories of the past and the giving and receiving of forgiveness are gifts from God. But the task of building the society founded on truth and justice and respect for others, especially the other who is different, that task falls to each one of us. No-one is excused from a task of such importance. The challenge of changing the structures in society that provoked, promoted and sustained violence in the first place, that task belongs to us also.

The heart of the Gospel message is Jesus Christ. He is everyone’s peace and reconciliation. The Spirit of the Risen Christ, the Spirit of hope is at work in the world. Pope John Paul tells us in today’s message that “the Spirit is especially present in the generous activity of all who patiently and perseveringly continue to promote peace and reconciliation between people who were once opponents and enemies”. This time last year there wasn’t much reason to be hopeful. Nevertheless many people did continue to hope and to pray and to work for progress towards peace. Those prayers were answered, their efforts were rewarded.

They were people who remained undaunted in the face of obstacles. They continued to believe that God’s greatest promises can indeed by ours. They continued to hope for what is best with a confidence rooted not in themselves but in God. The hopes and the prayers and the work for peace must continue. Let them continue then in the firm belief that peace for all of us comes from the justice of each one of us. Let each one of us try to be more just in the sight of God, more faithful in the small things and the big things of life and more loving in our service of God and of each other. Let them continue in the firm belief that it is possible to achieve what God’s love plans for each one of us. Plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring you the future you hope for. May 1998, the year in which we celebrate the 850th anniversary of the death of St. Malachy, bring peace and joy, happiness and prosperity, to each one of you and to our land.

AMEN

ST. MALACHY’S CHURCH, ARMAGH
MASS FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACE
1 JANUARY 1998 – 11.00 A.M.
MOST REVEREND SEAN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH

INTRODUCTION
The tragic events of recent days add urgency to our gathering to offer this Mass for peace on this World Day of Peace – the Feast of Mary the Mother of God. We ask her to pray for us that we may in fact be made worthy of the promises of Christ. We ask God to be gracious to us and to bring us His peace. “From the justice of each one comes the peace of all” Pope John Paul tells us in his message today. We are far from being just. We know we are sinners. We need God’s pardon to make us less unjust. We ask pardon for our sins.

MASS OF CHRISM
Holy Thursday, April 9, 1998
INTRODUCTION BY CARDINAL SEÁN BRADY

Today we thank God for the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Holy Orders which Christ gave to his Church on this day. We priests come to renew our own dedication to Christ as priests of his new covenant. In this Mass we consecrate the Holy Chrism and bless the oils which will be used throughout the length and breadth of the diocese during the coming year in the administration of the sacraments.
It is good to see so many priests and laity gather here in the Cathedral for this ceremony and the young people who will receive the sacrament of Confirmation later this year are particularly welcome to be present as the Chrism is consecrated with which they will be signed on their foreheads in the Confirmation ceremony.

On the day before he died, Christ promised the help of the Holy Spirit and he said:
“Peace is what I leave with you.
It is my own peace that I give you”.

Today we ask the help of the Holy Spirit for the peacemakers that they may have the wisdom to see the way forward and the courage to make the decisions which will lead to lasting peace.
To prepare ourselves then to do all of this we call to mind our sins and ask God’s pardon.

CHRISM MASS
ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL, ARMAGH
Holy Thursday, April 9, 1998
HOMILY BY MOST REVEREND SEAN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH

The Chrism Mass shows forth in a very wonderful way the fact that the priests and bishops of the diocese are united in the same task of building up, sanctifying, and guiding the people of God entrusted to their care.

So I welcome and thank all of you for coming to this Mass.

From this cathedral to every one of the parishes of the Archdiocese the Holy Chrism will be brought. There it will be used to anoint the newly baptised. It will be used to trace the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the boys and girls who will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. It will be used to anoint the hands of the our Deacon, Garrett Campbell, in his priestly ordination in his native parish of Lordship next June. The oil of the Sick will be used to anoint those who are ill and the dying, to give them strength and comfort in their time of need.

The consecrated Chrism and Holy Oils will be carried by you, back to the parishes of the diocese. They will be brought to various scenes, scenes of great joy and hope, such as Baptism and Confirmation and Ordination. But they will also go to places of sadness and despair, such as hospital wards or to the scenes of accidents. They will go to places of peace and places of tension. Wherever they go they will be accompanied by a priest. People will be anointed by your hands and that anointing will be a sign of God’s love and care for all his people in all their moments, in their moments of happiness and desolation, in their moments of joy and despair, in their moments of peace and tension.

Those being baptised will be anointed on the breast, near the heart, the traditional seat of the emotions so that those emotions may develop in a wholesome and mature fashion.

At Confirmation the anointing takes place on the forehead, the seat of the memory and the judgement and the intellect so that people may judge things well, understand correctly. But it is the hands of the priests which are anointed at his ordination. Those hands are used to welcome, to bless, to absolve, to anoint, to bid farewell, to take and to break and to give. So through sacred Chrism, these Holy Oils, are symbols of the pastoral care which God, in His wisdom and goodness, provides for His people at all times through the work of His priests.

We ordained priests, gratefully recognise that Jesus has chosen us to share his sacred work in a special way. We are humbled when we realise that he has appointed us to celebrate Mass. We are challenged to lead his people in holiness. We are to nourish them with his word. We have been appointed to strengthen them in holiness by administering them the sacraments. Today we renew our dedication to Christ. We recall that we accepted responsibilities out of love for him. Today then we gladly renew our dedication to serve the people ever more faithfully. We place our diocesan gathering of next October before the Lord and ask a special blessing on it.

I have many happy memories of ceremonies in St. Peter Basilica in Rome but probably the most impressive one of the whole year was the Mass of Chrism. Then, literally thousands of priests, from every continent of the world, religious and secular, gathered to renew their priestly vows along with the Vicar of Christ. Pope John Paul has spoken many wonderful words of encouragement to us priests. “Your priesthood is absolutely vital”, he said on one occasion. “There is no substitute for it. You carry the main burden of priestly ministry through your day to day service of the faithful. You are ministers of the Eucharist and ministers of God’s mercy in the sacrament of Penance. It is you who bring comfort to people and guide them in difficult moments in their lives. We acknowledge your work and thank you once again, urging you to continue on your chosen path, willingly and joyfully. No one should be discouraged as we are doing God’s work. The same God who calls us, sends us, and remains with us, every day of our lives. We are ambassadors of Christ”.

In his message to priests on this Holy Thursday, Pope John Paul says he wants to “join us in invoking the Spirit of the Lord to whom we dedicate the second stage of the spiritual journey of preparation for the Holy Year of 2000”. The Pope goes on to say that “an intimate bond unites our priesthood to the Holy Spirit. For on the day of our priestly ordination, by virtue of an unique outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Risen Christ accomplished again, in each one of us, what he accomplished in his disciples on the evening of Easter. The Holy Spirit sent us out into the world as those who continue the mission of Christ. His gift of the Spirit is the source of the special task of evangelisation and of sanctification which is entrusted to us”. He asks us to contemplate the work of the Holy Spirit in us. On the evening of Easter the Risen Jesus said to the Apostles: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” He sent them out on the roads of the world, entrusted with the salvation of their brothers and sisters.

Our work is to bring the Good News and to help people grow in holiness and as these oils are brought to various places and are poured forth on people in various circumstances of anointing, whether it is the young person being confirmed or the person dying on the hospital ward, it will be our challenge to find the words of Good News to evoke faith in those people who receive the sacraments. It is our challenge, by our words and our prayers, to help them grow in holiness.

Pope John Paul tells us: the Holy Spirit gently guides everyone of the baptised. However, it is consoling to know that the Spirit reserves a special attention for those who have received Holy Orders. With the gift of wisdom, the Spirit leads the priest to weigh up all things in the light of the Gospel. The Spirit helps us to read correctly the signs of the times which are sometimes so confusing and difficult to discern. The Spirit helps us to see the hand of God in all that happens to each one of us and to recognise the loving plan of God the Father in what is going on in the Church. “For those who love God all things work together unto good”.

The gift of understanding helps us to get a deeper insight into what God is saying to us in His Revelations, in the Scriptures and in the tradition of the Church. With a truer and deeper understanding of God’s Word we will be able to preach the Good News with power and conviction. The gift of counsel is important in our decision-making, in our decision-making about what kind of activities we should engage in, the kind of pastoral activities for example that are appropriate and relevant to the needs of the times. This gift of counsel ensures that we act always according to the mind of Christ and do not allow ourselves to be swayed by the judgement of the world.

The Holy Spirit offers us the gift of strength to sustain us in the hardship of our work. It provides the boldness that is necessary to preach the Gospel fully and faithfully.

Of course it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that the sacrifice of Christ and Calvary is entrusted to the Apostles as the most blessed sacrament of the Church. That is why we pray at Mass, “Father we bring you these gifts, we ask you to make them holy by the power of your Holy Spirit, that they may become the body and blood of your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.” So without the power of God’s Spirit, Pope John Paul asks: “How could human lips ever make of bread and wine the body and blood of the Lord”. Eucharist and Orders are the fruits of the same Spirit. We thank God for them today and everyday but especially today.

AMEN

MURDER IN ARMAGH OF
MR CYRIL STEWART
STATEMENT BY MOST REV. SEÁN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH
28 MARCH, 1998

I am appalled by the callous and cowardly murder of Cyril Stewart.
Coming as it does at this critical stage in the peace process such a killing serves no purpose whatever and must be condemned in the strongest terms.

I extend to Mr. Stewart’s wife and family my deepest and heartfelt sympathy.

ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL, ARMAGH
ST PATRICK’S DAY MASS
HOMILY BY CARDINAL SEAN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH
TUESDAY, 17 MARCH, 1998, 12.00noon

I am very happy to see so many young people here today. I thank the Order of Malta, the Girl Guides and the Boy Scouts for coming here in uniform to honour St Patrick so faithfully each year.

What has St Patrick to say to young people? Quite a lot I think and if the adults will forgive me for doing so, I will try to pick out a few things from the life of St Patrick which hopefully will be of interest to you young people, but also say something to your parents as well.

Practically all that is known for certain about Patrick comes from his writings. These are two open letters – one is called his Confession – not a confession of sins but a confession of thanks to God for all his graces and favours. The second is a Letter to Coroticus condemning him and his soldiers for the murder and the destruction they carried out on people he had just baptised. Patrick calls them fellow citizens of the devil – strangers to him and his God because of their terrible crimes. I suggest that you try and get the writings of Patrick and read them for yourselves – you will find it well worthwhile.

I am going to divide up Patrick’s life into four chapters. The first chapter covers the first sixteen years of Patrick’s life. It is the chapter that many of you are in now. Patrick was born in Britain – probably near Carlisle. I told that to two young men yesterday. They were unaware that Patrick came from Britain. His grandfather was a priest and his father was a deacon – which is next to being a priest. So I would say there was fair amount of religion in that house. By the age of 16 it would appear that Patrick was getting a bit fed up with religion. Let us listen to what he says himself:

“I had neglected the true God. For we cut ourselves off from God and did not keep his commandments.”
That is the first chapter. We don’t know a lot except that Patrick felt he had cut himself off from God.
Then disaster struck. Patrick was barely 16. He was taken captive and carried off into slavery in Ireland along with a great number of people. Patrick saw it as punishment for his carelessness as regard his religion. “It was well deserved”, he says. God revealed his being to him through His wrath. He scattered us among foreign peoples. Try and imagine the scene, Patrick snatched away suddenly and without warning. No chance to tell his parents or pack a bag or say good bye. How did it happen? As they were on their way home from school? Or playing on the beach? Or working in the fields? We simply do not know. No way of writing a letter or telephoning or sending word to say he was alive and safe!

It was a terrible experience. But for those who love God all things, even the greatest disasters can be turned to good. That is exactly how Patrick came to see this disaster.

They had made me aware of my unbelief, he says, so that I might recollect my offences and turn with all my heart to the Lord. That is exactly what Patrick did. He turned to the Lord with all his heart. Night and day Patrick turned to the Lord in prayer on the hills of Antrim. Patrick discovered that he was not alone. He found and came to know and love a God who took pity on him as a father pities a son.

During those six years Patrick built up a great friendship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “More and more the love and fear of God came to me until I was praying up to a hundred times every day and in the night nearly as often.”

This second chapter of Patrick’s life ended with his escape. After a lot of exciting adventures Patrick returned home. His family wanted to know if they could trust him now as a son never to leave them again.
The third chapter deals with the question which every young person must face. What am I going to do with my life? What does God want me to do with my life? Because the one mighty motivation force in all his work was the love of God. Patrick decided to be guided by that love. As we might expect Patrick’s love of people was just as great. After his escape from captivity his heart was never at rest for he had seen the misery of a pagan people. The voice of the Irish rang in his ears calling him to come again and to tell them the good news that their names are written in Heaven.

And come he did, this time to voluntary captivity. Patrick could not believe what was happening to him. It was all God’s doing. He owed everything to God, so he could praise God’s name not only when things went well but also in times of stress.

Whether he receives good or evil, Patrick returns thanks equally to God. Patrick compares himself to a stone buried deep in a drain. God came and found him and raised him up and put him sitting on the top of ditch.

The fourth and final chapter is being celebrated around the world today. It is the fact that thanks to Patrick, Ireland became a Christian country. Here in Armagh we celebrate with special joy. For Armagh is Patrick’s special Church. The saint himself was its first bishop. The conversion of the Irish to Christianity was a work of extraordinary distinction.

It was carried out by a man who through prayer and suffering was united very closely to God. Patrick never allowed suffering to drive a wedge between him and God. Instead suffering was the bond which united Patrick even more closely to Jesus Christ in his passion and death.
Patrick met with great success. Obviously people listened to him and believed what he told them. They knew he spoke the Words of Life.

But Patrick met also with great suffering. He was deeply hurt at the treachery of a friend. He felt intensely the loneliness of exile and of separation from family and friends. With very few words he shows how hurt he was that his work should be criticised. He resents untrue and malicious rumours about his work, that he had no real authority to teach and that he was only in it for the money, so to speak.

HIS MESSAGE TODAY
People have tried to imagine the kind of letter Patrick would write to us today in Ireland. He would probably begin by asking us all not to be taken in by the rumour that he had banished all the snakes. He would point out the dangers that still beset us all. He would probably tell us all to pay more attention to what he actually did and said and to try and imitate that in our own lives. He would tell us not to be flaunting his name about without really embracing his message and without living it in our own lives.

Since we all know that the search for peace in Northern Ireland is now at a very critical and important stage Patrick would have something to say to all of us on that topic as well. He would probably remind us of what he wrote to Coroticus that those who murder “are strangers to me and to my God”. He would join in condemning those who plan and prepare the instruments of murder – the arsenals of arms, the bombs and the mortars.

Because Patrick was above all else a humble man, he would never dream of proposing himself as a model of reconciliation. He was a strong determined and independent man but his strength and his determination were rooted in a deep conviction of his own nothingness, but he knew he had been chosen by God in whom he placed all his trust.

So God gave him the gift of forgiveness. Patrick forgave the Irish the wrong they had done him and so he had the freedom to come back and begin a glorious new chapter of his life. There was a Pan European Ecumenical Assembly in Austria last year. Its theme was: ‘Reconciliation – Gift of God and Source of New Life’. Patrick exemplifies that theme exactly.

Today we ask the help of Patrick that an agreement may be reached in the peace process, that an end may be found to the ancient hostilities and that the process of reconciliation may begin in earnest. I am convinced that the conditions now exist to bring about a whole new chapter in the life of these Isles. What a prize that would be. What a real Millennium project! What a celebration of the Great Jubilee of the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us ask St Patrick to intercede for us that it may come to pass and grant the peacemakers the light to see and the strength to do what will lead to lasting and just peace.

Patrick has been remembered ever by a grateful people. One great honour they have never ceased to pay to him. Throughout the world the sons and daughters of Patrick have carried his name and his memory: for the land which he hallowed has never ceased to send forth men and women whose hearts are aglow with the same fire which burned in Patrick’s breast, men and women who remember the slave of Christ who heard the voice of children who were without a shepherd and who dwelt by the western sea.

Dochas linn Naomh Pádraig
Aspal mór na hÉireann
……………………………….
Iarr’mid ort a Phádraig
Guigh orainn-ne Gaela,
Dia linn lá agus oíche
‘S Pádraig Aspal Éireann.
AMEN

FUNERAL MASS OF DAMIEN TRAINOR
POYNTZPASS, FRIDAY 6 MARCH 1998
ADDRESS BY CARDINAL SEÁN BRADY

I want to offer to you, Sean and Anne Trainor and to James, my heartfelt sympathy on the death of your son and brother, Damien. I want to extend to Cecil and Ethel Allen and to their family my sincere sympathy on the death of their son, Philip. I want to assure you of the support of my prayers and of the prayers of thousands of others that God may give to you, and to all who mourn these young men, the strength you need to take you through this terrible tragedy.

Damien and Philip were united in life by friendship and common interests. They were united in death by the bullets of their frenzied killers. Those killers came in the dark of night, their faces masked lest anyone should recognise them and their evil intentions. Their mouths were filled with obscenities, their hearts were filled with hatred and their hands filled with weapons of death and destruction. And now, two families are united in shock, sorrow and devastation. The whole community is united in disbelief, horror and revulsion. Now, hopefully we will all be equally united in our determination to find and accept a settlement that will put an end, once and for all, to atrocities like that of last Tuesday night. Now hopefully we will all be united in the resolve to support the work of the peacemakers, united in our resolution to build peace, a peace that will last.

Damien and Philip were friends in a village that has been described as a model of community relations. Their friendship was built on solid foundations. It was based on their knowledge and respect for each other.

Here people know each other and see the good that is in other people. They recognise the truth that people are equal despite the fact that they profess different religious beliefs and belong to different political traditions. They are a people who are generous enough to afford to each other the freedom to hold these different beliefs and to support those political points of view. The friendship of Philip and Damien was built on the equality of their dignity as human beings, on the truth of their separate identities, on the freedom to be different and on their loyalty to each other at all times.

We gather in the name of the Lord Jesus. “Jesus suffered for you”, is the text of a notice attached to a telegraph pole at a place near Toomebridge where, a few days ago, Dominic Laverty is reported to have almost met the same fate as Damien and Philip suffered earlier this week. Jesus has suffered for you and for me and for all of us. Jesus has died for you and for me and for all of us. But Jesus has risen. Dying he destroyed our death. Rising he restored our life and our hope. The Risen Lord has sent his Spirit among us to remind us of all that Jesus said and did for love of us. The Spirit reminds us that Jesus has said: “You must not kill and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court”. Jesus also said: “Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right. Happy the peacemakers. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”.

Now we stand at a crossroads. Are we going to travel along the road where the bomb and the bullet are the boss? Where hatred and contempt, death and destruction, get their way? Or are we going to set our sights on and turn towards the road that leads to a genuine peace; a peace built, like the friendship of Damien and Philip, on sure foundations; on the foundations of respect and equality, truth and the freedom to be different. May the Spirit of the Risen Christ give us all the wisdom to choose what is right and the courage to make the changes in our expectations and aspirations which that choice will entail. May the deaths of Philip Allen and Damien Trainor be the last to dishonour this land. They will not have died in vain if we all resolve to work and pray more earnestly for peace. Let us pledge ourselves to make sure that they have not died in vain.

ST PATRICK’S TRIAN, ARMAGH
RELIGION, COMMUNITY AND CONFLICT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ADDRESS OF WELCOME BY MOST REV. SEAN BRADY
FRIDAY, 27 FEBRUARY, 1998, 10.00am

I have great pleasure in welcoming the distinguished speakers to this International Conference to Armagh. I congratulate the organising committee on their decision to hold this Conference. It is timely and most relevant. I commend their initiative in following through that decision and in assembling such an eminent group of speakers.

We are honoured that our speakers should come from such far-flung lands as Israel and Palestine, South Africa and Sri Lanka. I am confident that their willingness to share their experience and insights with us will prove most valuable and helpful. That there are so many participants here from throughout Ireland and Britain is a cause of great joy.

I compliment and thank the many co-ordinating organisations. This list which includes the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum, Armagh City and District Partnership, Armagh City and District Council, the Irish School of Ecumenics, the International Inter-Faith Centre, the World Conference on Religion and Peace, Action for Peoples in Conflict, is a very impressive one. We owe them all a deep debt of gratitude.

We gather in St Patrick’s Trian in Armagh. Here St Patrick, our National Apostle, built his first stone church in Ireland, thereby establishing Armagh as his own Episcopal seat, giving Armagh the proud title of the Primatial See of All-Ireland. Patrick was no stranger to conflict. He first came to Ireland as a slave. Europe in St Patrick’s time was the scene of great conflict and crisis. The Roman Empire was crumbling, the Roman Legions were retreating further and further from the outposts of the Empire, the Barbarian invasions were changing the face of the continent. The very existence of society, faith and culture seemed threatened.

Ireland too in the fifth century was not immune from conflict. From the writings of Patrick we know of a Welsh Chieftain called Coroticus and his soldiers who conducted a raid on a community of Christians along the East coast of Ireland on the very day that Patrick had baptised and confirmed them, massacring many and kidnapping others. In Patrick’s letter of castigation to Coroticus he calls him and his soldiers “men of blood, steeping themselves in the blood of innocent fellow Christians”.

So what has changed in Ireland over 1550 years later we might well ask. That there should still be conflict in our country is a cause for deep shame. All of us would like to live in a peaceful and harmonious world. The sad fact is that we do not. Most of us experience some conflict in our lives. This is the reality of the situation. However, our belief is that these situations can change. This belief that situations and people can change is central to our hopes for a lasting peace in Ireland. For that to happen the causes of conflict must be met and addressed and the conditions and climate favourable to change must be created.

The fact is that we have found it difficult to accept others as true equals. We have been slow to fully respect and accept the rights of others to be different from us and to hold other beliefs, to follow other traditions, to possess other identities. A lack of generosity and magnanimity, an unwillingness to make legitimate and much-needed change and sacrifice, a desire to dominate, fear and suspicion, sadly continue to be hallmarks of the conflict in Northern Ireland.

But these enemies of political progress, of peace and reconciliation, must not be allowed to be victorious. All people of good will must now redouble their efforts for peace and by their increased willingness to move and to make sacrifice, by their increased efforts to reach out to those of the different tradition, the enemies of peace shall be confounded.

There are many signs of great hope. Despite the deeply disturbing events of recent weeks, the Troubles seem to draw inexorably to an end. The sense of the futility and counter-productivity of violence seems, as never before, to be strong among our people. The desire for peace and a just and lasting settlement is at this time truly palpable.

The belief that people can change is central to the hopes for a lasting peace in Ireland. People can grow to see the futility of violence and the wisdom of the ways of negotiation and discussion. They can come to know that nationalism, whether it be Irish nationalism or British nationalism, is not the supreme good in life.
We seek forgiveness that in a land with a church practice rate unparalleled in the Western world, there should be such apparent deep-rooted conflict and communal unrest. We pray that the reign of God which is a reign of justice and peace might truly become a greater reality in our time. May we increasingly realise that the only victory which matters is that of the Lord and that we may make our own his words, “in the world you will have distress but have confidence, I have overcome the world”.

I wish this Conference many blessings and great success.

DAY FOR LIFE CELEBRATION MASS
PARISH OF NEWBRIDGE, CO. DERRY
HOMILY BY CARDINAL BRADY
February 1, 1998 10.00 a.m.

True Parity of Esteem
The life of one person must be recognised as being worth the same as any other. True parity of esteem begins here. For life is a gift of God. Life is also God’s invitation. From the first moment of our existence each one of us is invited to return to the Father. No-one has the right to put an end to a life which God intends to grow into knowledge and love of Himself and calls to share His life and love forever. Pope John Paul II has put it well in his encyclical, The Gospel of Life. He says: “Everyone has an incomparable worth because everyone shares in the very life of God…. the life of every individual from its very beginning, is part of God”. This “Gospel of Life” is also at the heart of the message of Jesus.

When the Church speaks of reverence for human life, these words are meant to be taken in their widest sense. The Church does not isolate the defence of unborn life from the defence of human life and dignity in other areas where these are being cheapened, endangered or destroyed. God’s commandment, “Thou Shalt not Kill”, unconditionally forbids all taking of innocent human life from its beginnings in the womb until the end that God, not man, has set for it. One must have absolute respect for human life as coming from God’s hands at the very first moment of conception and as remaining under God’s care on earth until he takes it back to himself again in death.

The recent spate of murderous attacks on innocent people has terrified many. Its total disrespect for basic human rights has angered many. The right to live, the right to follow one’s conscience, and practise the religion of one’s choice as well as the right to work and earn one’s living and support one’s dependants, all of these are being disregarded. These rights are the foundations of all civilised society. Such murders of innocent working men, fathers and breadwinners assail human life and dignity. They bring shame not only on the perpetrator but also on all who support or condone in any way their commission. They are a terrible indictment of those who have the power to change the bigotry and hatred which underpin such conduct and who fail to do so.

The Way Forward
A way forward must be found. The pleas of those who have been bereaved that there should be no retaliation must be heard. The memory of their dead must not be dishonoured by further bloodshed.
Those entrusted with the powers of government have to protect the lives of the people. They have to protect the rights of people to go about their business and do their work in safety. They have to create the conditions where the peace negotiators can make legitimate demands on behalf of their communities without thereby exposing innocent members of that community to death.
Those involved in the talks must not be intimidated or deflected from their work. That work is the search for a fair and lasting peace. Any other peace will contain the seeds of future conflict. Only a lasting peace will create the conditions where the rights of all are acknowledged and cherished, especially the right to live and to earn one’s living, the right to be accepted and esteemed, the right to have one’s dignity respected.

Those who are trying desperately to wreck the search for agreement must be seen for what they really are. They are the enemies of life and the peddlers of death. They are like those who deal in arms and drugs. They promote the culture of death. So it is right that on this Day for Life we pray for the defeat of all the death dealers, they must not be allowed to win. The combination of patient and courageous discussion on the part of those in the Peace Talks, supported by the prayers of all who want a genuine peace, will ensure that the death dealers do not win.

Another Attack on Human Life
There is yet another attack on human life which gives cause for concern. There are fears that attempts will soon be made to extend the Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. No Northern Ireland M.P. has supported this move. This reflects the overwhelming opposition of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland to such a move.

Some Northern Ireland M.P.s have also signed a motion affirming the profound respect for human life maintained by the majority of people in Northern Ireland.

As children of God we are known and loved and valued. “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you”. God says speaking through his spokesman, Jeremiah. God has an intense interest in each one of us, even before we existed. That message of God, “before I formed you in the womb I knew you” is hard to square with those who claim that the result of conception cannot be considered to be a personal human life, at least up to a certain number of weeks.

Decisions that go against life sometimes arise from difficult or even tragic situations. They are situations of profound suffering, loneliness. There may be a total lack of economic prospects, there may be depression and anxiety about the future. Pregnant women sometimes find themselves in very tragic circumstances, in circumstances of almost despair. Such circumstances can mitigate or even totally exclude subjective responsibility and consequent culpability of those who make choices which in themselves are evil, which are anti-life. But nowadays the problem is a greater one.

It is a problem which goes far beyond the necessary recognition of those personal situations. There is a tendency at the cultural, social and political level to see abortions, these violations against life as legitimate expressions of individual freedom, which are to be acknowledged and protected as actual rights. There is an implicit contradiction here. We live in an age when the rights of persons are solemnly proclaimed. The value of life is publicly affirmed but at the same time the very right to life is being denied or trampled upon, especially at the most significant moments of existence such as birth and death. It is being denied to the weakest and the most defenceless, at their most vulnerable moments.

Due to the tragic circumstances which some women find themselves in, as I have already mentioned, anyone who claims to be pro-life must be emphatically pro-mother as well. When crisis strikes, people can often feel vulnerable and alone. Unexpected pregnancy can be such a crisis. Sadly, there are some women for whom there will be no-one to listen and offer support at such a time. For those who support life, the mother who is about to give birth cannot be left alone with her doubts, difficulties and temptations. We must stand by her side. This is why the Irish Bishops set up CURA (Latin for Care), in 1977, to provide care for mothers and their unborn children who are in difficult situations.

The Holy Father has recently applauded CURA in its work of counselling and assisting of women facing difficulties in meeting the challenge of motherhood. CURA cares with practical help and emotional support. It has 16 centres throughout Ireland and 400 trained volunteers and deals with 10,000 calls annually. CURA also seeks to assist compassionately those who are experiencing the trauma of abortion and others affected by the problem.

The Christian “Yes” to life must also include a call for freedom, for adequate education, for proper living conditions, for more just distribution of wealth and opportunity. It is social and economic injustices such as these which often lead women to consider abortion as the best way out of a difficult situation. The Church is thus not just simply “against abortion”, it is also for life and human dignity and social justice.
We must always be aware of the agonies of conscience and the tortures of remorse which many women who have had abortions are now suffering. I want to assure them of the boundless compassion and unlimited mercy of Christ. He loves them. He loves to forgive. He has told us that he has more joy in forgiving sinners than he receives from the just who do not think they need forgiveness. No one is excluded from his love. No matter what the past, he offers everyone forgiveness and peace. His “Yes” to life is an unconditional “Yes” to all who come in sorrow and love to ask his pardon.

In his letter for the Day of Life, the Holy Father prays that: “the Day of Life will encourage clergy, religious and the lay faithful to deepen their understanding of the Church’s teaching on the human person and will inspire them to an even greater commitment to be forthright in proclaiming in society the Gospel of Life”. On this Day for Life, mindful of the Lord’s words: “I came that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10), let us to resolve to remain committed to uphold the sanctity of life in all its stages of existence, through our words and deeds, and to reject all that is contrary to the nurturing and flourishing of human existence.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
ECUMENICAL SERVICE
ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL, ARMAGH
January 21, 1998, 8.00 pm
INTRODUCTION BY MOST REVEREND SEÁN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH

“All who are led by the Spirit of God are Children of God”.

Your Excellency,
Your Eminence,
Distinguished guests,
Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

I welcome you all to this Inter-Church Service to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

I welcome President McAleese on this, her first official visit to Armagh as President. I thank her for her presence.

I welcome the Lord Lieutenient for Co. Armagh, Lord Caledon.

I welcome the Speaker – Bishop Paul Verschuren – Bishop of Helsinki.

Bishop Verschuren, a native of Holland has worked as a missionary in Finland for very many years. He has been interested in and has worked for Ecumenisim for a long time.

I welcome the President of the Methodist Conference, Dr. Norman Taggart, The President of the Irish Council of Churches, Rev. David Nesbitt, Dean Cassidy, representing Archbishop Eames and Rev. Tony Davidson representing the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. Sam Hutchinson.

The theme of this week is taken from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans:

“All who are led by the Spirit of God are Children of God”.

We come to pray in a sense of deep unity with those whom the Spirit is moving and inspiring all over the world to come together and pray for the same intention at this time.

We pray that the prayers of Christ at the Last Supper may be fulfilled, that they all may be One.

We pray in a spirit of gratitude for the progress that has been made during this century and particularly during the last quarter of the century to heal the wounds and divisions which openly contradict the Will of Christ.

We thank God for the seventy-five years of the Irish Council of Churches and for the twenty-five years of the Irish Inter-Church meetings.

The Spirit comes to help us
– in our moments of weak faith
– to strengthen our belief in prayer as the means par excellence and the soul of the whole Ecumenical Movement.

The Spirit helps us to renew our conviction that:

– what unites us as followers of Christ is stronger than what divides.
– that what we have in common is far greater than what separates us.

The Spirit comes to help us in our moments of fading hope, to encourage us never to lose sight of our final goal – what gives meaning and value to life. But also to commit ourselves again and again to work to bring about the changes which are needed to make our lives and our society correspond to God’s plans in a society of forgiveness, justice and peace.

The Spirit comes to help us in our weaknesses at this particularly difficult time in the history of our land.
We ask the Spirit to never let us forget that those who wish peace and justice and reconciliation are stronger than those who want violence and injustice and hatred.

We ask the Spirit to remind us that those who want peace and reconciliation outnumber those who oppose them. We must not forget that fact and we must stand in solid support of the peacemakers.
We ask the Spirit to help us to be:

STRONG in our support of the peacemakers.
RESOLUTE in our opposition to violence in all its forms.
DETERMINED in our search for a just and lasting settlement of our problems.
PATIENT in the face of every trial and
HOPEFUL at all times.

We remember in our prayers this evening all those who have been murdered in recent weeks. We pray for those who mourn them and we beg God that these evil and brutal killings may come to an end.

ST. MALACHY’S CHURCH, ARMAGH
MASS FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACE
1 JANUARY 1998 – 11.00 A.M.
HOMILY BY MOST REVEREND SEAN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH

Fifty years ago the United Nations produced its Declaration of Human Rights. The Second World War had just ended. During that war certain peoples had seen even their right to exist denied. The United Nations were anxious to ensure that this would never happen again. They wanted to find the basis for a just and lasting peace. They found it in the recognition of the dignity and rights of human beings.
From Bethlehem to Armagh.

Ever since the year 1957 a lighted lamp has been brought from the place of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem to all the churches in Austria. That burning flame was, and is, a symbol of their desire for world peace. This year the lamp has been brought via the European Parliament to Armagh. In a few moments it will be presented here in the Offertory Procession. We welcome it with great joy. It reminds us that what the United Nations declared fifty years ago, Jesus had already revealed almost two thousand years ago.

When he became one of us Jesus united himself in some way with every human being. He came on earth to reveal the boundless love of God. But Jesus also showed us the unique value of every human person. The Church acknowledges this value and celebrates it once again at this feast of Christmas. It proclaims the sacred value of human life from its beginning until its end. The lamp brought to us from Bethlehem reminds us of the words of Jesus to his friends: “My peace I give you”. Ever since those words were spoken they have provided tremendous inspiration for people to go out and work for justice, the kind of justice which overcomes division and provides the only solid foundation for peace.

Recently I watched a film about the work of the Irish for the street children of Calcutta. There was this marvelous voluntary worker named Edith Wilkins who looked after fifteen children single-handed. When she was asked why, “it is the kids’ right” she said, “to be fed and sheltered and clothed and educated”.

Another Irish girl, Therese Hennessey, spoke of her work for the sick and the dying in Calcutta. She and her colleagues try to ensure that these poor people die with dignity. Human dignity and human rights are at the centre of their work.

Justice Goes Hand in Hand with Peace

“Justice goes hand in hand with peace”, Pope John Paul tells us in his message for this World Day of Peace. When one is threatened justice and peace both falter. When justice is offended peace is also placed in jeopardy. For example, the majority of the world’s fifteen million refugees are victims of war. In war, lands and crops are destroyed, people are deprived of their livelihood and security. Money and skills are directed away from social uses and necessary schemes. The cost of one Trident submarine would pay for one year’s schooling for sixteen million children in developing countries. And for the cost of ten fighter aircraft all the infants of the developing world could be immunized against disease. These facts confirm the words of Pope John Paul when he says that “when either peace or justice is threatened both falter”.

Peace for all comes from the justice of each one of us
.
human rights of everybody are to be recognised and respected. They are to be protected and promoted. These rights are universal; they belong to one and all. They are also indivisible because social and economics rights are involved and are to be promoted as well as political and cultural rights which must also be recognised, protected and observed.

Peace for all comes from the justice of each one of us. “No-one is excused from the task of such importance”, Pope John Paul tells us in his message for today. “Human beings are equal in dignity. All deserve the same respect and have the same rights and duties”. It is important that we take these fundamentals as the basis for any lasting peace.

The Northern Ireland Situation
All of this is very relevant to our situation here in Northern Ireland. Despite the tragic and terrifying events of recent days, the celebration of the World Day of Peace this year takes place in a climate of somewhat greater hope than in other years. The restoration of the IRA cease-fire last July and the participation of parties representing more than eighty percent of the population in peace talks give hope of progress. There is a growing realisation of the futility of a conflict which has lasted almost thirty years, a conflict which nobody has won and which apparently nobody can lose. The terrible events of recent days are sombre reminders that there really is no alternative to discussion and dialogue. Hopefully these killings are only temporary setbacks on the road to a permanent settlement and a just and fair agreement. Hopes rise that conditions can be agreed to allow a peaceful and just co-existence. These hopes rest on the seeds of dialogue and discussions which are beginning to emerge.

Other Grounds for Hope
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has identified four areas which are to be given priority: marching, fair employment, policing and mechanisms for the protection of human rights. A Commission for Racial Equality has been set up. The Government has committed itself to incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law through legislation in the form of a Bill of Rights. It has stated that it intends to implement the recommendations of the Hayes Report for an entirely independent system for the investigation of complaints against the Police. The British Government is also sponsoring a review of the effectiveness of fair employment legislation and of government policies. Unfortunately these developments are not seen by all as positive and helpful. There is much fear and apprehension in certain quarters. Every effort must be made to calm people’s fears. Those who try to increase people’s fears at this time bear a heavy responsibility. The fact that human rights issues are being addressed is seen by some as a threat. There are some people who feel that the recognition of the rights of others in some way infringes their rights. The recognition of human dignity threatens no-one. Human rights belong to everyone. The human rights agenda is not a sectarian agenda. In fact their recognition is the bulwark and defence of true peace everywhere.

The shootings of recent days are to be condemned. They have claimed three lives, injured many and raised doubts about the peace process. I urge those involved in the talks not to lose their nerve and to deny the perpetrators of these atrocities their expected prize of the disruption of the peace talks and to press on towards the far more precious prize, the achievement of a fair and lasting settlement.

Refugees
Indeed the failure to protect human rights lies at the root of another urgent problem; that of refugees. Every twenty-one seconds a refugee is created somewhere in the world. In the last ten years the number of refugees has jumped from eight to fifteen million. As a group of democracies the European Union finds its political and ethical basis in human rights. This includes internationally accepted rights to asylum and the right not to be discriminated against. Pope John Paul has called the tragedy of refugees a wound which reveals the conflicts of the modern world. We are now part of a union of fifteen European states in which there is free movement of people by right. This process is irreversible, even though at times it may give rise to hostile reactions and alarm among some. Today we stand at a cross-roads. We can choose to turn in on ourselves and turn our back on the stranger and in doing so turn our back on our own history and indeed turn our back on the Christian faith. We are now among the richest nations in the world. We could decide to share some of that wealth, resources and opportunities with foreigners, as so many societies in the past did for our people. By doing so we could set an outstanding example of respect for the dignity of people less fortunate than ourselves.

Lack of Respect
Lack of respect for the value of other people is seen in a culture and language of contempt and disparagement. Anything which rubbishes and denigrates those who are different has no part to play in any genuine peace process. A just peace threatens no-one. Talks are the only way to reach such a peace. Talks are the only way to dispel fears. People need to be reassured that their neighbour has exactly the same hopes and fears as they. They hope to live in security, to be on good terms with their neighbours and to enjoy their esteem.

Recent Developments
During these days the thoughts of many turn to those people who lost their lives through violence in 1997. The first was Stephen Restorick, shot dead in Bessbrook last February. The last was Seamus Dillon, shot dead in Dungannon last Saturday. The parents of those two men have been united in grief and heartbreak at the loss of a son. They have also been united in a firm determination to do all in their power to ensure that no-one else will ever die in political violence in Northern Ireland. Each one of us must resolve to do the same. The shootings of recent days are of course, a threat to peace and to the peace talks. Some people have taken the law into their own hands and proceeded to shoot fellow human beings, thereby depriving them of something sacred – their human life. Everyone has the right to have their gift of life respected. Every human community is founded on that right. The political community is no exception.

The hope which the birth of Christ brings us
We urgently need the hope which the birth of Christ brings to us. Jesus comes to give us hope. He comes to give us hope in the midst of sadness and disappointment. He comes to tell us never to despair of the glory to which God calls us. He comes to ensure that we never lose the courage and trust which we need.
Christian hope focuses our attention on our final destiny. We are made to share God’s life in Heaven but we are also made to live in peace and harmony with our neighbour here on earth. Peace is about right relationships. Where violent conflicts have taken place right relationships have been disrupted. The process of healing the bad memories of the past and the giving and receiving of forgiveness are gifts from God. But the task of building the society founded on truth and justice and respect for others, especially the other who is different, that task falls to each one of us. No-one is excused from a task of such importance. The challenge of changing the structures in society that provoked, promoted and sustained violence in the first place, that task belongs to us also.

The heart of the Gospel message is Jesus Christ. He is everyone’s peace and reconciliation. The Spirit of the Risen Christ, the Spirit of hope is at work in the world. Pope John Paul tells us in today’s message that “the Spirit is especially present in the generous activity of all who patiently and perseveringly continue to promote peace and reconciliation between people who were once opponents and enemies”. This time last year there wasn’t much reason to be hopeful. Nevertheless many people did continue to hope and to pray and to work for progress towards peace. Those prayers were answered, their efforts were rewarded. They were people who remained undaunted in the face of obstacles. They continued to believe that God’s greatest promises can indeed by ours. They continued to hope for what is best with a confidence rooted not in themselves but in God. The hopes and the prayers and the work for peace must continue. Let them continue then in the firm belief that peace for all of us comes from the justice of each one of us. Let each one of us try to be more just in the sight of God, more faithful in the small things and the big things of life and more loving in our service of God and of each other. Let them continue in the firm belief that it is possible to achieve what God’s love plans for each one of us. Plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring you the future you hope for. May 1998, the year in which we celebrate the 850th anniversary of the death of St. Malachy, bring peace and joy, happiness and prosperity, to each one of you and to our land.

AMEN

ST. MALACHY’S CHURCH, ARMAGH
MASS FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACE
1 JANUARY 1998 – 11.00 A.M.
MOST REVEREND SEAN BRADY
ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH

INTRODUCTION
The tragic events of recent days add urgency to our gathering to offer this Mass for peace on this World Day of Peace – the Feast of Mary the Mother of God. We ask her to pray for us that we may in fact be made worthy of the promises of Christ. We ask God to be gracious to us and to bring us His peace. “From the justice of each one comes the peace of all” Pope John Paul tells us in his message today. We are far from being just. We know we are sinners. We need God’s pardon to make us less unjust. We ask pardon for our sins.