Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Eamon Martin and Bishop Michael Router
(To be read at all Masses in the Archdiocese of Armagh on the weekend of 25th–26th October 2025)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in the
Temple. One stands proudly before God, recounting his achievements; the other, with
downcast eyes, simply prays, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus tells us that it
was the humble tax collector who went home at rights with God, for “those who exalt
themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
This parable is an invitation to humility. It is a call to listen to God and to one another,
rather than to dwell on our own merits. That same spirit of humility and listening is
at the heart of our diocesan journey towards the Diocesan Congress on Youth, Family
and Faith, which will take place from 20th to 22nd March next year in the Armagh City
Hotel.
The months of preparation before the Congress, and the Congress itself, will be a time
of renewal and reflection for all of us in the archdiocese. Together, we will seek to
answer a vital question: “What can we do, in our homes, parishes and throughout the
Archdiocese of Armagh, to help young people and families to grow in faith and to
come to know Jesus in a real and personal way?”
In recent years, through our participation in the Synodal process, we have been
listening attentively to one another, to our young people, to families and to those who
feel distant from the life of the Church. Time and again, the Holy Spirit has guided us
to focus on youth, family and faith, the living heartbeat of our Christian communities.
The first line of the ‘Prayer for the Congress’ beautifully expresses how we are to begin
this journey: “God our Father, we your people take time to be still and to bid ourselves
to pray, listen and learn.” This is where our preparation starts, with stillness, prayer
and a willingness to listen.
Across the diocese, parish listening sessions are now taking place to hear people’s
experiences, hopes and ideas for renewal. If you have not yet taken part, we warmly
invite you to attend one of these gatherings or to participate online. The web address
is available on the parish newsletter this weekend. Every voice matters. Every person
has something valuable to contribute to the future of our diocesan family.
The Congress Prayer also reminds us that “all journeys of faith begin in your Word:
Love one another as I have loved you.” Love and listening go hand in hand. When we
truly listen to God, to our young people and to one another, we build bridges of
understanding, hope and faith. The prayer concludes with the words “We have God’s
work to do. So, rise, let us be on our way.”
As we look ahead to next March let us not see the Congress as a once off event in the
calendar, but as an ongoing call to renewal in our hearts, in our homes and in our
parishes.
We encourage you to take home a copy of the Congress Prayer from your church today,
or to download it from the Armagh Prays website. Pray it each day with your family,
your parish group or quietly on your own. Ask the Holy Spirit to bless our archdiocese,
to guide our young people, to strengthen our families and to renew our faith.
May we go forward together in humility, listening for God’s voice and finding hope and
encouragement in our outreach to young people and families.
With every blessing and assurance of our prayers,