Northern Ireland

Church leaders say 'work of peace is unfinished' ahead of 25th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement

From left, Right Reverend Dr John Kirkpatrick, Most Reverend Eamon Martin, Most Reverend John McDowell, Reverend David Nixon and the Right Reverend Andrew Forster
From left, Right Reverend Dr John Kirkpatrick, Most Reverend Eamon Martin, Most Reverend John McDowell, Reverend David Nixon and the Right Reverend Andrew Forster

THE leaders of the four main churches Ireland have said the "work of peace is unfinished" as they looked towards the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Friday Agreement in 2023.

In a joint New Year message, the church leaders shared "their great concern for the state of our fragile peace on this island".

But they said they have recommitted themselves "to continue our work towards a vision of an island of restored relationships, where all can flourish and fully participate in our common life".

The leaders of the Church of Ireland, Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church and the Irish Council of Churches also have praised the "compassionate and practical" response of people across the island who welcomed those who had fled the war in Ukraine and other conflicts around the world.

In a statement signed by Most Reverend John McDowell, Most Reverend Eamon Martin, Right Reverend Dr John Kirkpatrick, Reverend David Nixon and Right Reverend Andrew Forster, they said: "When millions of people had to flee their homes there was however an extraordinary compassionate and practical response on our island, north and south, to welcoming and meeting the needs of those who arrived here".

"However, this has also challenged us all as to our attitudes towards people who have had to flee conflict in other parts of the world," they said.

"The compassion and care that Christ calls us to offer to the stranger in our midst cannot be conditional on their country of origin or indeed the colour of their skin."

Speaking of the continuing cost of living crisis, the Church leaders said it had "impacted many areas of life" and exacerbated "the scandal of homelessness" with "many who have a home find themselves unable to afford to heat it during the cold weather".

"This simply should not be the case in countries of great wealth, and shows the urgent need for a refocusing of government policies in both jurisdictions to deliver real and meaningful social justice and eliminate poverty across this island," they said.

They also looked ahead to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in 2023, which they said had "transformed the conflict in Northern Ireland, resulting in countless lives being saved".

"Its 25th anniversary comes at a time when we have great concern for the state of our fragile peace on this island and we are more aware than ever that the work of peace is unfinished," they said.

"As individual Christians and as leaders in our respective Christian traditions, we recommit ourselves to continue our work towards a vision of an island of restored relationships, where all can flourish and fully participate in our common life."

They concluded by saying "yet, amidst all that has been in 2022 and all that lies ahead in 2023, as Christians, we have a sure and certain hope of new creation in Christ".