"The pandemic has revealed that ‘faith matters’, not just for faith communities but for wider society,” says Dr Gladys Ganiel.
“We want to commend our ministers and clergy for their prayerful and creative use of various online platforms and other means that have brought encouragement, through God’s word and through prayer, to His scattered people.”
As the island battles this pandemic, standing alongside other denominations and Christian organisations, we are today issuing a call to pray — Ireland's church leaders.
As a a representative of the inter–church structures in the public square, “he set a tone for reasoned debate and honest engagement that reflected the Christian call to be good neighbours".
Today provides an opportunity for a new start for Northern Ireland’s political institutions and one that can also offer fresh hope, say the leaders of Ireland’s four main Churches.
While we acknowledge that points of difference obviously remain, the goal of restoring devolution remains within reach – Ireland’s church leaders.
Bishops urged Christians to stand and work together to show solidarity and pastoral outreach and to give hope to people, assuring them that they do not have to face this problem of homelessness alone.
The event was organised by the Focolare Movement, inspired by Jesus’ prayer to the Father, “May they all be one”.
‘We are very excited. We hope it will be a moment of grace for us here in the North and for all of Ireland as well’ – Manuel McGivern, spokesperson for Focolare.
“For the sake of the most vulnerable in our society, for the sake of the victims of our past, for the sake of children in our schools and for the sake of people who need improved health and social care services, now is the time to find a resolution to the political impasse.”
Weigh your words carefully to respect the integrity of those who conscientiously differ from you, and speak with grace, warn church leaders in joint statement on Brexit.
“There are core values and practices arising out of the Gospel that will lie at the heart of all the churches’ contributions at every level of engagement, from informing the opinions of individual members, to official contributions by the churches, to governments and institutions.”
An “unacceptable level of child poverty” is affecting over 100,000 children, roughly 6% of Northern Ireland’s population and “constitutes a real crisis”.
"Threat to social cohesion arising from growing socio-economic inequality is a particular concern, notably in its implications for the younger generations."
Religious service will mark the commencement of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Two cross-border initiatives taking place in Derry over 9-10 October on suicide.
