At celebration of the Easter Vigil, catechumens welcomed into Church

Archbishop Farrell was the celebrant at the Vigil Mass of Easter in St Mary’s Cathedral, Dublin. The ceremony began with the lighting of the Paschal fire at the entrance to the Cathedral, where the Archbishop was assisted by Deacon Thomas Groves. During the Mass, three catechumens were baptised and confirmed into the Catholic faith: Zhao Zhang, who was baptised with the Christian name Thomas, Mamadu Sow, baptised with the Christian name John, and Charlie Pooley. Two other candidates also received the sacrament of Confirmation. The Palestrina Choir provided the music for this joyful celebration of Christ’s Resurrection.

Chrism Mass: Welcome God’s renewal with faith and hope, says Archbishop

On the morning of Holy Thursday, the Chrism Mass was celebrated in St Mary’s Cathedral, Dublin. Archbishop Dermot Farrell emphasised a key word of the Gospel: today. Reflecting on Holy Week, he highlighted how Christ enters fully into human weakness and suffering, making powerlessness the place of salvation. Christian ministry therefore occurs not only in moments of joy but alongside people in their struggles. In a time when the Church faces crisis and change, the Archbishop urged the priests and people of the Archdiocese to respond not with resignation but with trust and acceptance – the Church’s future lies in welcoming God’s renewal with faith and hope.

Archbishop on St Patrick’s Day: Poor and vulnerable pay real price of war

In his St Patrick’s Day homily, Archbishop Farrell called for patient, active faith in a world troubled by conflict. During Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral, Dublin, he reflected on the parable of the wheat and the weeds, warned against passivity and despair, and urged us to trust in God’s timing while working for justice, peace and inclusion. Archbishop Farrell said: “While the effects of the war in the Middle East – a war both unjust and unjustifiable – are felt by us all, what we feel is nothing compared to what is inflicted on our sisters and brothers whose lives and lands are reduced to rubble by the munitions of the powerful far away. It is the poor, and the vulnerable – let us not forget the children – who pay the real price of war.”

Joy at St Mary’s Cathedral as largest ever number attend Rite of Election

Dublin’s largest ever number of catechumens and candidates were presented at the Rite of Election in St Mary’s Cathedral today, Sunday, February 22. Nearly 130 people, who will complete their journey into the Catholic Church at Easter this year, attended the ceremony led by Archbishop Dermot Farrell. They were joined by their sponsors, family and friends, and were accompanied by priests and parishioners from their home parishes around the Archdiocese. Archbishop Farrell thanked the diocesan Mission & Ministry team as well as the Knockmitten Youth Choir for making the ceremony so joyful and memorable. In his homily, the Archbishop reflected on conversion through the example of St Augustine and St Paul.

Archbishop Farrell at opening of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The opening service in Dublin for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, organised by the Dublin Council of Churches, took place in St Thomas Indian Orthodox Church in Palmerstown on Sunday evening, January 18, and was attended by Archbishop Dermot Farrell.

Those in attendance included Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland, who preached; Archbishop Michael Jackson; and clergy and representatives from the affiliated churches of the Dublin Council of Churches.

“We are asked to live the promise of hope beyond the Jubilee”

The Jubilee Year of Hope came to a close today, the Feast of the Epiphany, after a year of spiritual renewal across the Church. To mark its end, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St Peter’s Basilica and closed the basilica’s Holy Door.

Archbishop Dermot Farrell today said: “All of us baptised are asked to live the promise of hope beyond the Jubilee. While this Jubilee Year is now concluding, we might encourage each other so that the hope that this year of grace has celebrated, will continue to deepen in our hearts and in our communities. In Christ who is Alpha and Omega, our beginning and our end, we find our hope.”