‘'The living Church is always going into new places...', Archbishop Dermot Farrell, Pentecost 2026
Archbishop: Let us open ourselves to where Christ is leading us
Archbishop Farrell has written a Pastoral Letter for Pentecost, Come, Holy Spirit, Fill Our Hearts with the Fire of Your Love. In it, Archbishop Farrell writes: ‘In the Holy Spirit, we are called to let go of what was, and open ourselves to where Christ is leading us, to embrace the hope God has for us and for all creation… Now is the time, in prayer and reflection, to deepen the renewal which has been long under way among us.’ The Archbishop’s Pastoral Letter introduces a Process for the Modification of Parishes for Mission.
Archbishop Farrell's Pentecost Pastoral Letter
Archbishop in Knock: Move forward, embracing renewal with courage
In his homily during the Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock, Archbishop Farrell pointed to the apparition at Knock, given to ordinary people and marked by silence, and how it invites the Church to reflect. Echoing words of the late Pope Francis, he said that although the Church appears to be in crisis, this shows it to be alive. Rather than decline, God is at work, calling the Church to rediscover its mission of bringing hope. The Archbishop called for the Church in the Archdiocese of Dublin to move forward in a synodal way, letting go of outdated structures and embracing renewal with courage.
Archbishop Farrell’s homily and pilgrimage photographs
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.
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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 Farrell’s homily
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.”
Archbishop Farrell’s homily
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