Distinguished guests, brothers and sisters in Christ from across the Archdiocese, idir cléir is tuath. It is both a privilege and a pleasure for me to welcome all of you to this Rite of Dedication. Welcome also to the City of Armagh where, according to the poet Lynn Doyle, “heaven spills its brightest green on rounded hills and smiles impartial on two peoples …” This splendid cathedral crowns the summit of one of the most beautiful hills in Ulster and overlooks the old City where Patrick, our National Apostle, once preached, and where King Brian Boru now sleeps. I welcome the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese and her husband, Dr Martin, and thank them most sincerely for honouring us with their presence. I welcome Mr James Grew, Deputy Lieutenant for Co. Armagh, and Mrs Grew. The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, representative of the Holy Father in Ireland, as always is most welcome. Through the Apostolic Nuncio, I wish to thank the Holy Father for his gracious message of encouragement and good wishes which will be read later. I welcome Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor of Westminster and Cardinal Desmond Connell of Dublin, both making their first visit to Armagh since being appointed by the Holy Father to the Sacred College of Cardinals. Cardinal Daly sadly cannot be with us today. I gladly pass on today his congratulations and best wishes to the priests and people of the Archdiocese. I welcome too Mr Paul Murphy, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, as well as the Mayor of Armagh City and District, Mrs Anna Brolly. I welcome also Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow, and Archbishop Patrick Kelly of Liverpool, along with the Rector of St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York, Monsignor Eugene Clark. We are very honoured and grateful for the presence of Bishop Michael Jackson, Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, along with Dr John Dunlop and Dr Edmund Mawhinney of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in Ireland, respectively. We are honoured by the presence of so many colleagues, past and present, of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, coming from the four civil and ecclesiastical provinces. To one and all – Céad Mile Fáilte ends Dr Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland Sunday 25th May 2003 |