From 6.30pm today, more than 300 delegates from across the Archdiocese of Armagh will gather in Armagh City Hotel, over 20-22 March, for the first Diocesan Congress on Youth, Family and Faith. Representatives from parishes, schools, families, clergy and young people will continue the Church’s ongoing reflection on how to support young people and families in contemporary Ireland.
Speaking ahead of the Congress, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, said, “Our gathering comes at an important moment of renewal for the Church. As we look towards the 1600th anniversary of the arrival of Saint Patrick in Ireland in 2032, we are asking how the missionary spirit of Saint Patrick can inspire the Church today. This Congress invites us to reflect together on how we can accompany young people, support families and renew our parish communities for the future.”
The gathering follows several years of consultation and listening across the Archdiocese as part of the wider Synodal journey of the Catholic Church. Delegates will reflect on pastoral priorities including belonging, faith formation, youth participation in parish life, prayer and spirituality, and digital evangelisation.
The Congress will open this evening with a Liturgy of the Word, featuring music, dance and drama performed by young people from across the archdiocese. Tomorrow, Saturday, and on Sunday, delegates will consider a series of proposals that have emerged from the consultation over the past year, and will make recommendations to the Archbishop regarding the pastoral priorities that will guide the Church in Armagh in the years ahead.
Bishop Michael Router, Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh, said that the focus on young people and families is essential for the future of parish life. “Many young people and families are not absent from the Church because they have lost faith, but because they no longer feel they belong. Our Congress is an opportunity to reflect honestly on that reality and to find ways of building parish communities where faith can grow and flourish.”
Following the Congress, the recommendations of delegates will help shape a pastoral implementation plan for the Archdiocese of Armagh, guiding its mission in the years leading to the Patrician.
ENDS