Irish Bishops' Conference: Autumn 2025 General Meeting

Members of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference gathered this week in Saint Patrick's College, Maynooth, for their Autumn 2025 General Meeting. The President of the Conference is Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, and the Vice-President is Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin.

On the first day, Archbishop Martin celebrated Mass as Gaeilge in Saint Mary's Oratory, concelebrated by clergy, and with seminarians, staff of the National Seminary and of the Bishops' Conference, in attendance. Mass was offered for peace to become embedded in the Holy Land following the recent ceasefire in the Israel - Hamas war; for a cessation of the Russian war in Ukraine, and for people suffering in conflict zones throughout the world.

Bishops also prayed for members of An Garda Síochána injured during last night's serious public disorder incident in Saggart, Co Dublin, and reiterated the call of the Gospel to all Christians to serve the common good by welcoming the stranger amongst us and living in harmony with all people.

Statement: Bishops express hope and pray for Peace in Gaza
Bishops said: "We share the hope of many that the recently negotiated peace agreement in Gaza, however fragile, will be the start of a comprehensive and lasting peace throughout the Holy Land. We pray for a permanent end to war and that a period of rebuilding homes and lives.

"In welcoming the recent ceasefire and peace agreement, we pray that this first stage will be built upon for a lasting peace. It is our sincere hope that much needed humanitarian aid, including food, water, medicines can reach the afflicted people of Gaza 'without interference' as the agreements states. Furthermore, homes and infrastructure need to be rebuilt and families and communities need to be reunited.

"The international community has an obligation to maintain the momentum for a comprehensive and lasting peace. In that respect, we note the recent statement by the leaders of churches in Jerusalem, including Cardinal Pizzaballa, voicing concerns about 'the increasing violence against local communities in the West Bank in connection with settlement expansions there', and hope that the international community will widen the scope of the current peace plan 'to include an end of the Occupation of both the West Bank and Gaza, leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with the present State of Israel' (Joint Statement of Leaders of Churches in Jerusalem, 15 October 2025).

"We note in particular the perseverance and example of the local Christian communities throughout this conflict, notably the Holy Family parish in Gaza, which have endured exceptional hardships during these past two years.

"This present fragile situation is only a beginning. We ask everyone to continue to pray for the people of Gaza and the wider Holy Land, that they may experience a true and lasting peace, based on justice and tolerance and rooted in the God-given dignity of every human person."

"We also pray for the over 68,000 who have lost their lives - including over 20,000 children - the displacement caused, the enormous work of rebuilding lives and infrastructure, and for those who have suffered so much."Welcome of Pope Leo's Dilexi te and impact on families of inflation

Publication on 9 October of Pope Leo XIV's first Magisterial document, Dilexi te
"Dilexi te was commenced by the late Pope Francis RIP, and Pope Leo has made it his own. This accessible document, which we encourage all to read, is a meditation on the call from Jesus, and from the Church over the centuries, to love and care for the poor. It is an invitation to prayer and action. It speaks of the 'structural causes of poverty', refers to 'social sin' and 'structural sin' and it asks us to reflect on why people are poor. It references migration and care of creation and calls on Christians not to succumb to secular ideologies or political and economic approaches that lead to generalisations. In essence, Pope Leo calls for a sense of mission in listening to and accompanying the poor, which includes people with all kinds of poverty - economic, cultural, social, spiritual etc. The Holy Father declares that, 'Serving the poor is not a gesture to be made 'from above', but an encounter between equals, where Christ is revealed and adored… Therefore, when the Church bends down to care for the poor, she assumes her highest posture' (Dilexi te 79)."

The bishops offered a call to action: "In this respect, it is important that parishes and other communities across Ireland engage with this document as part of Catholic Social Teaching. The issues that Pope Leo refers to are visible all around us in Ireland today. Despite the apparent economic buoyancy of the Irish economy, it is obvious that many people and families are still struggling to make ends meet due to high energy and food costs, and the housing crisis across the island of Ireland. RTÉ reports this week that data released by the global market research company, 'Worldpanel by Numerator', indicates that grocery price inflation here has increased to 6.5%, while the Central Statistics Office has measured overall inflation at 2.7%, an eighteen-month high. The Government's ending of one-off payments for energy in Budget 2026, amid continuing rising fuel costs, will adversely affect the discretionary spending of the majority of working families, with a disproportionate impact on low-income households, who have been forced into making difficult quality of life choices."

Mission Month theme: 'Missionaries of Hope among the Peoples'
Having celebrated World Mission Sunday on Sunday, Mission Month continues throughout October. Bishops extended their heartfelt gratitude to all who supported the Mission Sunday appeal with such generosity. Across the country, parishes came together in prayer and solidarity with missionaries who are serving the young Church, in some of the world's most vulnerable communities. Through spiritual and practical support, the faithful responded with compassion and commitment to the 2026 theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV 'Missionaries of Hope among the Peoples'. Reflecting on the Irish Church's long missionary tradition, bishops stated, "The remarkable generosity shown by the people of Ireland is a powerful witness to our deep and enduring connection with the missionary Church. For generations, Irish men and women have carried the Gospel to the farthest corners of the world - today, that same spirit lives on in the prayerful and practical support offered by missionaries who continue this vital work." Contributions can be made on www.missio.ieIrish

Synodal Pathway
Bishops reflected with gratitude on the positivity and progress made during the Pre-Synodal Assembly held on 18 October in Kilkenny. There was a strong sense of community, shared purpose, and collective wisdom as delegates from across the island discerned how the seven national priorities can best be approached in the year ahead. Bishops affirmed that next steps will require resourcing and the continued embedding of synodality as a normal way of discernment in every parish and diocese. Bishops expressed hope that local Church communities will become true 'laboratories of synodality' ready to come to next year's National Assembly having undertaken, even if imperfectly, to live and learn the synodal way.

The seven priorities are:
Belonging: fostering a Church of welcome, inclusion, and safety where each person finds a home in community and in Christ.
Co-responsibility and Lay Ministry: empowering all the baptised, women and men, to share responsibility for leadership and mission through new models of ministry and decision-making.
Family: supporting the domestic Church as the primary place of faith transmission and belonging, and strengthening its connection with parishes and schools.
Formation and Catechesis: deepening faith through lifelong formation that is Christ-centred, experiential, and equips the baptised for discipleship in today's world, rooted not only in learning but also in liturgy and sacramental life, so that prayer and worship become living sources of faith, understanding, and mission.
Healing: acknowledging wounds, especially those caused by abuse; committing to accountability, justice, and reconciliation; and ensuring safe spaces for survivors and all who carry pain.
Women: recognising and including women's gifts, leadership, and co-responsibility at every level of Church life, as a matter of justice and credibility.
Youth: engaging young people with authenticity, offering them meaningful roles in leadership and mission, and listening to their hopes and challenges.

Looking ahead, bishops agreed that an awareness campaign for Baptised and Sent - the document prepared for delegates attending the assembly - focused on priests, parishes, councils, ecclesial movements, and religious groups, will be organised to communicate these seven priorities in accessible formats.

New logo unveiled for the Irish Synodal Pathway
The Irish Synodal Pathway has unveiled its new logo (see collage). The design is theologically rich, spiritually resonant, and distinctly Irish. Rooted in Christian and Celtic heritage, the final design centres on Saint Brigid's Cross, within which a pathway is traced to symbolise our shared synodal journey as a Church that listens, learns, and walks together. The flowing lines suggest openness, dialogue, and movement, while the two shades of green evoke the Irish landscape and the themes of life, renewal, and growth. The logo invites everyone to see themselves within it. Timeless yet contemporary, it embodies an Irish expression of communion, participation, and mission - holding together faith, tradition, and transformation in an unfolding journey guided by the Holy Spirit.

Vocations to the Priesthood
'Come and See' weekend for Vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood
Following July's 'Come and See' weekend in Knock for men: contemplating a vocation; wishing to learn more about the life and ministry of a diocesan priest; and, seeking to gain insight into seminary formation, as well as the September meeting of vocations directors that was addressed Archbishop Christopher J Coyne, Archbishop of the Diocese of Hartford, who led a his vocations team from Connecticut, USA, bishops welcomed the upcoming 'Come and See' retreat on 22/23 November in Maynooth, and offered prayers for its success.

Launch of Priesthood in Ireland Today
Bishops attended the publication of Priesthood in Ireland Today, which was launched by Senator Rónán Mullen in Saint Patrick's College. At the launch, the editor, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of Waterford & Lismore, and chair of the Bishops' Council for Vocations, said, "This is a book about priesthood in Ireland today seen from sixteen different perspectives. The purpose of the book is to clarify and give new heart to priests who on a daily basis spend themselves in service of their people. In these synodal times, maybe some priests feel that they are no longer relevant, and that their role is merely a functional one which can be more or less equally undertaken by lay people. The contributors to Priesthood in Ireland Today are mainly priests, while there are also very beautiful and valuable insights from religious and married faithful. These contributions in no way exhaust the myriad of views on priesthood that exist today. In leafing through these chapters, the reader will find tensions and differences of opinion but this mirrors the actual situation of lived ministry on the ground. It is my dear hope that the book may contribute to the current discussion about priesthood, and underlines the vital role of the priest that he will always play in the Church."

Safeguarding
Mr Aidan Gordon, CEO, and Dr Keith Holmes, Chair of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, informed bishops that a third round of 'Independent Reviews of Child Safeguarding Practice' will begin in 2026. NBSC staff are currently working on a methodology for the reviews which will again involve external independent safeguarding experts and which will examine all aspects of child safeguarding in dioceses and congregations.

Bishops thanked the National Board for its conference in Athlone, in September, on the theme, 'Towards a Restorative and Transitional Justice Approach to Engaging with Victims and Survivors of Abuse in the Catholic Church in Ireland', which provided an important opportunity for Church representatives to hear directly from survivors on how healing for everyone impacted by the scandal of abuse might be helped through the use of innovative and compassionate methods of engagement. An outcome from the conference was that, while progress has been made, more is needed in order to respond to the Gospel call for justice towards those who have been harmed.

Accord commissioned survey on marriage
Bishops reflected on the Sacrament of Marriage and commended the great work of priests and Accord Facilitators who provide programmes to prepare couples for marriage. Bishops said, "Getting married in Church is a covenant for life between spouses whereby they confer the Sacrament on each other in the presence of Our Lord and the community, witnessed by the priest solemniser. The couple's commitment to each other is a sign to the community of God's grace and presence in their lives."

Bishops were advised of Accord clg commissioned market research on marriage, undertaken in August 2025 by Amárach, which found that, amongst non-married Catholics:
- 60% would want to get married in Church;
- 53% were not aware that it is possible to have a marriage ceremony in Church without Mass;
- 77% of respondents were not aware that people who are already married civilly may, at a later date, become sacramentally married in the Church, in a marriage ceremony known as convalidation.

Jubilee Year of Hope:

(i) pilgrimages to Rome for young adults, and teachers (ii) Saint John Henry Newman

Bishops welcomed the very positive evaluation from Irish participants at the Youth Jubilee of Hope pilgrimage in Rome, in July, and the Irish catechesis provided for Irish pilgrims. The Pontifical Irish College in Rome was commended for its outstanding contribution. The main challenge identified was how to translate the experience into local parish and diocesan life.

Bishops were informed that over 800 young people from across dioceses, movements and groups gathered in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth and engaged in the Catechetical programme, an Irish gathering in the Irish College, and events that were offered by a national team of organisers, chaired by Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross. This fostered a strong sense of identity among the Irish young adult pilgrims, while also connecting them to the wider reality of young adults from around the world seeking to enrich their faith.

A follow-up survey was sent to both youth participants and pilgrimage leaders. The feedback was rich, encouraging and complimentary of the pilgrimage as a whole, and of the spiritual, liturgical, musical and catechetical offerings it gave young pilgrims. Some quotes from the survey included:

"I just want to say that I am so grateful for being able to have gone on this pilgrimage at this age. Because I will really hold what was a once in a lifetime opportunity. And it happened at the best time in my life because I find with college, work and a busy lifestyle, it was the perfect reset that I and my faith needed" (young adult). And, "I felt that the Irish coming together for a programme was very important and impactful for the overall pilgrimage. Coming together and building community is so important, often young people feel that are quite alone and isolated in their local parish setting so broadening their horizons and showing them what is beyond their bubble was important" (pilgrimage leader).

A follow-up meeting was held online with pilgrimage leaders to pray, gather additional feedback and conclude the event. The real challenge expressed by the leaders was about how we build on this and consolidate it going forward.

Teachers
At Mass in Saint Mary's Oratory during the Bishops' Autumn General Meeting, Bishop Paul Connell of Ardagh & Clonmacnois and a member of the Bishops' Council for Education, delivered the homily, during which he said, "I was forcibly struck during the Young Teachers' Pilgrimage to Rome, in July, which was supported by bishops and comprised teachers from dioceses in Ireland, England, Scotland and Denmark, most of whom were qualified only in the last few years. The teachers did not know each other when they began the pilgrimage. It was a joy to watch how they jelled together and realised that they had permission to be themselves and celebrate their faith in an atmosphere that was so affirming. The absolute pinnacle was the audience with the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, who met them individually. It was transformational for each and every one of them. In a society which no longer values Church attendance and practice of the faith, we need to find new and inspirational ways to enable - particularly our young people - to experience together the richness of God."

Saint John Henry Newman
As part of the Jubilee of Hope for Education, on 1 November, the Feast of All Saints, Saint John Henry Newman will be made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIV in Saint Peter's Basilica. There will be strong Irish representation, including Bishops Breandán Leahy of Limerick, Paul Connell of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, Fintan Monahan of Killaloe, along with Rev Dr Eamonn Conway and other Irish pilgrims.

To be conferred with the title Doctor of the Church is a rare event. There have only been 38 of them in the two millennia of the history of the Church. They are conferred on individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to our understanding of the faith by their work and insights and such is the case with John Henry Newman.

Bishops reflected on the strong links with Newman in the Irish Church, as he was invited by the Irish bishops in the 1850's to found the Catholic University in Dublin which later became University College Dublin and, as part of the great legacy, there is the beautiful Newman Church on Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin.

Newman was ahead of this time and many of his ideas became key or core themes of the Second Vatican Council and the current Synodal Pathway, the importance return to the scriptures, the development of doctrine, the primacy of conscience, consulting the faithful, a fully educated and well informed laity.1700th anniversary of the publication of Nicene Creed and Inter-Church meeting
Bishops reflected on the 1700th anniversary of the publication of Nicene Creed, whose origin, in 325 AD, arose from Emperor Constantine convening the First Council of Nicaea to settle a major dispute about the identity of Jesus Christ. A priest and theologian named Arius taught that Jesus was not truly God but an exceptional human. Bishops at that time clarified the matter and affirmed that Jesus is fully God and fully human-"one in being" with the Father. To express this belief clearly, the Council composed a creed, a concise statement of Christian faith.

Early Christians preparing for baptism already used short creeds, but by the fourth century these became centred on stressing belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, following Matthew 28:19. The Nicene Creed, written at Nicaea and expanded in 381 AD, remains the most important summary of Christian faith, expressing what we believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, and eternal life. Although composed in the fourth century, it was not recited at Mass until the fifth, beginning in the Eastern Church. This year, Christians worldwide celebrate the Creed's 1700th anniversary, honouring its lasting power to unite Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants in one faith and to strengthen our shared relationship with God.

Irish Inter-Church Meeting
On 13 and 14 November, the annual Irish Inter-Church Meeting will take place in the Dromantine Retreat and Conference Centre, Newry, Co Down, Diocese of Dromore, on the theme 'Nicaea 1700: Strengthening our Witness and Unity'. A number of bishops, Catholic clergy and lay people will attend this ecumenical gathering which, this year, also celebrates one of the first Church councils, Nicaea in 325 AD, that drew together a diverse assembly from the entire Christian world to produce the Nicene Creed. The keynote speaker in Dromantine will be Archbishop Angaelos OBE, the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London.

Nostra Aetate: 60th anniversary of Vatican II document on inter-religious dialogue
On 28 October next, the universal Church will mark the 60th anniversary of the promulgation by Pope Paul VI of Nostra Aetate, the Vatican II document on inter-religious dialogue. Written in the first place in the light of the Shoah, and the recognition of the need for the Catholic Church to reform its relationships with the Jewish people, Nostra Aetate also went on to speak of outreach to other religions. It marked a very significant moment in the life of the Catholic Church.

Bishops expressed their gratitude for the many fruits of Nostra Aetate in terms of contacts established and Dialogues, studies and initiatives. There has been progress in the very understanding of the notion of Dialogue and of its various modes of interpretation. Four levels of dialogue are commonly presented: the Dialogue of life; the Dialogue of co-operation; the Dialogue of religious experience; academic Dialogue. The Dialogue of life happens in the workplace, at school and in the day-to-day relationships in local neighbourhoods. It is made up of everyday simple experiences of contact between people of different religious traditions. It is not to be underestimated in the context of a rise in racism. The Dialogue of life is fostered particularly in and around Catholic schools attended by many of different traditions. As well as providing the occasion for children and their parents to meet one another, students are introduced to elements of the main religions as part of the religious education programmes. Aiveen Mullally of the Marino Institute of Education, Dublin, has produced a text entitled: Guidelines on the Inclusion of Students of Different Beliefs in Catholic Secondary Schools. There is a number of inter-faith networks around Ireland promoting understanding and co-operation. Missionary religious orders and ecclesial communities also engage in promoting inter-religious contact.

In November we remember our dead in a special way through prayer
Bishops said, "November is a time for remembering and praying for our loved ones who have gone before us in the hope of Resurrection. It is a time when we are particularly conscious of those in our parishes who are grieving and all those families who have lost loved ones in the past year.

We mark this time of year in our parishes with events like the blessing of the graves, the celebration of remembrance services as well as commemorating, on Saturday 1 November, All Saints' Day and, on Sunday 2 November, All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day). We invite the faithful to unite in prayer throughout the month of November in remembrance of our dead. Ní imithe uainn atá siad, ach imithe romhainn. They are not gone from us, but gone before us."Catholic School Week 2026 theme: 'Catholic Schools: Normal lives, Called to Holiness'
Bishops had a general discussion on education, and commended the theme for Catholic School Week 2026, 'Catholic Schools: Normal lives, Called to Holiness', which will be celebrated in schools across the island of Ireland from 18 to 24 January 2026. Bishops stated, "God has blessed us all with gifts to make the world a better place. Catholics are also called to holiness, which simply means: bringing God's love into our actions every day.

Catholic Schools Week
Catholic school communities nurture students to help them realise their full potential, and to put their gifts at the service of others, following the example of Jesus. We offer our blessing to primary and secondary students, staff, parents and grandparents who planned and will participate in Catholic Schools Week 2026."

The theme of Catholic Schools Week is structured to reflect a key Gospel value each day:
- Monday: Called to Holiness through Prayer
- Tuesday: Called to Holiness through Love and Friendship
- Wednesday: Called to Holiness in Family Life (Grandparents' Day)
- Thursday: Called to Holiness through Courage and Service
- Friday: Called to Holiness through Joy and Service

Resources for Catholic Schools Week are available on catholiceducation.ie #Catholic Schools Week #CSW2026

Trócaire: appointment of new chief executive Seán Farrell

Bishops welcomed the appointment of Seán Farrell, on 1 October, as the new chief executive of Trócaire, the overseas development agency of the Bishops' Conference, established in 1973. Seán succeeds Caoimhe de Barra who, after twenty-five years with Trócaire, left in June to take a role with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. Seán's career spans more than thirty years in development including over twenty years with Trócaire, six of those as Director of the International Division. Most recently Seán was the Deputy Head of Mission at the Irish Embassy in Hanoi, managing development programmes across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Seán has spent nearly fifteen years living in and working on humanitarian and development programming in Asia and Africa.

Bishops prayed for the happy repose of the soul of Noreen Gumbo RIP, Trócaire's former Director of Global Programmes, who died in April, for her grieving husband Mudambi Ernest and children Michael, Nyasha and Adrian, and for the entire Trócaire community who are mourning Noreen's loss at this time.

10th anniversary of Laudato Si'
On the tenth anniversary of the publication of the best selling Encyclical Letter by Pope Francis RIP, Laudato Si' (Praised Be) on Care for Our Common Home, bishops welcomed Pope Leo XIV's statement that Laudato Si' is "even more relevant today", which the Holy Father said during his address on the occasion of the tenth anniversary gathering of the Laudato Si' Movement's 'Raising Hope' Conference in Rome (1-3 Oct 2025). Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore was one of the international line-up of speakers in his capacity as Coordinator of Laudato Si' for the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference.

In Memoriam
Bishops offered prayers for the repose of the soul of Father Dermod McCarthy RIP, following the announcement of his death today. Father McCarthy was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dublin in 1966, was a former administrator of Saint Mary's Pro Cathedral, Dublin, and had been appointed as consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications of the Holy See. Along with Father Joseph Dunn, Father Desmond Forristal and other Dublin priests, Father McCarthy was part of the pioneering religious and social documentary 'Radharc' team that filmed from 1961 to 1996 in Ireland, Brazil, Africa, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Hong Kong, and many other countries. He was a long serving Editor of Religious Programmes in RTÉ, and latterly served as chaplain to staff at the national broadcaster.

Seoladh leabhar Cuimhní ar Bhreandán Ó Doibhlin, Sagart, Scríobhnóir, Fealsúnaí, Diagaire agus Scoláire aréir i gColáiste Phádraig, Má Nuad. De Forti Dulcedo an t-ainm atá ar an saothar. Tracey Ní Mhaonaigh agus Tadhg ó Dúshláine a d'eagair. Bhí an-óiche ag an slua mhór a bhí i láthair ag malartú scéalta agus cuimhní ar an bhfear uasal.

Go Ionraí solas na bhflaitheas orthu.