Good Friday at 25 Reconciliation was not an optional extra in the Gospel message and teaching of Jesus: it was a core value, writes Archbishop Eamon Martin Two commentators on a recent radio interview were discussing our historic peace agreement of April 10, 1998. I found it quite sad that throughout the entire discussion each used…

Good Friday at 25 Despite the horrors of the conflict, the witness of countless heroic priests and other clerics reminds us of a Christian hope which stood against hatred, writes Prof. Francis Campbell Over 25 years ago, I heard a senior British official, who was quite closely involved with the Northern Ireland peace process, lament…

Good Friday at 25 Whatever the persistent problems or deficiencies of the Good Friday Agreement, a return to violence has to be avoided, writes Dr Martin Mansergh The reaction of older people who lived through the 30-year-long northern conflict, especially those in close proximity to it, is one of profound gratitude that it proved possible…

Good Friday at 25 It is difficult for a new generation who have never experienced conflict at home to imagine the toll of the violence in lost lives, physical and mental injury and economic woe,writes Martin O’Brien After staying up late on Holy Thursday in case I missed anything I woke up to a news…

Good Friday at 25 As we mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, we face new challenges but ones to which solutions can and should be found, writes Bishop Donal McKeown  Like many people, I remember very well where I was when I heard about the Good Friday Agreement. Unlike most of my colleagues…

Good Friday at 25 The Noble laureate’s faith sustained him in the toughest of times, writes Chai Brady Irish history must remember the peace-making behemoth and founder of the SDLP in the North, John Hume, as well as his wife Pat, because marking the Good Friday Agreement without mentioning them would not be accurate, according…

Good Friday at 25 Sr Liz Smyth’s Catholic education helped give her anger at the Troubles a productive outlet, Ruadhán Jones hears “We thought it was normal,” says Dominican Sr Liz Smyth, who grew up on the Falls Road in Belfast during the height of the Troubles. What was normal? Burned out buses on the…

Some parishes across Ireland are far ahead of the curve in sustainable practices, Chai Brady writes The recommendation by the Irish bishops in their spring statement that parishes should consider giving 30% of land back to nature by 2030 was met with enthusiasm by parishes who have been working hard to increase biodiversity for several…

Through our relationship with Jesus, we too can make a difference in our world, our community and our homes, writes Fr Barry Matthews When we think of the Holy Land many of us have a romantic and somewhat nostalgic notion about the stories that we know so well from the Bible. On our recent pilgrimage…