Irish public’s ‘compassionate’ response to Ukraine war praised by church leaders

This year has been a time of “significant shock and trauma” but Irish people showed an “extraordinary, compassionate and practical response” to those seeking refuge from the war, Ireland’s five church leaders have said.

In their annual new year’s message, Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Archbishops of Armagh Most Rev John McDowell and Most Rev Eamon Martin, Presbyterian moderator Rt Rev Dr John Kirkpatrick and the presidents of the Methodist Church and Irish Council of Churches, Rev Ken Nixon and Bishop Andrew Forster, praised the people of Ireland.

However, the church leaders said the war that broke out in Europe shows that the care and compassion shown by western states cannot be conditional on where they come from or their face.

“As the most significant restrictions necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic began to ease, war broke out in Europe with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. When millions of people had to flee their homes there was, however, an extraordinary compassionate and practical response on our island, north and south, to welcoming and meeting the needs of those who arrived here,” they said.

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“However, this has also challenged us all as to our attitudes towards people who have had to flee conflict in other parts of the world. The compassion and care that Christ calls us to offer to the stranger in our midst cannot be conditional on their country of origin or indeed the colour of their skin.”

The leaders also spoke about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on Irish society.

“This has impacted many areas of life, such as exacerbating the scandal of homelessness and also meaning that many who have a home find themselves unable to afford to heat it during the cold weather,” they said.

“This simply should not be the case in countries of great wealth, and shows the urgent need for a refocusing of government policies in both jurisdictions to deliver real and meaningful social justice and eliminate poverty across this island.”

Looking ahead to the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement, which was signed on April 10th, 1998, the leaders said it “transformed conflict in Northern Ireland”.

“We know that so many continue to live with the pain and trauma inflicted on them and we also recognise that the agreement came at a high price for many, for whom the release of prisoners was, and still is, particularly painful,” they said.

“Its 25th anniversary comes at a time when we have great concern for the state of our fragile peace on this island and we are more aware than ever that the work of peace is unfinished.”