Archbishop Eamon Martin Jesus’ direction to Mary and the apostle John to care for each other as mother and son is “a moment for all time”, the Catholic and Church of Ireland archbishops of Armagh have said.
In a joint Easter message, Archbishop Eamon Martin and the Church of Ireland Archbishop Richard Clarke said in a time when families are under threat from numerous material, societal and spiritual pressures, “the need for a human family’s care and love becomes greater with each passing day”.
“And sadly,” they added, “there are many people who, for whatever reason, can only dream and wish for the warmth and care of family.”
Highlighting how this summer’s World Meeting of Families in Dublin would allow Christians of different traditions to share the good news of family as ‘Joy for the World’, the primates said Christians are called “to ‘be family’ for others, including those who are, or who feel they are, estranged from the family ‘circle’”.