Archbishops invite people across the Island of Ireland and Beyond to pray the Prayer of St Francis for Peace

Archbishop Eamon Martin and Archbishop John McDowell are inviting people across Northern Ireland to pray the Prayer of St. Francis this weekend. The two archbishops released a video in which they narrate the prayer together to encourage people to consider how to be better neighbors to one another.

The invitation follows the crisis at Drumcree. In a joint statement, the archbishops noted that sincere views, painful histories, and important issues are involved in the current situation. They urged the community to build on existing efforts to foster trust and understanding between different traditions while respecting the rule of law and using peaceful, democratic processes.

Speaking to The Irish Times, the archbishops cautioned against language that increases division and spoke about the fragility of the present situation and the hurt caused by past violence. They called for an inclusive and reconciling approach to help resolve the crisis and asked Christians to consider what actions help build peace and the common good.