SW News: Church leaders in Ireland have urged believers to pray for peace and express solidarity with suffering Ukrainians by reaching out to “support the injured and bereaved, and to do all that they can to help and support the victims of unnecessary suffering. The Church Leaders Group made this appeal in their Easter message issued on April 13.

Just like how the whole earth was shrouded in darkness when Jesus was crucified, the world is overshadowed “with the darkness of war and conflict in Ukraine”, said the Church leaders in their statement. They also spelt out the killing and mutilation of innocent people, and bombing of homes, shops, hospitals and schools that have displaced millions already. They said that families are literally “walking through the valley of the shadow of death”.

As Church leaders in Ireland, they said they remain united and they have recommitted themselves and their Churches to help “our sisters and brothers in their hour of need and call on all world leaders and people of influence to work even harder and find a way to restore peace.” In their statement, the leaders also said that they are praying for those who are bent on waging war, whose hearts are filled with hatred so that they are transformed by God’s love.

Reminiscing the two-year battle with the novel coronavirus, the Church leaders said that people made sacrifices to protect their neighbor from the pandemic. “Our journey with coronavirus has taught us much and thankfully there are good signs of recovery. We are conscious too that for many the effects of the virus continue. Many have been very ill, others have suffered the pain of bereavement without family and friends being able to gather for the funeral, others live with the effects of the last two years on mental health or economic circumstances,” they said. In the message, they also mentioned that everyone has learned to live with vulnerability and they are well aware of the fragile nature of human life.

They also wished that the Easter message of hope in the risen Jesus, who banished the darkness and “rose victorious in the light of a new dawn”, be heard and realized in Ukraine.

The statement containing the message was signed by The Most Rev. Eamon Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; The Most Rev. John McDowell, the Church of England Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; The Right Rev. Dr David Bruce, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; The Rev. Dr Sahr Yambasu, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; and The Right Rev. Andrew Forster, President of the Irish Council of Churches.