IRELAND
Crux
By Sarah MacDonald
Catholic News Service
ARMAGH, Northern Ireland — The new primate of All Ireland has pledged to be a “servant leader” whose aim is to bring the Irish Catholic Church through a process of “humble renewal.”
Archbishop Eamon Martin, 52, succeeded Cardinal Sean Brady as primate of All Ireland, a leadership role that covers the 26 dioceses in the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. For nearly 17 months, Archbishop Martin had served as Cardinal Brady’s coadjutor in Armagh, and his succession was automatic when Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Brady’s resignation Sept. 8.
The new Irish primate told Catholic News Service that his priorities would be “to get to know my people and to facilitate a movement that will allow people to be confident in their faith without being polemical and condemnatory.”
Dismissing those who see the role of primate as “some kind of massive CEO position” he said it is a figurative and honorary position because of Armagh’s significance as the see of St. Patrick.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.