Archdiocesan Congress on Youth, Family and Faith
October 2026: Archbishop Eamon Martin’s Pastoral Letter
The Archdiocese of Armagh is pleased to share Archbishop Eamon Martin’s Pastoral Letter, Go, Rebuild My Church, which reflects on the fruits of the Diocesan Congress on Youth, Family and Faith and invites the whole Archdiocese into the next stage of renewal and mission.
Drawing on the words spoken by Christ to Saint Francis of Assisi, “Go, rebuild my Church,” Archbishop Eamon encourages parishes, schools, families and communities to consider how the hopes and priorities that emerged through the Congress can now begin to take practical shape in the life of the Archdiocese.
The letter identifies five pathways for this next phase: Prayer and Encounter; Formation in Faith and Missionary Discipleship; Young People and Families; Liturgy, Welcome and Belonging; and Communication, Invitation and Digital Mission. Together they offer a framework for turning the discernment of recent years into concrete pastoral action.
Archbishop Eamon invites every parish and community to reflect prayerfully on these pathways and to consider where they might begin, choosing one or two practical areas for action in response to their own local circumstances.
This is not the conclusion of the Congress process, but the beginning of the process of taking what we have heard and discerned together and allowing it to shape how we pray, form, welcome, accompany and reach out as a Church.
As a people we are being invited to ask where the Holy Spirit is calling us now, and how each of us can help open doors to Christ in our parishes, families, schools and communities.
June 2026: Diocesan Congress Report Published
The Archdiocese of Armagh is pleased to publish the report of the Diocesan Congress on Youth, Family and Faith, held from 20 to 22 March 2026. The Congress brought together more than 300 people from across the Archdiocese for a time of prayer, listening, honesty and hope.
The report gathers the fruits of the synodal journey that has been unfolding since 2021 and reflects the voices of young people, families, parishioners, clergy, teachers, volunteers and many others who care deeply about the life and mission of the Church.
At the heart of the Congress was the question: what is the Holy Spirit saying to the Church in the Archdiocese of Armagh at this time? The report points to key areas for renewal, including prayer, faith formation, youth and family ministry, belonging, parish-school-family partnership, communication and shared responsibility for mission.
Everyone across the Archdiocese is warmly encouraged to read the report prayerfully, to reflect on what gives hope, what challenges, and where their own parish, school, family or community might begin.
Congress Highlights and Voices from the Congress
Preparatory Materials for Congress - 20th - 22nd March 2026
As the Archdiocese prepares for the Congress on Youth, Family and Faith, delegates are invited into a period of prayerful reflection, listening and preparation.
These preparatory materials have been developed to help delegates engage more deeply with the themes, questions and hopes emerging across the diocese during this synodal journey. Drawing on Scripture, Church teaching, the experience of parish and family life, and the voices of young people, the resources aim to support thoughtful discernment and meaningful participation in the Congress process.
The materials include background reflections, key themes, prayer resources, podcasts, and guiding questions connected to the six pastoral priorities of the Congress. Delegates are encouraged not simply to read the materials, but to pray with them, discuss them within their local communities, and allow them to shape their reflection on the future of faith, family and mission within the Archdiocese.
The Congress is not simply an event. It is part of a wider process of renewal, rooted in baptism, sustained by prayer, and attentive to the movement of the Holy Spirit among the people of God.
Preparatory Materials - YouTube Playlist
Priorities to Emerge from Autumn Listening
Since last autumn, parishes, schools, families, and young people across the Archdiocese have taken part in a listening process to help shape preparations for the Diocesan Congress on Youth, Family and Faith in March 2026. Communities reflected on their experience of faith today and identified hopes, challenges, and practical proposals for the future. From this shared listening, seven key priorities have emerged, which will now guide the next stage of preparation as delegates gather in advance of the Congress.
To support this preparation, the Archdiocese has produced a podcast reflection series exploring each priority. The episodes allow delegates and parish communities to engage with the material in a flexible way, offering reflections rooted in Scripture and Church teaching alongside proposals emerging from parish and school feedback. The series is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, with the full playlist available here to help communities prepare together for the Congress.
Autumn 2025 - Synthesis and Response from Bishop Niall Coll
Click Image Above to Access Autumn 2025 Listening
Click Image Above to Access Bishop Niall Coll’s Response to Autumn Listening
Resources for Discernment in Parishes and Schools
December 2025 - January 2026
Click Image Above to Access Resources
A Guide For Delegates
Congress Prayers
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Click Image to Access
“As sons and daughters of St. Patrick, our patron and following the example of Saint Brigid, Saint Malachy and Saint Oliver Plunkett we are once again invited to step forward in their footsteps. We do so, not with ready-made answers but with hearts open to the Spirit and as a people grounded in humility and trust.”
Archbishop Eamon Martin and Bishop Michael Router
