The leader of the Irish Church, Archbishop Eamon Martin has described St Columbanus as “a figure of unity and hope” and warned that “peace is fragile” and must be handled with care.
Speaking to Columbans.ie following his participation, with the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop John McDowell, in the Armagh leg of the Columban Way/Turas Columbanus Pilgrim Walk, he said seeing what is happening in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, “reminds us of the importance of building peace”.
Peace is one of the themes of the walk which began in Mount Leinster, Co Carlow and concludes in Bangor, Co Down on 21st September 2024, which is World Day of Peace.
Speaking about war and conflict as a push factor for refugees and asylum seekers, Archbishop Martin said when he saw the pictures of businesses, and homes and premises being attacked and burned during the summer in Ireland, “I thought to myself, it is really not that long ago when that kind of destruction and intimidation was going on in our own midst”.
Underlining the fragility of peace in Northern Ireland, he said that there was a better mood at the moment as a programme for government had been agreed among the executive parties.
Photo: Janet Forbes
“There is a sense of optimism though there appears to be very little finance there to invest in building the peace – but at least people are talking, they are sitting together in Stormont and there is more and more interaction going on. That is not to say that there aren’t struggles.”
He highlighted how the Friends of St Columbanus on the island of Ireland is a cross-community group. “Archbishop John [McDowell] and I were very keen to support them and walk one of the legs of their journey.”
The Pilgrim Walk for peace, healing and well-being follows in the footsteps of St Columbanus and is modelled on the renowned Camino de Santiago.
Photo: Janet Forbes
Using walkways, pathways and pilgrim routes the pilgrims have used their time on the Columban Way to talk about health, well-being, the importance of peace and reconciliation – a time which Archbishop Martin stressed, “when we really need to good to each other and be kind to each other and welcome each other.”
The Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop John McDowell told Columbans.ie that “prejudice against people who aren’t the same colour as us” was something “we are very reluctant to own up to” but it needed to be addressed “absolutely head-on”.
He said present challenges was coming from the rise of the new right. He reminded people, “particularly people in my tradition, that we were all visitors to this place and we have come in and one way or another, and been accepted”.
Photo: Janet Forbes
The Armagh leg saw students from St Patrick’s Grammer School in Armagh and St Catherine’s College in Armagh join the two Archbishops, members of the Friends of St Columbanus from north and south of the border and Columban missionaries walk from Navan Fort into the two Cathedrals in Armagh.
Outside St Patrick’s RC Cathedral Archbishop Martin recalled how St Columbanus is one of the few of the church’s early saints for which there is a good deal of primary source evidence from his writings, homilies and letters. Born about 100 years after St Patrick came to Ireland, the Archbishop said it was appropriate that they should say the Prayer of St Patrick who had a sense that Christ was with him at all times.
During refreshments at the Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Archive, Columban vice regional director, Fr Padraig O’Donovan told Columbans.ie, that the pilgrim walk was “a delightful journey through the open countryside of Armagh”.
Photo: Janet Forbes
He said this had been “enriched by the camaraderie of fellow walkers from two local secondary schools and dedicated pilgrim travellers. The joy and meaning of this pilgrim walk for me lie in the serene embrace of the countryside, the bonds formed with fellow travellers, and the deep sense of purpose guiding each step towards a sacred destination.”
Gerard Devine, teacher of religion in St Patrick’s Grammer School Armagh, was accompanied by 25 students as was Fiona Caldwell with a group of students from St Catherine’s College.
Mr Devine told Columbans.ie, “It was lovely for us to retrace the steps of St Columbanus. He is somebody we don’t know too much about in Armagh – obviously we know a lot about St Patrick.”
Of the walk he said when they went through some fields, it helped them to “envisage what it would have been like for St Columbanus.”
Photo: Sarah Mac Donald
There was also a lovely ecumenical element with Archbishop John McDowell and the visit to St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral. – I’ve been working in Armagh for eight years and this was my first occasion to go to the Cathedral – so this opened up that door for me.”
He paid tribute to all the young students from both schools who got up before 7am to take part and did the walk “on their own time – which is amazing”.
Photo: Janet Forbes
For more on the Columba Way/Turas Columbanus see: https://carlowtourism.com/thecolumbanway/