A Message from Archbishop Eamon Martin

In September 2026, ahead of the Stated Annual Meeting at Trim, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, wrote to the Order of the Knights of St Columbanus to set out his hopes and expectations for it. The Brothers considered his message in prayer before the meeting and again in breakout sessions at Trim, and the new Supreme Executive will take forward what came of them.

His message is published here in full, with the permission of the Archdiocese of Armagh.

The message

Message from Archbishop Eamon to the Order of the Knights of St Columbanus

I am grateful for this opportunity to share my hopes and expectations for the Order of the Knights of St Columbanus.

For more than a century, the Order has served the Church in Ireland. Inspired by the courage and missionary spirit of St Columbanus, its members have placed their faith, gifts and experience at the service of Christ and his people. That mission remains as important today as ever.

Taking your mission statement as our starting point, my hope is that its ideals will be clearly visible in the lives of every Knight and Companion so that your mission statement is more than words on a page. It must take flesh in the way you pray, care for your families, support your parishes and clergy, help those in need, and conduct yourselves in your workplaces and communities.

At the heart of your vocation are Fraternity, Unity and Charity — not simply ideals to admire, but virtues to be lived each day. Rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and nourished by prayer, the Word of God and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, fraternity calls you to support one another in Christ and to care for members and their families; unity keeps you close to Christ and his Church through loyal and active service to the Holy See, bishops and clergy; and charity sends you out to serve those who are poor, vulnerable, lonely or forgotten. When these virtues are visible in your homes, parishes, workplaces and communities, the Order offers its strongest witness of Catholic men whose faith is known by their integrity, kindness and loving service.

The Order also has an important role in forming mature and well-informed Catholics. In a time when many people are uncertain about faith, Knights should be able to explain the Church’s teaching with confidence, clarity and charity. This should never be done harshly or defensively, but through joyful witness, respectful conversation and a willingness to accompany those who are searching or struggling.

I hope you will remain close to our parishes, priests, deacons, religious and bishops. I am grateful for the way the Knights have supported the synodal process, encouraging prayerful listening, respectful dialogue and the participation of the lay faithful in the life and mission of the Church. This support reflects your practical loyalty to the Church and your willingness to walk together with others in faith. The Church needs laypeople who are prepared to participate, accept responsibility and use their gifts well through prayer, encouragement, cooperation and service.

Please continue to support vocations, strengthen marriage and family life, and help parishes become welcoming communities where people can pray, serve and belong. Give particular attention to young people. Listen to their questions, encourage their gifts and help them discover that following Christ leads not to a smaller life, but to a fuller one.

The Order must continue to be known for its works of charity. Be attentive to people who are poor, lonely, displaced or forgotten; those living with illness or disability; families under pressure; and anyone who feels pushed to the margins of Church or society. Always respect the dignity of those you help. Before a person is a statistic, a problem or a “case”, he or she is someone with a face, a voice and a story — someone created in the image and likeness of God.

The social teaching of the Church gives you a strong foundation for this work. It calls you to protect human dignity, care for creation, stand alongside the vulnerable and contribute to the moral and social welfare of society. Your faith should shape not only your private lives, but also the contribution you make to public life.

This includes engaging wisely with developments such as artificial intelligence. New technology can achieve much good, but it must always serve people and the common good. It must not diminish human dignity, exploit the vulnerable or replace human responsibility. I hope the Knights will bring the wisdom of the Gospel into these important conversations.

As members of the Universal Church, you should also work generously with other organisations locally, nationally and internationally. St Columbanus crossed borders and brought people together. Following his example, be bridge-builders who encourage reconciliation, Christian unity and respectful dialogue. Work with other Christians and all people of goodwill for peace, justice and the common good.

Cherish the Order’s spiritual and cultural heritage, but do not treat it simply as something belonging to the past. It is a living inheritance. The best way to honour St Columbanus is to show his courage, prayerfulness, learning and missionary zeal in ways that speak to people today.

My vision, like your own, is of an Order that is faithful to its traditions while responding confidently to the needs of the present age, an Order that is prayerful and active, faithful and compassionate, firmly Catholic and open to respectful dialogue. I see Knights and Companions living their vocation together, defending human dignity, caring for creation and offering truthful and hopeful Christian witness.

I hope you will continue to welcome and form younger members so that the Order’s mission remains strong and fruitful. The challenges before us are great, but the grace of God is greater. As Pope Leo XIV encourages us in Magnifica Humanitas, “with the same faith as Mary, let us become ‘weavers of hope’ in our world”[1] bringing truth where there is confusion, reconciliation where there is division, compassion where there is suffering, and the light of Christ where there is darkness.

May Fraternity strengthen the bonds between you. May unity keep you close to Christ and his Church. May Charity lead you outwards in loving service, especially to those most in need.

As you step forward, may your guiding motto remain your strength:

“Christ at the Centre - Columbanus our Guide.”

With gratitude for your service and with every blessing for your mission,

+ Eamon Martin

Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh

[1] Magnifica Humanitas, §245

The letter as it reached the Order: