Statement by Bishop Michael Router on His Appointment as Bishop of Derry

Good morning everyone. I come here to Saint Eugene's Cathedral today, on this Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in humility and hope. It is an immense honour to have been nominated by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to serve as Bishop of Derry. I thank the Holy Father sincerely for the trust he has placed in me, a trust that I receive with a deep awareness of my own limitations.

When I heard the news of my nomination, I found myself returning to the words that have guided me throughout the past seven years of my episcopal ministry, In Manus Tuas Domine (Into your hands, O Lord). My episcopal motto captures the belief that it is God who is in control. It is a belief that has sustained me through many unexpected turns in my ministry and it sustain me again today as I begin my journey in this great diocese.

The reputation of Derry resonates across Ireland and the world as a vibrant place of culture and historical heritage that is famous for its its peace building, ecumenism music, drama and poetry. As a keen sports enthusiast I look forward to living in a Diocese that is the home of such an iconic football club as Derry City and is of course a hotbed of GAA and other sports across Derry, Donegal and Tyrone. As a lifelong Bristol City fan I don't think I will annoy to many local football fans but being a Cavan GAA supporter could engender some debate during the height of the Gaelic Football season.

The Diocese of Derry is a Church shaped by the faith of generations since the time of Saint Patrick, Saint Eugene and Saint Columcille, nourished by the witness of so many people, sustained through times of persecution and hardship and strengthened by communities whose love of Christ has endured despite every challenge. It is a privilege beyond words to be called to serve the priests, religious and lay faithful of this diocese. I hope that I am granted the strength, health and wisdom to live up to this calling.

I wish first to acknowledge with gratitude my predecessor, Bishop Donal McKeown. Throughout his years of ministry here, he has led this diocese with courage and generosity. He has guided the Diocese of Derry through a period of significant social, cultural and ecclesial change. I thank him sincerely for his faithful service and I assure him of my prayers and support as he enters a new chapter in his own life.

I also wish to express my profound gratitude to Archbishop Eamon Martin who is of course a proud Derry man. During the past seven years it has been a privilege to serve alongside him in the Archdiocese of Armagh. His encouragement and pastoral wisdom have helped me enormously. I have learned much from his deep faith, his calm leadership and his unwavering commitment to the mission of the Church and for this I sincerely thank him today.

I also thank the priests and people of the Archdiocese of Armagh who made me feel so at home over the past seven years with the warmth of their friendship and the depth of their faith.

As some of you know I was born and raised in Virginia, County Cavan, in the parish of Lurgan, the most southern parish in Ulster. A long way from Malin Head! My parents Tony and Nora, my sisters Breda and Martina, the priests, religious and teachers who shaped my early years, gave me an appreciation of the goodness that exists in ordinary parish life. Looking back now, I realise how profoundly those early experiences formed my vocation.

During almost four decades of priesthood, I have been privileged to serve in schools, parishes, diocesan pastoral ministry and in episcopal leadership. Everywhere I have served, in the diocese of Kilmore, the Archdiocese of Dublin and in the Archdiocese of Armagh, I have encountered people of remarkable faith and generosity. Those experiences have taught me that while systems and structures are important, the true strength of the Church has always been found in the faith of the people. Thankfully, that faith remains very much alive today. Yet we must also be honest about the challenges and difficulties before us.

The Church in Ireland finds herself in a very different position from that which it held even a generation ago. We no longer occupy the centre of public life. Many people, particularly younger generations, no longer identify naturally with the institutional Church. The wounds caused by abuse and failures of leadership continue to cause severe pain and upset for many and we must never cease asking forgiveness, listening with humility and working patiently towards healing and reconciliation.

Alongside these realities we face declining numbers of clergy, changing parish structures and the onerous task of passing on the faith in an increasingly secular culture. These realities cannot simply be ignored, nor can they be solved by nostalgia for a past that cannot return.

Managing change is perhaps one of the greatest responsibilities entrusted to Church leaders today. But change is not simply about reorganising parishes. It is about conversion. It is about asking ourselves what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church at this moment in history. For this reason, I believe that synodality is not simply another programme or administrative initiative. It is the way in which the Holy Spirit is inviting the Church to renew herself in our times and grow into a deeper relationship with Christ. When Pope Leo XIV first greeted the world from the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica, he reminded us that "we want to be a Synodal Church." Those simple words express something profoundly important. Synodality is not primarily about meetings or committees. It is about learning once again to walk, pray, listen and discern together.

As your bishop, I will minister among you not with all the answers but with a willingness to listen especially to those who have become distant from the Church, those who feel hurt or disappointed and those who continue to search for meaning. Our task is to find common ground and a way to walk together with confidence in the power of Jesus Christ working through us. If the Church is truly to renew itself and become more effective then she must deepen the bonds of communion, encourage greater participation and recommit herself to its mission of saving souls by bringing people into a deeper, more authentic, relationship with Jesus Christ.

This mission has social consequences. It cannot be removed from the daily life and concerns of people. Throughout my ministry I have spoken often about the devastating effects of drug and alcohol addiction within families and communities. Addiction continues to destroy lives quietly and relentlessly. It is one of the great social injustices of our time. While every community suffers, socially disadvantaged areas often carry a disproportionate burden. The Church must continue to stand alongside families affected by addiction, to support recovery, to advocate for effective rehabilitation services and to encourage policies that place the dignity of the person before every other consideration. The measure of any society is found in the way it treats its weakest members.

The dignity and sacredness of life from conception to natural death must also be upheld and promoted. There cannot be peace at any level, socially, domestically or personally, unless we respect and defend life in all its stages.

Here in Derry, perhaps more than in many other places, you know that peace is precious. The peace we enjoy today was not achieved easily. It came through extraordinary courage, sacrifice, forgiveness and perseverance. Yet peace is never something that can simply be inherited. Every generation must choose it anew.

The wounds left by conflict continue to affect many families and communities. Healing remains unfinished. Reconciliation remains an ongoing task. The Church has an essential role in helping people to build bridges rather than walls, to seek understanding rather than division and to ensure that future generations inherit not only peace, but a culture capable of sustaining peace.

While the local situation is so important we must never ignore the global picture. On this day 81 years ago the very first nuclear bomb was detonated. It was, and it is, a sad reminder to us all of our capability for self-destruction and of the evil we can inflict on each other. Our world today is as strife ridden and unstable as it has been since the end of the Second World War. The devastating use of technology in warfare, the concentration of power in the hands of an ever smaller circle of wealthy elites and the rise of political extremism, that often scapegoats the poorest and most vulnerable people, has led to this situation. It is imperative that we individuals and as a community continue to call out injustice, inequality and discrimination, wherever it occurs, or else we will descend into a world of chaos and hopelessness.

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and I wish to send my good wishes on this special day to the Carmelites in Termonbacca and indeed all the religious across the diocese who I look forward to meeting in the coming months. As we begin this journey, we place ourselves under the protection of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mary teaches us what true discipleship looks like. In her own life she listened before she spoke herself. She trusted when the future was uncertain. She remained faithful beneath the Cross. She gathered with the disciples in prayer as they awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. She continues to accompany the Church on every stage of her pilgrimage. May she accompany the Diocese of Derry, our country and our world in the years ahead.

I know from experience that I can do nothing worthwhile without the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire me. So, for a moment now we will pause in prayer and call upon the Spirit to be with us today and everyday so that the Lord who has begun his good work among us will bring it to completion.