Archbishop Farrell describes the move as a profound sign of solidarity, renewal, and hope for the people of the city centre.
The Archbishop writes that “the pastoral strategy at the heart of the city”….“is an act of faith and solidarity with the communities in the centre of the city. A vibrant city needs a living heart, with worthy spaces where people can gather to celebrate their faith no less than other dimensions of our lives together.”
He emphasises that the designation carries a “prophetic value” precisely because St Mary’s stands in a part of Dublin that “bears most obviously the marks of disadvantage.”
It is, he says, “a tangible expression of our closeness to our sisters and brothers who bear a disproportionate share of the burden of social transformation. The open doors of the Cathedral will offer a particular welcome to those seeking sanctuary and respite from their cares and struggles.”
Archbishop Farrell explains that his request to Rome emerged from the Archdiocese’s ongoing Building Hope initiative, a synodal process aimed at discerning how best to accompany the people of Dublin amid sweeping social and demographic change.
He writes, “It seemed to me that in this context it would be appropriate to have a cathedral, both in name and in fact, demonstrating that there is nothing provisional about the commitment of the Church in Dublin to its mission nor incomplete about its structures.”
In his article, Archbishop Farrell stresses that the renewed status of Saint Mary’s comes with a commitment to significant investment in both it and Westland Row.
Archbishop Farrell closes with a prayer for the inner-city faith communities: “that God may find an open door in Saint Mary’s Cathedral, a sacred space where He can take up His abode in all, a silent space of welcome where all who come to you may find always the open door of acceptance and hospitality.”