The Church of Ireland

The Church Of Ireland
Press Release


ARCHBISHOP EMPEY WARNS OF DEVELOPING RACISM IN IRISH SOCIETY

In the Easter address of the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd. Dr. Walton Empey, in Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, 23 April, the Archbishop criticised our failure to welcome immigrants from different ethnic origins.

He highlighted the horrors of racism and recalls that from small beginnings, "somewhere in the minds of evil people" a horrific harvest was reaped in ethnic strife in different parts of the world, including the Balkans, South Africa, and worst of all, the Holocaust.

Dr. Empey urged people to see immigrants as enriching Irish society and called on everyone, particularly the media, schools and the Churches to be vigilant regarding racist attitudes and language, which incites hatred. He condemned "strong language from a minority of our elected representatives who ought to know better" and pointed out that Jesus did not die "just for black people or white people or brown people, for Unionist or Nationalist, for English or Irish, but for ALL people everywhere and for all time".

Click here for the full text of the Archbishop's address


Further information from:

THE DIOCESAN COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
12 Dargle Wood
Knocklyon Road
Templeogue
Dublin 16

Tel: 01 493 5405
Mob: 087 235 6472
Fax: 01 494 4720
Email: Dublin Diocesan Communications Officer

DCO: Valerie Jones


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