Cardinal Tobin says peace requires repentance and forgiveness in Easter message
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, said on Apr. 9 that true peace can only be achieved through repentance and the forgiveness of sins. In his Easter message to the faithful, Tobin reflected on the biblical origins of peace and emphasized its importance for families, communities, and nations.
The message addresses ongoing struggles for peace in Jerusalem and beyond, underscoring a universal longing for unity among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Tobin said that lasting peace comes from recognizing equal rights and responsibilities among all people: “Only by letting go of past wrongs (no matter how egregious), and by the recognition of equal rights and responsibilities on all sides, can we ever achieve lasting peace.” He added that forgiveness is essential to healing divisions.
Tobin referenced Pope Leo XIV’s teachings on peace from the 2026 World Day of Peace message. The pope urged believers to move away from deterrence-based conflict toward dialogue: “Peace is built through daily, concrete actions, rejecting selfishness,” Pope Leo XIV said in his homily. The pope also called for an end to arms races: “No more war,” echoing previous papal calls for disarmament.
The Archdiocese of Newark has engaged in social outreach and community events across northern New Jersey according to the official website. Its efforts include parish support, faith formation programs, pastoral care ministries as well as participation in global Church initiatives such as the Synod on Synodality and World Mission Sunday collections according to the official website. The archdiocese extends its services throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties according to the official website.
Tobin concluded with a prayer attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi asking God for strength to become instruments of reconciliation: “Lord make me an instrument of your peace… For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” He encouraged Catholics during this Easter season—and always—to seek God’s mercy through repentance.
