Love more powerful than hatred: Bishops' Easter messages

The Resurrection is not only a historical event; it is a mission, Cardinal Mykola Bychok CSsR said. (Bigstock)

In a world marked by war and violence, cost-of-living pressures and discord, the hope of Easter speaks more powerfully into people’s lives than ever, Australia’s Catholic Bishops have said in their Easter messages.

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, said: “As we once again enter into the sacred mystery of Easter, our hearts turn to the profound truth at the very centre of our faith; that Jesus Christ, crucified and buried, has truly risen from the dead.

“In Him, the power of sin and death has been broken, and a new and unheard-of hope has been planted deep within us: death is not the end, for life – life in Christ – is more powerful than death, just as love – Christ’s love in us – is more powerful than hatred, vengeance and violence,” he said.

“In these times of global uncertainty — marked by international political tensions, conflicts that seem to continue without end, and economic pressures that weigh heavily on many families and individuals — the Easter message resonates with a promise that there is a better way – a way that the world urgently needs – a way that calls for courage, for constancy and ultimately for a community which puts its faith not primarily in itself but in the God without whom all our efforts for peace, for reconciliation, for harmony and for mutual respect will come to nothing: for it is God who is Father of us all and it is in God that we recognise that we are, in spite of the many differences which exist among us, all brothers and sisters, members together of the one human family.”

Cairns Bishop Joe Caddy said Easter comes this year at a time when, for many, the world feels weary and unsettled.

“The Resurrection does not deny the pain of Good Friday; it passes through it. The empty tomb stands as God’s decisive response to violence, despair, and fear. It reassures us that suffering and death do not have the final word – love does. The risen Jesus still bears the wounds of the cross, reminding us that God’s victory is never distant from human brokenness, rather it is marked by compassion and solidarity,” he said.

And, Cardinal Mykola Bychok CSsR of the Ukrainian Catholic Church said that while the words of the resurrected Jesus, “Peace be with you”, echo painfully across the world this Easter, Christians are called to make that peace present to others.

“The Resurrection is not only a historical event; it is a mission. Christ sends us forth as ambassadors of His peace—to comfort the suffering, to defend the vulnerable, to speak truth with courage, to build bridges where others build walls, and to pray unceasingly for Ukraine and for all who endure violence. The world needs Christians who radiate the peace of the Risen Lord, not a passive peace but a Paschal peace—the peace that flows from the empty tomb,” he said.

Read or view the bishops’ Easter messages below:

Adelaide

Archbishop Patrick O’Regan’s 2026 Easter message (text)

Archbishop Patrick O’Regan’s 2026 Easter message (video)

Bathurst

Bishop Michael McKenna’s 2026 Easter message (text)

Brisbane

Archbishop Shane Mackinlay’s 2026 Easter Message (text)

Broken Bay

Archbishop Anthony Randazzo’s 2026 Easter message (text)

Archbishop Anthony Randazzo’s 2026 Easter message (video)

Cairns