Video: 2026 Easter Message from Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R.
My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
In the early light of that first Easter morning, the women arrived at the tomb laden with grief and questions, unsure of what they would find. They discovered something they could not have imagined: the stone rolled away, and the tomb empty. What began in sorrow slowly gave way to wonder, and then to a quiet, pulsing joy. The Lord had risen as he said!
This year, we arrive at Easter with much on our hearts. We feel the weight of uncertainty in our own time — a world marked by conflict and war, where families are displaced, and many long for safety and security. There are fears and struggles that touch our communities and the lives of those living in the shadows, longing for dignity and belonging. This Easter, our world, as well as our hearts, is restless.
Easter does not hide from these realities. It meets them head-on. The resurrection of Jesus assures us that God is present even amid suffering and confusion. Easter reminds us that violence, division and death do not have the final word. The risen Lord comes among His disciples not to judge or condemn, but to bring peace. And He entrusts that peace to us.
The promise of Easter is not distant. It touches our lives here and now. In our families, in our parishes, and in the gut-gripping struggles we carry, the risen Christ walks with us. He meets us patiently and calls us to be people who do not surrender to fear but choose compassion, mercy, and hope because Christ is risen, as he said!
In the Archdiocese of Newark, we are responding to that call to hope by boldly proclaiming that We Are His Witnesses. This effort is not about programs or plans alone — it is meant to model a way of living our faith. It asks us to listen more carefully, to accompany one another more faithfully, and to become communities where every person knows they are seen, welcomed, and loved.
During these days of the Easter season, we offer joyful thanks for those who have just been welcomed into new life through Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist. Their faith is a quiet but undeniable sign that God continues to bring new life into the world.
As we rejoice this Easter, let us keep in our hearts the simple truth: the Lord is with us, His peace surrounds us, and even now, He is making all things new.
May His love strengthen you, fill your homes with hope, and bring comfort to every heart.
Blessings and peace to you and your loved ones this Easter.
Sincerely yours in Christ the Redeemer,
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R.
Archbishop of Newark