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BISHOP CONDEMNS ATTACK ON GLENAVY VICARAGE

The Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor, the Right Rev Alan Harper, this morning visited Glenavy Vicarage and met the rector, the Rev Earl Storey and his wife the Rev Patricia Storey. Afterwards Bishop Harper said: ‘I rejoice that neither they nor their children were physically harmed in last night’s abominable assault upon their home.

‘Along with the Rector of Glenavy I am heartened by the very many callers and messages expressing sympathy and support for the Storey family, including messages from prominent members of the Orange Order. I believe that those messages represent the true voice of the community including the true voice of the Orange Order.

‘Attacks on any home, especially under cover of darkness, with all the attendant risks of personal injury or worse are utterly deplorable. Furthermore, they serve only to discredit the perpetrators and everything they may stand for. The free expression of reasoned and principled opinion is a precious democratic right which should be upheld by all right thinking people.

‘The resort to violence in the attack upon Glenavy Vicarage is not only an assault upon good people in their own home, it is also an assault upon the right to freedom of thought and expression and therefore an assault upon civilized values.’


Further information from:

THE CHURCH OF IRELAND PRESS OFFICE
Church of Ireland House
61 - 67 Donegall Street
Belfast BT1 2QH

Tel: (028) 9023 2909
Fax: (028) 9032 3554

Email:The Press Office

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