In recent years and once more over the past months and days I have attempted to consistently recognise the rights and responsibilities of all the parties having a prime and legitimate interest in the Orange parade through Drumcree and the Garvaghy Road.

While Drumcree is a cameo of Northern Ireland the questions it poses have urgent implications much further afield.

Together with many others I have attempted to be a bridge-builder and worked to achieve sufficient agreement for the desires of both marchers and residents to be accommodated. That we did not succeed was not due to any lack of sincere and extensive effort. A long-term local agreement is of much greater importance than any isolated, one-off solution which may please some.

I have reviewed at length the statements made by the leadership of Portadown District Lodge in the days before and immediately after the parade which involved attendance at Drumcree Parish Church at the invitation of the rector and select vestry. I waited in vain to see evidence that attendance at divine worship had moderated words or attitudes.

The responsibility of my office demands that I evaluate those words and subsequent actions against the standards of the Christian Gospel. There is much that disturbs and disquiets me.

1. I am gravely concerned that the Portadown leadership has not sought to de-escalate the situation at Drumcree and especially when the appearance of individuals and groups with terrorist links has not been declared to be unwelcome.
   
2. Likewise, I am gravely concerned at the instructions to spread protest throughout Northern Ireland in a way which can only lead to intimidation of fellow citizens and disruption of travel, together with an extremely high risk of violence, and destruction and confrontation with the security forces.

   The protests which have already occurred, encouraged by the Portadown leadership, have brought children of school age and minors on to the streets. We saw some of these young people in television reports attacking the security forces, rioting and vandalising.

   The Portadown leadership cannot absolve itself from responsibility for this subversion of children and youth. The destruction of property is wanton; however, any action leading to the corruption of yet another generation is sinful in the extreme.

3. What these actions have done in a negative way to relations between ordinary, decent people of different traditions cannot be overestimated.
   
4. It has been my very sad duty to conduct the funerals of too many members of our security forces. Together with the overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland, I will not stand silently by when these forces or their leadership are attacked and irresponsibly vilified.

Whether people like it or not, the security personnel are enforcing the laws of a democratically elected parliament. The Portadown leadership cannot simply wash their hands clean from these attacks on the security forces.

It is a confrontation which the Portadown leadership has sought to escalate, rather than simply, in a Christ-like fashion, accept that we must render unto Caesar those things that are Caesar's, and choose to turn the other cheek, rather than to smite.

The events at Drumcree ignore some very basic biblical teaching which the Orange Order claims to uphold and promote.

The situation this year has already gone too far. Serious action consistent with its biblical foundation must be taken by the Orange Order. Leadership - both local and provincial - must be tempered and responsible. Ownership of the consequence of all words and actions must be seen to be accepted.

The Orange Order should learn from the example of the Apprentice Boys of Derry who have sought to understand the fears of their fellow citizens in Derry and who have involved children of all traditions in exploring and understanding their story and organisation.

While I still pray for a local agreement to emerge following genuine dialogue and will continue to do all in my power to achieve it, the Church of Ireland cannot condone, accept or tolerate in any way the scenes we have witnessed, or its name being blackened by those who have shown such rejection of its ethos and teaching.

Much of what I have heard spoken at Drumcree on Sunday is very far from my understanding of the teaching of Christ, let alone the principles of the Church of Ireland. Much of what I have heard comes from a different world from that experienced in parishes up and down this island.

It is that church which I dissociate without reservation from what we have seen and heard at Drumcree.