Press Releases10 Mar 09

Statement by the Archbishop of Armagh on the Murder of a Police Officer in Craigavon

Statement by the Archbishop of Armagh on the Murder of a Police Officer in Craigavon

From the Most Revd Alan Harper, OBE, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland:

For a second time within a space of 48 hours death has been brought to our streets, grief visited upon families and colleagues, and injury done both to individual persons and to all the people of Ireland, north and south. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the police officer who was plucked from our midst as he and his colleagues went about their legitimate duty serving and protecting the people of Craigavon. I ask that throughout the Church of Ireland next Sunday we remember those who have died and pray for the bereaved and injured.

I ask two further things of the wider community. First, that any who may have information that might lead to the apprehension of the evil people who have perpetrated these perverted acts should make that information available to the PSNI or An Garda Siochana. Second, that there should be absolutely no thought of retaliatory action by loyalists or others, such action would only play directly into the hands of the people responsible for what has happened. Violent acts do not serve the legitimate political aspirations of anyone on this island.

I encourage all to support the legitimate forces of law and order and demonstrate that as a community we have now moved beyond the barren responses of a blighted past. May the Holy Spirit of God give us the vision and the strength to serve His purposes alone.