Press Releases16 Jul 13

Statement from the Archbishop of Armagh, Bishop of Down & Dromore and Bishop of Connor on Twelfth Weekend Disorder in Belfast

‘As Christian leaders in Northern Ireland who believe in grace and the building of a peaceful and hopeful future here, we are dismayed by the scenes of violence and disorder which have taken place over the past few days, marring the Twelfth weekend, most notably in parts of North and East Belfast. Christian values centre around forgiveness, the valuing of every person, and working for the common good. To raise a hand in anger is to step away from those values. It is also important to stress that it is wholly unacceptable to abuse or endanger the lives of the PSNI in their role in upholding the rule of law.

‘We urge people to find new ways of dealing with difficult issues through meaningful engagement. We need to talk now and not leave it too late. We, for our part, are willing to offer help and support to any such sincere processes of mediation and dialogue within our communities.’

The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
The Right Revd Harold Miller, Bishop of Down & Dromore
The Right Revd Alan Abernethy, Bishop of Connor