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A significan little snippet from yesterday's Sunday Times:
"About 150 Protestant and Catholic peace campaigners marched from
North to West Belfast, stopping to pray at churches of all
denominations. Joe Austin, a Sinn Fein councillor, joined in
but only when the march reached the republican Falls Road."
Toby
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CARDINAL URGES TAKING OF RISKS FOR PEACE.
by
Anne Maguire in Belfast, and Padraig Yeates (Irish Times, 16/3/92)
At a time when Europe was burying its differences there was a need
for the people of Ireland to develop a wider, more generous and
Christian vision, Cardinal Daly told an ecumenical service to mark
the 800th anniversary of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
The service was the focal point in a day of peace ceremonies
in churches and a "pause for prayer" break in all broadcasting
services throughout the island yesterday.
A capacity congregation of over 2000 people attended the ceremony
including the Taoiseach Mr Reynolds, the Chief Justice Mr Justice
Finlay, and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alderman Sean Kenny.
Earlier, Dean Maurice Stewart of St. Patrick's said that 800 years
of the island's history had "passed about these walls, much of it
painful to recall." Sadly the pain continued, particularly in the
North where in another kind of daily ritual violence "breaks the
bodies and hearts of our people."
"We dare not leave this festival of thanksgiving without responding
to the call of our church leaders that today should be observed as
a day of intercession for peace."
Dr Daly said that the work of peace was not easy and not always
popular. It involved taking real risks. "The peacemaker will have
to "chance his arm". The phrase itself had its origin in an event
which happened in this cathedral." he added.
He was referring to an incident where the Earl of Kildare "chanced
his arm" through a hole in the chapter house door to shake hands
with his enemy Ormonde during a feud.
"We too much "chance our arm" for peace. May this historic
celebration today give us the courage we need."
The Archbishop of Armagh, Dr. Eames, told a congregation in
Armagh that it would be wrong to give the impression that
yesterday was the only day that prayers could be used to bring
about peace. "When we ask the people of Ireland to pause
in what they are doing and bring the needs of this country
and particularly this province to God in prayer, we are joining
the prayers of people who desperately need a way forward and
are looking for a solution to their problems."
The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Dr. Rodney Sterrit
said that people needed the wisdom and power of God to change
the situation in the North. The President of the Methodist
Church, the Rev Winston Good said that there was a groundswell
of feeling that was not saying but demanding that a solution
be found to the present difficulties in the North.
About 1000 people gathered in the centre of Lurgan yesterday
afternoon to pray for peace. The rally took place close
to where an IRA bomb wrecked much of the commercial area
of the town.
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