The Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, the Rt Rev Brian Hannon, has called for space to be given "to those trying to resolve the vexed issue of parades and protests" in the North.
Addressing the church's General Synod in Dublin yesterday, be said, "let's listen to each other as well as lecturing each other".
"Talk, my friends, is cheap, particularly when you live at a distance from our troubled areas," he continued.
He thanked God for the initiative of "our young rector and the local parish priest" in the Tyrone village of Dromore, who had called a meeting of local representatives to discuss the 12th of July parade. On May 7th their agreed proposal was accepted by the Orange Order at county level.
Describing the Church of Ireland as "militantly moderate" and constructive, he said it did not encourage "the exclusive heresies of extremism".
Canon Brian Blacoe, of the Dromore diocese, said he had been a member of the Orange Order for 40 years and had served for five of those years at Drumcree. He condemned outright some of the "nonsense" which took place outside the church there last year. What had happened was "the culmination of years of frustration", with concession after concession followed by more bombs and bullets "and now more subtle tactics". He suggested that this year the Orangemen parading there walk back the route they came to allow the new parades authority an opportunity to deal with the matter.
The Rev John Scott, from Down diocese, pointed out that at least nine of the 39 articles which each minister was asked to assent to on ordination concerned errors of the church of Rome. Twenty five years ago, when he was ordained, they were told to give their assent to all the articles. "Don't open a can of worms, they were told. By agreeing to investigate possible sectarianism in the Church, "are we indeed now opening that can of worms?", he asked.
The Dean of Ossory, the Very Rev Norman Lynas, said the motion on sectarianism passed on Tuesday was a calling into question of attitudes and behaviour, held seriously, but "which cannot he called Christian". Accusations that the church was abandoning its cherished principles were unfounded, he said, and indicated a failure to see that the church was a reforming church.
Mr Robert Simpson, from the Diocese of Con nor, said he used to be master of a Black lodge. A member of his family had been murdered by the IRA. He understood bitterness, distrust, hurt. It was "a cancer which eats at the heart". There was no human answer to that cancer, only God could heal it.
Mr J.F. Remington, from the Meath Diocese, wondered why people believed it so important to walk down the same road as their father and grandfather. Which was more important, he asked, the right to walk down a street, or the right to life of some other person which may be threatened by doing so? He believed the right to life was most important.
Canon Desmond Sinnamon, of the Dublin diocese, said on a recent visit to the last Protestant business open in Pomeroy he met three people who had all lost someone. "It is not always easy in Dublin to explain the effect of violence on people in Northern Ireland."
