December 21 1974
IT will have escaped no one’s attention that the initiative for peace came from a religious source. Thus while political groupings may discuss the values of the Irish and the English dimensions in Northern Ireland’s affairs, may deal with the very important issues affecting the social and the economic life of the people of this area, there is now made plain what many have always believed. The religious dimension, so irreligiously introduced, so blasphemously misused by people with no religious intent, is after all the truly inescapable one for all our people.
All believing Christians, and this area despite its twisted history and unenviable reputation, possesses very many of them, acknowledge that majestic interdict from Mount Sinai: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord God in vain. Nonetheless His name has been facilely invoked, His inspiration highly dubiously assumed, His support arrogantly claimed in circumstances and on behalf of causes so remote from the teaching of the New Testament as to suggest that that document was largely unfamiliar to the claimants.
To the Christian this misuse has been an affront. From the Christian viewpoint no good could come of it. In the event, no good but much evil has.
In the course of the six last strife-torn years many, and not only in this area, have asked, What are the Churches doing? They have, of course, been doing many things.
Much religious activity is, of its nature, a private matter and cannot, therefore, make subject matter for the mass media. In respect of a good deal more of it, deep care, respect for human life, that sense of responsibility to God and to man which is so vital to the truly religious leader, all mean that he must work steadfastly, sincerely, unselfishly, unmindful of the clamour of press or public to achieve ends in which he genuinely believes.
Such ends cannot be achieved quickly. Such ends are sometimes achieved only when grief and disaster have done their tragic work in the hearts of men and taught them many bitter lessons.
These are the elements undoubtedly which have gone to make up the timing and the welcome for the efforts of the four Church leaders and of the Protestant churchmen at Feakle.
Irish News editorial lauding the work of the Catholic and Protestant churches in promoting and advocating for peace, often in an understated way.
