Two Ulster Unionists, including the leader Tom Elliot, are to face disciplinary proceedings by the Orange Order for going to the Catholic funeral of murdered policeman Ronan Kerr.
Oh please!
This sort of thing has happened before and it is pathetic and an embarrassment.
I'm not going to speak against the Orange Lodge working to promote their culture and their community. I'm not going to speak against them promoting their religion and involving themselves in theological debate. And I'm not going to speak against them defending their beliefs if they feel they are under threat. But this...
The Orange Lodge represent groups that are denominations of the same religion as Roman Catholics.
The time to move on from this sort of stance about mass and funerals passed a long long time ago.
If someone theologically has objections to the Catholic interpretation and practice of the Eucharist then all they have to do is discreetly not participate in that part of the service. But they should stand with their brothers and sisters in the community and their brothers and sisters before God too!
They should stand in memory of their colleagues, and their neighbours and their friends.
I'm glad the guys who went to the funeral are unrepentant and if the Orange Lodge want to remain in any way relevant, or in any way worthy of anyone respecting them or listening to anything they have to say then they need to change - and fast!
No comments:
Post a Comment