Church Leaders express encouragement & thanks to PSNI
The Church Leaders Group (Ireland), has written to the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Jon Boutcher, and the Chair of the Chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Mukesh Sharma, offering their encouragement and support, while expressing their thanks ‘to the members of the PSNI for their courage in the face of adversity’ over recent weeks. They also thanked officers for the protection and care they afforded to everyone who had been ‘attacked and abused… faced intimidation and the threat of violence…’’
The Group, which is made up of the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland Archbishops of Armagh, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and the Presidents of the Methodist Church in Ireland, and the Irish Council of Churches, said that, “We all have a responsibility to show love to our neighbours, to welcome the stranger, and to show kindness and compassion to the most vulnerable in society.”
In their letter, the Church Leaders said, “The last number of weeks have seen shocking examples of violence and intimidation on our streets and racially motivated attacks in various places across Northern Ireland, initiated by individuals who decided to take the law into their own hands.
“The rule of law underpins the very foundations of normal society, and no one is above the law. It is a very fragile entity and without its security, lawlessness can degenerate into anarchy. As Church Leaders, we therefore want to thank the members of PSNI for their courage in the face of adversity, and for the protection and care they afford to all who have been attacked and abused, who have faced intimidation and the threat of violence, particularly in recent days…No one should feel unsafe in their own homes or on the streets of his country.”
The Church Leaders continued, “We all have a responsibility to show love to our neighbours, to welcome the stranger, and to show kindness and compassion to the most vulnerable in society. Many acts of kindness have been witnessed during these last few weeks…[and] we would appeal to all people to work together in mutual respect for the safety and well-being of the whole community.”
In conclusion they assured the Chief Constable and the Policing Board Chair of their prayers and the prayers of those they represented. The Church Leaders also encouraged everyone to engage positively with PSNI, allowing its officers to do their duty and “for all to work together in mutual respect for the safety and wellbeing of the whole community.”
The letter was signed by Right Reverend Dr Trevor Gribben, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Right Reverend Sarah Groves, President of the Irish Council of Churches, Most Reverend John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland, Most Reverend Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland, and Reverend Alan Wardlow, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
Ends.
Issued on behalf of the Church Leaders’ Group (Ireland) by Mark Smith, Presbyterian Church in Ireland press officer & media office: +44 (0) 7802 264 354 +44 (0) 28 9041 7292 msmith@presbyterianireland.org