Unholy row sours Remembrance Day
Thursday, 13 November 2008
Royal Navy veteran Ken Smith on parade in Antrim on Sunday.
WARRING unionist councillors have cast a dark shadow over the Borough's solemn Act of Remembrance, after an unholy row erupted over the presence of a Catholic priest at the service in honour of those who laid down their lives for their country.
The simple Sunday service at All Saints' Church had been billed as the most inclusive in recent memory, with representatives from the Borough's largest congregations coming together to finally reflect the cross-community nature of the sacrifice during war time.
But the presence of St Comgall's Parish Priest Fr Tony Devlin was too much for Traditional Unionist Mel Lucas who felt that he had 'no alternative' but to boycott the ecumenical service and wait outside while a packed congregation stayed to salute the Borough's glorious dead.
Among them were Antrim's five-strong DUP team - and group leader Trevor Clarke has gone on the offensive against his former friend, branding him 'a bigot' and his non-attendance a 'sectarian snub' both to the Royal British Legion and the memory of the servicemen and women who paid the supreme sacrifice.
Last night, however, a defiant Councillor Lucas staunchly defended his decision, telling the Antrim Guardian that his conscience 'was clear'.
“On a point of principle I couldn't allow myself to attend as there was a Romanist priest giving the sermon," he said.
“I'm free to worship in my own way and I don't apologise for that. It's a matter for the British Legion who they invited, but it is a matter for me if I chose not to attend. In a sense the Legion, by inviting a priest, excluded me. That's entirely a matter for them.
“In that regard I don't really care who approves or who doesn't. This is what I did and what I will do if I'm put in the same position again. That's the way it lies."
Mr Lucas added that he felt obliged to turn his back on the Remembrance Service because Father Devlin's presence was contrary to beliefs he 'holds dear'.
“As a member of the Reformed faith I am prohibited from attending any worship with a Roman Catholic priest," he explained.
“The doctrines of the Church of Rome are totally contrary to what I believe in. The scriptures teach me to have 'no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them'.
“As an Orangeman I also feel that it would be wrong for me to sit and listen to a Catholic sermon - and I think some others would do well to remember that.
“The Orange Institution states quite clearly, and I quote, that a member should 'strenuously oppose the fatal errors and doctrines of the Church of Rome and scrupulously avoid countenancing by his presence or otherwise any act or ceremony of Popish worship. He should by all lawful means resist the ascendency of that church'."
He added that his decision to stay away should not be interpreted as a 'snub' to the people who fought and died under a British flag.
“I have the utmost respect for the people who fell in the service of this country - people of all faiths or none.
“During war time people were united against a common enemy and on Sunday I paid my respects in my own way. The bottom line, however, is that I can't give credence to the Church of Rome. It's something I just can't do."
DUP Assemblyman Trevor Clarke had no such reservation, insisting that he was 'proud' to salute the people who battled for freedom in wartime - adding that his former ally's decision to 'boycott' proceedings was 'a disgrace'.
“This was an Act of Remembrance for all the local people who laid down their lives - not just the Protestants," he said.
“I'm afraid that this is little more than another desperate attempt by the Traditional Unionists to stir up controversy by proving that they can out-Prod the rest. This time, however, they are doing it over the graves of young men and women who sacrificed their lives so Mel could have the freedom to insult their memory.
“This is old-fashioned bigotry, plain and simple. How low can you go? This was a sectarian snub that back-fired - because by standing outside like a naughty schoolboy Mel Lucas managed to upset his own people as well as his intended targets.
“His conduct was reprehensible and it will be condemned by all right-thinking people - particularly the families of the heroes who died for the sake of their country.
“It's funny how he travelled so far to be outraged when he clearly couldn't be bothered going to the RIR homecoming parade the previous Sunday because of business commitments. I would have thought that someone with such strong religious beliefs would have striven to keep the Sabbath holy."
