Drumcree rector resolute in commitment

The Rector of Drumcree, the Rev John Pickering, was up at 5 a.m. yesterday morning to inspect the effects of the night before on his parish property. There was little damage. He had gone to bed at about 1 a.m.

On Tuesday night, from the dusk of his rectory garden, he had seen police spray the crowds with a water cannon and later heard RUC Land-Rovers as they drove in the dark through rectory lands. It was 3:15 a.m. on Monday when he got to bed after a long Sunday and it was 1 a.m. on Tuesday before he got to sleep. It was therefore no surprise that yesterday he and his wife Olive felt "physically tired".

Few clergy in Ireland would swap places with John Pickering, yet his commitment to his post and parish is resolute. In the past he has said that since 1995, each year he and Olive have spent until December getting over Drumcree, and from January until July anticipating Drumcree.

"Entrapment" was the theme of his sermon last Sunday. Entrapment because of grief, sin, family problems, and Drumcree. As he spoke from the pulpit, cheers could be heard coming from the bridge below the hill where protesters were prevented from going further. Their sound echoing his sense.

But Mr Pickering believes he is in Drumcree because that is the will of God and what his parishioners want. He has felt that way right from his arrival in 1983. "I do believe I should be here . . . it has always felt right," he said.

It was a situation he could do nothing about other than what he was doing, and where the only way out was upwards, toward God. This was what he advised his congregation last Sunday: Abandon your idols and turn to God.

On Monday night he met those men wearing UFF T-shirts on Drumcree hill and spoke about peace. He did not speak to Johnny Adair. He is against violence and the only reason he didn't refer to such people in his statement on Tuesday was because the concern uppermost in his mind then was for women and children.

As regards urging the Portadown Orangemen - including many members of his select vestry - to talk to the Garvaghy Road residents, he felt that would be overstepping his role as rector. Nor does he feel he has any responsibility for what takes place after the Sunday service.

But he does believe he has a duty to be of whatever assistance he can where helping resolve problems is concerned.

He is sorry "the wider church does not seem to understand our position." It meant he and his vestry had been put in "a position of isolation".

The 1999 Church of Ireland General Synod went "overwhelmingly"' against him and his vestry. He felt the synod had received him sympathetically when he spoke, so was surprised at the strength of the vote against his views. "Their hearts seemed to be with me but their heads voted against me," he said. "They didn't seem to understand."

But he was grateful for the continuing "tremendous pastoral support" of his bishop, the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland, Dr Robin Eames. They had "a very good working relationship" and were "in daily contact about the situation," he said.

He understood he had the Archbishop's confidence, pointing out that Dr Eames had appointed him rural dean for the Kilmore area (eight parishes) in 1997.

In a statement on Tuesday Dr Eames referred to the great responsibility of Mr Pickering and his select vestry in the situation. "In no way" was the Primate attributing blame in that statement, Mr Pickering said: rather Dr Eames was urging them to be careful, responsible, and to remember to tell people to pray.

He confessed he has found the worldwide media attention "overwhelming" at times, not least in having to explain the same matters over and over again. He has prepared a leaflet for journalists giving background to avoid this. He doesn't know what to expect next Sunday. "We don't know what's coming. We must be hopeful things turn out well. If we don't have hope we have nothing," he said.

And above all what is clear is that it's not easy being one of the most famous rectors in the world.