MONSIGNOR Denis Faul has urged Catholics to stay at home and put their trust in the forthcoming legislation on the Parades Commission.
Speaking in Drogheda yesterday after the annual Mass in honour of St Oliver Plunkett, he disagreed with Sinn Fein's call for peaceful protests. "It is a very grave responsibility to bring people on to the streets of Northern Ireland. I would be opposed to that. They don't want it to be peaceful, these Sinn Fein chaps. They want a confrontation and a victory. For somebody to be killed is a victory for the IRA, and their extremist followers among Sinn Fein hope that will bring them support.
"So I would say don't go on the streets. If any women or children are killed, once there is blood on the streets all moderation disappears. I would say to Catholics keep quiet, let us put our trust in the legislation, let us now work very hard to see that Mo Mowlam lives up to what she said in her statement that she would make it up to the Catholics in the legislation."
Mgr Faul called for compromise and a spirit of tolerance in Northern Ireland in his sermon in St Peter's Church in Drogheda.
"A dialogue based on tolerance and compromise leads to an accommodation based on the practical realities of local life, emphasising the many things people have in common ... outlawing the wild desire for confrontation."
Speaking afterwards he referred to the statement of the RUC Chief Constable, Mr Ronnie Flanagan, "who said he was giving in to the greater evil. What is the greater evil? Is it the Protestant extremists and their ability to bring the North of Ireland to a stop? If the Protestants have shown the ability to stop any kind of approval or legislation by simply threatening to immobilise the North, they seem to have gained another victory, and that puts us in a very serious position.
"The Labour government have traditionally been weak ... Now I am not just sure what Mo Mowlam is showing now. Is she showing great care and consideration by putting as a primary value the saving of life? Or is this another spineless Labour performance? "I agree she was up against intransigence on both sides."
Mgr Faul also criticised indications by the Northern Secretary that she would include Irish language activities and the GAA within the remit of the Parades Commission. "That would simply drive the young people into the hands of the Provos.