A group of senior Orange Order chaplains has issued a statement backing the Armagh chaplain, Rev William Bingham, in his call for the Drumcree protests to be called off after the deaths of three boys in Ballymoney last weekend. The "representative group", consisting of three grand chaplains and around 15 deputy grand chaplains, said it was "greatly heartened" by Mr Bingham's courage "in defending the sacredness of human life"
Group members said as far back as last Thursday, three days before the Ballymoney tragedy, Mr Bingham had "rightly emphasised that no road is worth a life and we entirely support this sentiment. Those who vilify him are rejecting the clear teaching of the Word of God."
They put "on record our utter revulsion at the murder of the three little boys in Ballymoney, and extend our sincere sympathy to the parents and to all the bereaved family.
"We also express to the Roman Catholic community in Northern Ireland our deep sorrow that so many of them have been intimidated out of their homes, and that several of their churches have been burned.
"Our bitter shame at all this, allegedly carried out in the name of Protestantism, is not in any way lessened by the fact that many of our own people are the victims of terrorism.
"The spectacle of people attempting to injure or murder policemen and soldiers in Portadown, and the intimidation of police families, has brought shame on the Protestant community, and all the more since it has been done under the guise of supporting the Portadown district's protest against the determination of the Parades Commission."
"We pray that the day may quickly come when all the people of Northern Ireland will be enabled to live in mutual respect and neighbourly harmony, each fulfilling the Redeemer's command to love your neighbour as yourself."
The three grand chaplains who convened the meeting which produced the statement were Rev Warren Porter, a retired Presbyterian minister, Rev Edward Colvin, a retired Methodist minister, and Dr Ernest Long, a retired Church of Ireland rector.
It is understood that the chaplains also intend to put pressure on the Orange Order leadership to formally call off the Drumcree protest by asking senior figures in the three main Protestant churches to tell them that the Order's relationship with those churches would be in danger if it were to continue.
There is deep unease in the Church of Ireland, in particular, at the use of Drumcree church and church hall by the Orangemen.