PROTESTANT CHURCHES:LEADERS OF three Protestant denominations have met the families of those killed and injured in the Bloody Sunday shootings and spoken of their hope for a more positive future following the publication of the Saville report.
Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Ken Good, Presbyterian Moderator Norman Hamilton, and President of the Methodist Church in Ireland Paul Kingston arrived together at the Bloody Sunday memorial in Rossville Street in the Bogside, close to where the majority of the killings took place.
They were met by relatives of those who died and presented them with a replica of a statue placed at one end of Craigavon Bridge over the Foyle which depicts Derry’s Catholics and Protestants reaching out to each other.
“We are pleased to be here to bring to you our friendship at this particular time,” the Rev Kingston said. “Central to the message we proclaim is the message of reconciliation. As Methodists, our founder encouraged us to be the friend of all and the enemy of none.”
He commended the people of the Bogside for their patience in waiting for the names of their loved ones to be cleared. He said the Protestant Church leaders wished that the publication of the report would mark a new era of “hope, peace and togetherness” in the city.
Rev Hamilton said he and his fellow church leaders were “deeply humbled by the warmth of the welcome,” they received. “I certainly did not expect it to be on this scale or with this depth,” he said.
Derry “was now beginning the process of healing”, he said. “It may well be that the climactic events of yesterday were every bit as climactic as the events which triggered it 38 years ago.” Bishop Good said a cloud had been lifted by the report. “I want us to have a more open, transparent, natural and easy relationship with one another,” he said.
He commended the “graceful and dignified way” in which the families responded to their presence. The gift symbolised their hands reaching “across any divide there may have been”.
Accepting the gift a deeply emotional Jean Hegarty, sister of Bloody Sunday victim Kevin McElhinney, thanked the church leaders and the Protestant community for their gesture.
“This important initiative will go a long way to healing our community. The impact of this day cannot be forgotten and will be felt in the wider community and maybe even ripple out across the world.” The church leaders and relatives held a minute’s silence for “all victims everywhere”.
Retired bishop of Derry, Dr Edward Daly, who was present in the Bogside at the time of the shootings, then greeted the churchmen along with the relatives.