3 replies to this topic

[Kilsally]

Orange lodge appeals funeral mass decision
http://www.newslette...ision_1_3249897

UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy meeting Tyrone GAA Manager Mickey Harte (left) at the funeral of PSNI constable Ronan Kerr in Beragh, Co Tyrone.

Published on Wednesday 16 November 2011 08:21

THE Orange Order is facing an internal showdown after a demand by Orangemen that it spell out whether or not they are allowed to attend Roman Catholic funerals.

The rule which bans attendance at mass has long been quietly broken, particularly in country areas, but the attendance of UUP leader Tom Elliott and party colleague Danny Kennedy at police constable Ronan Kerr’s funeral earlier this year led to disciplinary action.

That complaint by a Sandy Row lodge from Belfast cleared both men but it has now emerged that two weeks ago the Sandy Row lodge appealed the outcome, leading to a fresh hearing which will take place in the coming weeks.

The news emerged in a BBC Spotlight programme last night which also revealed that a Fermanagh lodge is preparing a letter which will call on the institution’s ruling Grand Lodge to undertake a review of the controversial rule which bars members from attending mass.

The letter calls on the institution to decide once and for all whether members should be disciplined for being present at a Catholic service.

If the requested review decides firmly on the issue it will pit moderate and traditionalist sections of the Order against each other and end the long-standing ambiguity around the contentious issue which until now has suited many on both sides.

Neither Mr Elliott nor Mr Kennedy appeared on the programme after a request by Grand Lodge that they should not take part.

But the Order’s deputy grand master and most senior cleric, the Rev Alistair Smyth, did take part and made clear that Grand Lodge’s clear advice is that Orangemen should not go into mass. He insisted that there was “no great clamour” to change the current rules.

But West Tyrone Ulster Unionist MLA and Orangeman Ross Hussey, who also attended constable Kerr’s funeral mass, told the programme: “I went to Ronan Kerr’s funeral because I personally was a police officer, a part-time police officer for 26 years.

“I went to pay respects to the family of a murdered police officer and I think anyone in the same circumstances could see no logical reason why I shouldn’t have — in fact they should have encouraged me to do so. I was proud to be there.”

The UUP MLA said that the Sandy Row Orangemen “should look to their own conscience, and their own Christian values”.

Lord Trimble, who was threatened with expulsion from the Order in 1998 when he attended two funeral masses of Omagh bomb victims, told the programme that it was “absolutely clear” to him after the bomb that he should attend the funerals.

“There are circumstances where it is one’s duty as a human being, as a Christian — indeed even as a politician — to go to services in other churches.”

[Kilsally]

BBC iPlayer Spotlight: Examining the controversy surrounding an Orange Order complaint against UUP leader attending mass http://www.bbc.co.uk...011_15_11_2011/

[Kilsally]

Orange mass row hasn't gone away
http://www.impartial...asnt-gone-away/
Rodney Edwards • Published 17 Nov 2011 13:00 2 Comments

UUP leader Tom Elliott


ULSTER Unionist leader Tom Elliott and the Orange Order are facing fresh controversy this week following a BBC documentary that examined the row over the Fermanagh politician's attendance at the funeral of murdered Catholic police officer Ronan Kerr in April.

The Spotlight programme on Tuesday night claimed there was turmoil within the Order, disagreements about the rule on attending a Catholic mass and divided opinion on the decision by the Orange lodge in Sandy Row to make the official complaint in September about Tom Elliott and his colleague Danny Kennedy going to Constable Kerr's funeral.

Mr. Elliott, who declined to take part in the programme, had previously told this newspaper that he felt like he was "on trial for doing the right thing" by going to the funeral. Commenting on fellow Orange Order members who took part in the show, said: "They came across too negative".

The documentary also claimed that an Orange lodge in Sandy Row have appealed the decision not to punish Mr. Elliott and Mr. Kennedy for attending the Catholic mass. Responding yesterday, Mr. Elliott said he has not yet received "official notice" but added: "If this is true then I think this is another issue that we could do without".

The programme also featured comments by Father Brian D'Arcy who described such remarks by the Order on attending Catholic mass as "insulting", something some Order members featured in the programme disagreed with. Mr. Elliott said that Father D'Arcy is "entitled to his view", adding: "I absolutely respect that they have a right to their religion, I certainly would not be derogatory about it. I think his comments were about a particular Chaplain who featured in an article on the front of the Orange Standard discussing the issue," he said.

Another claim in the programme was that a crucial vote was to take place in Fermanagh at the time the show was on air to look at bringing forward a motion on changing the rules regarding attending Catholic mass. This newspaper understands the vote didn't take place. Mr. Elliott refused to comment: "Those issues are a matter for internal Orange business and I certainly wouldn't comment on that when those issues haven't even been communicated back to our members. I think it would be really unfair to discuss that through the public domain," he said.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter yesterday, the Rector of the Graan Fr. Brian D'Arcy said he had "no bone to pick" with Orangemen and in fact was keen to point out that he has "enormously good friends within the Orange Order" but he insisted that changes to their policy would be welcome.

"I can't tell the Orange Order what to do and nor would I. What I would say to them is that in this day and age having very insulting remarks about what is the central core of Catholic belief is, for me, insulting behaviour. I know that individuals don't mean to insult me but I do know that the views held by the rules of the Orange Order are outdated in modern ways of thinking," he said.

There was no response from the Fermanagh County Grand Orange Lodge yesterday for a response to the documentary, to the claim that Sandy Row lodge are appealing the decision not to punish Former County Grandmaster Tom Elliott, to Father Brian's comments that rules within the Order are "outdated" and to the claim that a crucial vote was to take place in Fermanagh on Tuesday night by lodge members on their Catholic mass policy.

In a statement, a spokesperson simply said: "County Fermanagh Grand Orange Lodge did hold their annual November Meeting last night where normal Orange business was discussed. As per usual we enjoyed another successful and constructive meeting. Any matters that did arise throughout the evening are internal business. Therefore we have no comments to pass on".

[Kilsally]

Elliott not told of Mass row appeal
http://www.newslette...ppeal_1_3253985

Published on Thursday 17 November 2011 08:33

ULSTER Unionist leader Tom Elliott has said that he has still not been officially told by the Orange Order that an attempt is being made to ‘re-try’ him for attending a Roman Catholic funeral.

On Tuesday night, the BBC’s Spotlight programme revealed that the Sandy Row Orange lodge which demanded Mr Elliott and Danny Kennedy be disciplined had refused to accept the Order’s initial decision that it was acceptable for the two politicians to attend the funeral of murdered PSNI officer Ronan Kerr.

That is now likely to lead to an appeal hearing by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland.

However, when asked about the appeal yesterday, Mr Elliott told the News Letter that he was “not aware of anything officially but seen it reported” that there would be an appeal.

The former Fermanagh county grand master said that he would be “surprised and disappointed” if an appeal was to proceed.

An Orange Order spokesman said that it was an internal matter and declined to comment further.

The BBC Spotlight programme also revealed that the Order’s grand chaplains — who provide spiritual leadership to members — are split on whether members are able to attend a Mass but not take part.

And it said that a Fermanagh lodge is attempting to get the Order to decide once and for all whether members can attend a Mass.

-----------

Orange chief praised over mass ruling
http://www.newslette...uling_1_3254041

Published on Thursday 17 November 2011 09:01

FOLLOWING the BBC Spotlight programme on November 15, may I through your newspaper take this opportunity to publicly congratulate the deputy grand master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, the Rev Alistair Smyth, on his strong, yet dignified, defence of our institution’s rule regarding the Roman Catholic mass. Strong leadership is welcomed at this time.

Our Protestant faith and heritage was purchased for us at a great price and through great courage we were delivered from the superstitions of Rome.

We can look back to the reformation and to the martyrs and I would urge all Bible-believing Orangemen to recall the greatest victory of all, which was God sending his only Son to the cross and shedding his precious blood for our sins, and remembering that Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6 KJV).

The mass takes away the crown rights of our Lord Jesus, who is the only mediator between God and men.

Forbidding Orangemen and Christians to attend the mass is not out of ignorance but is through the belief that the Roman Catholic mass is a blasphemy unto our Lord’s final sacrifice and also that we as Christians should follow only the biblical truths and not a man-made religion.

In this year we have celebrated the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible and are proud to hold it as the rule and guide of our faith and practice.

A verse which might enlighten those who are confused about the Orange Order’s rules is as follows: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11).

Denis Boyd

Lay chaplain

Killyman District