The Five Demands

Nel mirino Tom Elliot e Danny Kennedy, per aver infranto la regola ferrea dell’Ordine di Orange che vieta a suoi membri di partecipare alle messe cattoliche

I funerali di Ronan Kerr sono stati per tutti i politici, il perfetto manifesto elettorale in vista delle prossime elezioni al Nord. Perchè non avrebbe dovuto esserlo anche per Tom Elliot e Danny Kennedy, membri di spicco dell’UUP (Elliot ne è il leader) e dell’Ordine di Orange? Una presenza ‘sotto mentite spoglie’ giustificata dall’immagine di totale supporto ai familiari di Ronan Kerr, il giovane poliziotto ucciso ad Omagh il 2 aprile scorso.
Una presenza che l’Orange Order, proprio adducendo questa ragione, aveva promesso di non sanzionare la presenza di personaggi del calibro dei leaders UUP.
“Era importante che la famiglia Kerr comprendesse l’ampio sostegno da tutta la comunità e l’Ordine di Orange offre loro la propria solidarietà sincera per la perdita del figlio coraggioso”, ha dichiarato un portavoce dell’Ordine.
Ad alzare il polverone è stato, però, un cappellano orangista, Rev. David McCarthy, alla guida dell’Orange Reformation.

“Siamo rimasti molto costernati nel vedere alcuni membri dell’Ordine di Orange e cosiddetti protestanti evangelici, partecipare alla messa funebre, cosa che è esplicitamente vietata dal regolamento della nostra istituzione” .
“Crediamo che la messa cattolica romana sia blasfema e un affronto al sacrificio di Cristo sulla croce”.
“I Protestanti non dovrebbero mai assistere ad un culto cattolico romano. Chiediamo che questi membri vengano espulsi dall’istituzione orangista, insieme ad altri che hanno recentemente incontrato con la Commissione Parate, contrariamente alla politica del Grand Lodge. Le regole sono regole e devono essere rispettate.”
Il gruppo Orange Reformation è stato costituito circa due anni fa, nel tentativo di “riportare indietro il Protestantesimo nell’Orangismo”.
Oggetto di critiche anche la partecipazione ai funerali del Peter Robinson. Il Primo Ministro non è membre dell’Ordine di Orange, ma è stato attaccato della Free Presbyterian Church. Lord Bannside (Ian Paisley), fondatore dell chiesa, ha evitato di esprimeri commenti sul comportamento del suo successore alla guida del DUP e del governo del Nord Irlanda.

Articoli Correlati

• Orange funeral censure unlikely (bbc.co.uk)
• Ronan Kerr’s funeral to be show of unity (guardian.co.uk)
• VIDEO: Mourners gather for Kerr funeral (bbc.co.uk)
• Peace rally held in Omagh after Ronan Kerr murder (guardian.co.uk)
• Ronan Kerr: Catholic policeman murdered in Omagh is laid to rest (dailymail.co.uk)
• IRA Volunteer Ronan Kerr, killed on active service 2nd April 2011 (politics.ie)
• Second arrest in Ronan Kerr probe (bbc.co.uk)
• Beragh, Co Tyrone: Political Leaders To Attend Funeral Of Murdered PSNI Officer Ronan Kerr (lostchildreninthewilderness.wordpress.com)
• “Constable Kerr is brought home” and related posts (rocketnews.com)
• Video: Moving Statement by Mother of Ronan Kerr (politics.ie)
• Omagh, Co Tyrone: Thousands Take Part In ‘Walk For Peace’ Rally (lostchildreninthewilderness.wordpress.com)
• Kerr suspects extension granted (bbc.co.uk)
• Omagh bomb: police chief pays tribute to slain officer (guardian.co.uk)
• Unionists and Dissidents: Fellow travellers (politics.ie)

Orange call to act over funeral mass (NewsLetter)
An orange chaplain has called for Tom Elliott and Danny Kennedy to be expelled for attending the funeral mass of Constable Ronan Kerr.
The attendance of the two senior UUP and Orange figures has largely gone without comment and last week the Orange Order gave a firm indication that it would not be pursuing the issue, stressing that it was crucial to show solidarity with the slain policeman’s family.
However, historic Orange rules explicitly prohibit members from attending a Roman Catholic service.
The Rev David McCarthy, an Orange chaplain and Presbyterian minister, said that while he had deep sympathy for the family of Constable Kerr, the Orange should expel members who attended his funeral.
Rev McCarthy, a leader in the traditionalist Orange lobby group Orange Reformation, said: “We were greatly dismayed to see some members of the Orange Order and so-called evangelical Protestants attend his funeral mass, which is explicitly forbidden in the rules of our institution.
“We believe the Roman Catholic mass is blasphemous and an affront to the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
“No Protestant should ever attend Roman Catholic worship. We call for these members to be expelled from the Orange institution, along with others who have recently met with the Parades Commission, contrary to Grand Lodge policy. Rules are rules and they must be upheld.”
However, an Orange Order spokesman said that it was right for the murdered policeman’s family to realise that they had support from every section of the community.
He said: “It was important that the Kerr family understood the widespread support for them throughout the community and the Orange Order offers its sincere sympathy to them on the loss of their brave son.”
The Orange Reformation group was set up almost two years ago in an attempt to “put Protestantism back into Orangeism”.
However, while publicly vocal it has failed to change the course of the Order or to stop events, such as Orangefest, to which it objects.
Senior Orange figures are dismissive of the group’s support within the Order and it is understood that its meetings attract less than 100 members.
Peter Robinson, who also attended Constable Kerr’s funeral, is not an Orangeman but has faced condemnation from within the Free Presbyterian Church.
The church’s founder, Lord Bannside, declined to comment on his political successor’s decision to attend the service.