Masses cancelled
By Mick Naughton.
The pressure of 42 weeks of loyalist protest at Our Lady's chapel
in Harryville has resulted in parish priest, Father Sean
Connolly, cancelling Saturday evening services for the summer.
Despite the suspension, however, loyalists are thought to be
ready to move their protest to another church.
Significantly, the priests were told last week by the RUC that
with the Twelfth falling on a Saturday they could not guarantee
the parishioners' security. This prompted Fr Connolly to switch
the evening service to Harryville's sister church, All Saints, on
the Broughshane Road, until September at least. It is likely that
either this or another nearby Catholic church will fall prey to
the loyalists given that a major parade is planned in the
Ballymena area on the Twelfth.
``Understandable,'' was how Sinn Féin National Chairperson Mitchel
McLaughlin described the decision to abandon the weekly church
services. ``Given the heightened tension and threats which are
being directed at that congregation as we move closer to Drumcree
3, it is an indictment of the Unionist leaders who failed to
confront their own people and demand an end to this disgraceful
event. It is also evidence of the inability of the RUC to face up
to the harsh reality of Orange intimidation.''
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