Elliott and Kennedy did 'right thing'

Published Thursday, 15 September 2011

Ulster Unionist Party leader Tom Elliott has told UTV he and party colleague Danny Kennedy "did the right thing" by going to the funeral of Constable Ronan Kerr.

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The senior politicians were speaking out after news that they now face internal disciplinary proceedings by the Orange Order, as members are forbidden to attend Catholic mass.

"Quite clearly, Danny and I believe we did the right thing for Northern Ireland," Mr Elliott said. "We did the right thing for the people of Northern Ireland.

"We did the right thing, most importantly, for the Kerr family by attending the funeral and giving them support."

But a formal complaint has been made against the two men from an Orange lodge in Belfast's Sandy Row area and a disciplinary hearing will be held.

It is understood the situation has arisen in the past with less high-profile members of the organisation and that no action has been taken against them.

The worst case scenario is that both Mr Elliott and Mr Kennedy could be expelled.

They declined to comment further as the 'internal mechanism' within the Orange Order is underway, but they don't regret attending the funeral.

"We are heartened by the support we got for our attendance and giving support to the family at that particular time," Mr Elliott said.

Senior representatives from across political divides and from both Northern Ireland and the Republic attended Ronan Kerr's funeral in April.

The young PSNI officer was killed in an under-car bomb outside his home in Omagh.

Comments

17 Comments

lorna in limavady wrote (248 days ago):

Mary count yourself lucky your comment appears at all !! If you try to explain why this ban is in order and the reasons why attenting any mass is as the Orange Order sees it contrary to the word of God. i have tried without success to put an Orange prospective but my comments never appear even after time . That is a pity and when I take the trouble to write out what I think is useful material to this debate it is not used.

PJ in newry wrote (249 days ago):

THE ISSUE IS ORANGE ORDER SHOULD BE BANN, POLITICION MUST BRING ACTION AGAINST OO, BECAUSE IT IS NOT FOR FREEDOM OF RELIGIONS OR LIBERTY, IT IS A BIGOT SECTERIAN ORGANISON, IT IS NOT CHRISTIAN OR SOCIAL, ITS A MADE UP TRADITION OF OO MARCHES SIX MONTHS PER YEAR, WILLIAM VICTORY BOYNE, HIS REIGN LED TO PENAL LAWS, PERSECUTION OF MAJORITY CATHOLICS NATIVES LEFT NO RIGHTS AS HUMAN BEINGS, DENIED THEIR FAITH,THEIR LAND STOLEN, DENIED EDUCATION, VOTE, EXCLUDED FROM POLITICS, AND RESENTATION, EXCLUDED FROM LEGAL PROFESSION, COULD NOT PRACTICE IS IMPOWERED SIMILAR TO SOUTH AFRICIA AND THE PRESBYTERIANS MARRIAGES WERE NOT RECONOGISED DISCRIMINATED DEMORALISEDIN THAT 17TH CENTRY DARK TUTER TIMES, THE OO OBJECTIVE CONTINUES IN 21ST CENTRY IS TO ANOY CATHOLICS, ANTI POPE, ANTI NATIONALIST, OO INFLURENCES POLITICS DEVIDE OUR PEOPLE, AND VERY DAMAGING TO PEACE PROCESS. WHAT DO THE OO MEAN CLAIMING PROTECTION OF PROTESTANTS,?WHERE ARE THE THREATS, I HAVE FRIENDS OF ALL CREEDS AND NONE. I THINK OO NEEDS INVESTICATED, AS IT A SEEDY SECRET OO WHICH DEVIDES OUR COMMUNITY AND DAMAGES RELATIONSHIPS. THEY PEDDLE LIBERITY FOR BIGOTRY AND ARE NOT CHRISTIAN OR THEY WOULD LOVE THEIR NEIGHBOURS, AND THEY ARE MOST ANT IRISH

lorna in limavady wrote (249 days ago):

Question is did they do the right thing. In attending a funeral they did . to take part in the mass and eat the bread which they do not believe is "the body of Christ " well they did not do that. If being there and witnessing the people taking part is that so bad?Apparantly is in someone eyes ! can we not hold personal opinions on this and not be labelled bigot.Can we influence others to question certain beliefs by standing outside or is it more helpful to be on the inside. This is a question for the Orange Order. To understand being there does not embrace their faith but shows love and compassion for the family. our Christian duty.

Mary in lisburn district wrote (250 days ago):

Could I ask WHY the comment I sent re; this article ' after midday on 16/9/2011 was not published. Did UTV not find it acceptable.

Alan Day in United Kingdom wrote (250 days ago):

The rule applies to Muslim, Hindu & Buddhist funerals also - it`s about salvation and not endorsing what reformed christians think of as `fatal errors`.

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