THE four main church leaders if the North have condemned a unchristian and unproductive the reported boycotts of Protestant businesses in a number of towns and villages.
In a joint statement yesterday the church leaders expressed serious concern at the reports of boycotts. As well as condemning such activities, they said they planned to discuss the issue more fully in the near future.
The statement was issued by the Catholic Primate, Cardinal Cahal Daly, the Moderator, Dr Harry Methodist President, the Kenneth Best, and the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames.
Earlier yesterday the Alliance Party whip, Alderman Sean Neeson, called on the church leaders to intervene in the trade boycott. While there were some political overtones in the boycotts, the fact was that blatant sectarianism was at the root of the problem, he added.
In a related development, a group of Catholic priests and religious figures have responded to a Presbyterian Church plea for forgiveness over events surrounding last month's Protestant Orange Order march though nationalist parts of Portadown, Co Armagh.
The Catholic clergy said last night that they wished "to extend, unreservedly the forgiveness asked for by our Presbyterian, brothers and sisters". They also[ made their own public appeal to, be forgiven for "our guilt by association in past wrongs".
The Presbyterian move was initiated by 25 church members, who issued a statement about incidents centred on the Drumcree area of Portadown in early July.
The Catholic reaction came in a statement from more than 30, priests, nuns and lay readers. The church figures said that they were responding to what they called a "remarkably courageous and exemplary initiative".