A church of Ireland group has written to the rector of Drumcree, the Rev John Pickering, and his select vestry, requesting that Portadown Orangemen are not invited to take part in the morning service of the first Sunday in July next year.
Mr Pickering said last night he did not wish to comment on the letter just yet. The letter from the Catalyst group is signed by 160 clergy, the vast majority of whom are serving in Northern Ireland, have served there or have connections there.
Also among the signatories are the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walton Empey, and the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, the Right Rev John Neill.
In the letter dated September 30th last and signed by Mr Brian Fitzpatrick on behalf of the group, they write "to beg you not to invite or accept requests from the Portadown Loyal Orders to participate next year."
The letter continues that "whatever their intentions there can be no doubt that the Orangemen are unable to comply with the minimum requirements for taking part outlined by the Archbishop, the Archdeacons and Rural Deans of Armagh in their letter of 25th June (last)."
It refers to "the dismay felt in church circles at the involvement of the Church of the Ascension, however unwittingly, in the turmoil at Drumcree around the first Sunday of July" and appeals "to you as Christians and as members of the Church of Ireland to state publicly that you do not wish the Orangemen to use our church in this way."
This, it is suggested "respectfully", would be "a Christian response to the tragedy of recent years." The writers said they were speaking "for many members of the Church of Ireland, including not a few Orangemen."
The Catalyst group also sent a letter to Mr Pickering on September 14th requesting a meeting. He replied on September 26th requesting a list of names of the group's members, but made no reference to any meeting.
In a letter also dated September 30th Catalyst wrote to the Church of Ireland Primate, Dr Robin Eames, expressing the hope that the church's standing committee "will reach decisions which ensure that action is taken to prevent Drumcree parish church becoming for a fifth year a focus of inter-community strife."
The group says: "It is clear that many of our clergy and laity believe that the Church of Ireland is humiliated and compromised by the association of one of our churches with hatred and violence."
