Closer links after Enniskillen

NEXT SUNDAY will mark the second anniversary of the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The terrible tragedy at Enniskillen makes the occasion all the more ironical, but must obviously reinforce determination on both sides of the Irish Sea that the Treaty, far from being abandoned, will be enforced with renewed vigour.
Also on Sunday, a joint statement by the Catholic bishops of Ireland will be read at all Masses in every church in Ireland. it goes further than almost any previous statement — and so, indeed, it should under such particularly horrendous circumstances.
"It is long," say the bishops, "since there has been such a sense of disgust throughout the Catholic community as Sunday's explosion in Enniskillen has aroused."
This was borne out by, among many other reactions, the words of the head of the Catholic and nationalist SDLP, who, as The Times leader put it, "saw the awfulness of the tragedy in a way which eluded sympathetic politicians and public figures from further afield."
The author of the words was John Hume MP who said that the outrage was "probably the most deeply provocative act to have been committed against the unionist people."
But will the bishops' words be heeded? Even so particularly despicable and cowardly outrages ac this one can be forgotten suprisingly quickly. Not before time, the bishops have reminded the public that "dotted across this country there are safe houses provided for members of these organisations," ie the terrorists. "We say very solemnly to these people that they share in the awful crime of murder."
Truly, as stated in the episcopal text, "it is a choice between good and evil." But this is nothing new. Nor has this latest horror produced the highest death toll of any past bombing attack. But it has, understandably, produced the most horrified response and produced shame even within the ranks of Provisional Sinn Fein itself.
If good can come out of evil, then now is the time to make quite sure that every conceivable opportunity is taken for this to happen. There must no longer be the slightest shadow of doubt that the Extradition Treaty will be formally ratified by the Dail on December 1.
The profoundly disturbing thought remains that there is still enough "gut" sympathy in Northern Ireland, particularly among young people, for the Provisional IRA that even this latest act of what has rightly been called "desecration," and its unambiguous condemnation by the Church, for violence to go on virtually unchecked. Among the (possibly) innocent who may suffer could be the "Birmingham Six" whose cause could be set back by emotional backlash after Enniskillen.
Thus, until that hard core of criminals, pretending to be Catholics, is converted, murder most foul will go on. Every local priest must therefore make sure the bishops' voice is heard by those whom they know to be guilty by association but have, in the past, been reluctant to defy face to face. A forbidding task but one which can no longer be shirked.