Bishops appeal to English and Irish for continued unity

By a Staff Reporter 1/1/ Terrorists whose bombs killed 19 people in Birmingham last week have been condemned by the Pope, bishops and priests and have caused a wave of anti-Irish feeling and demands for excommunication.
Archbishop Dwyer of Birmingham, who before the explosions had banned a Church funeral for James McDade,an IRA member killed when the bomb he was carrying exploded in Coventry, has since made more than six television and radio broadcasts condemning the terrorists. He has asked Catholics to avoid violent men "to show they have not succeeded in dividing our community." He will suggest how the community may remain united in a pastoral to be read on Sunday.
Bishop James McGuinness of Nottingham, who comes from Derry, and is the only Irishborn member of the Bishops' Conference, said: "The terrible events in Birmingham ... when so many innocent people lost their lives and so many received serious injury has caused a feeling of revulsion and shock to the whole community. I utterly deplore and condemn these acts of violence perpetrated by evil people. Such crimes cry to heaven. "If these horrible deeds are the work of any Irish fanatical and anarchist groups, then I am sure I speak for the vast majority in this country and say 'we will have no part in it.' Such acts of violence have besmirched the good name of Ireland and her people. We must all join in making clear our condemnation of such crimes against the community and work to eradicate this canker from our society."
He concluded: "I offer condolence to the families and relatives of those who have been murdered in this vile and evil way and pray God will give them comfort and strength to bear their great loss. Our prayers, too, are for those seriously injured. As for those guilty of these terrible crimes, I pray that they will quickly receive the grace of repentance." The telegram from the Vatican to the Archbishop of Birmingham said: "Profoundly saddened at news of fresh outbreak of violence. Holy Father condemns senseless and despicable bombings in Birmingham. He prays for eternal res: for those killed, extends deep sympathy to the injured and families of victims and prays that all men of goodwill will work for peace and justice."
Archbishop Dwyer replied: "We pledge ourselves to oppose the men of violence and to work for peace, reconciliation and justice." The 'Vatican newspaper "Osservatore Romano" said: "No higher motives, no legitimate interests can justify such butchery. It can only be explained by pure bestiality in an atmosphere of burning hatred, which brings crawling out of the human heart the snakes bred by the passions."
The majority of Birmingham city priests, over 120 of them, also made a statement about the bombings because, said Fr Toni Rock, chaplain to Birmingham University, "we felt it was vitally important." The priests said: "We totally condemn the cold-blooded murders which took place in our city on Thursday night. We are deeply hurt that such atrocities can happen in our society. We offer our sympathy to those who lost relatives and to those injured. We hold that anyone who condones such evil acts has no right to call himself a follower of Christ."
Earlier this year a Birmingham priest was suspended for speaking at an IRA funeral in Kilburn, London, and two years ago a Coventry priest was found guilty of helping terrorists. Requiem Masses were offered for the dead in all Birmingham churches last Sunday and a solemn Requiem High Mass is planned at St Chad's Cathedral next week, at which Fr Rock said he expected the largest ever number of priests to help concelebrate it. Cardinal Conway, the Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Simms, head of the Church of Ireland, and leaders of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches sent a joint message saying they "shared in the horror and revulsion felt by all civilised people."