Priests to march with union protest

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in Liverpool
BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
'WELVE priests will be in the forefront of a trades union demonstration and protest march in Liverpool tomorrow. The march, protesting against the rising tide of unemployment on Merseyside. will be led by Mr. Vic Feather. General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress.
In a statement issued before the demonstration, the priests appealed to all sympathisers to "stand up and be counted," and join them in the march.
The statement read : "In joining the T.U.C. march we wish to affirm our solidarity with those who are being exploited and ruined, and to tell the Government that we will not be silent while people are allowed to suffer." No priests could be unaware of the effects of unemployment upon men and their families.
These effects were more than economic. but affected the men psychologically, socially and morally. Pope Paul had demanded that every man be given the opportunity to live a "fully human life," freed from the servitude imposed on him by other men or by natural forces over whieh he had not sufficient control.
"At the moment bishops are in Rome discussing how best we can react against injustice in whatever form. We already have their guidelines which demand 'concrete actions of solidarity in favour of justice'." the statement said.
Merseyside Was renowned for its social problems, and it was an affront to Christian conscience to see the state of human decay to which many people were reduced through forces beyond their control.
The twelve signatories to this statement were Fr. Joseph Daley, Fr. Vincent Doyle, Fr. John Fitzsimmons. Fr. Philip Holdsworth. Fr. Peter Kelly, Fr. Liam long. Fr. Stephen Louden, Fr. Thomas O'Reilly, Fr. Michael Ravey, Fr. Joseph Weston, Fr. Ralph Woodhall S.J. and Fr. John Woods.