CLERGY and Christians turned out to support a cross-community church walk on Good Friday in Castlewellan – just days after the event had been denounced by Free Presbyterian ministers.
Numbers walking the short distance between St Malachy’s Roman Catholic Church and St Paul’s Church of Ireland Church rose to more than 100 for the annual event which normally attracts between 50 and 60 participants.
The walk passed off without incident with onlookers stopping to take photographs of the walkers just before lunchtime.
Last week, six Free Presbyterian ministers condemned the annual event — where clergy and other walkers take turns to carry a wooden cross — as a “sad and shameful act of wild apostasy”.
The comment, which means an abandonment of a religious belief or principle, came in the strongly worded letter from the Rev Daniel Henderson, which was supported by five of his colleagues from other churches.
The Free Presbyterian clergy ministers claimed that the walk “stands at odds with the Bible’s teachings” and had called on the town’s Church of Ireland community not to participate in the event, also known as the Peace Walk, which has been held for years without attracting criticism.
Last Friday’s walk marked the 21st anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and came the day after the murder of journalist Lyra McKee by the New IRA in Derry.
Organised by the Castlewellan Area Bible/Prayer Group and Churches Forum, St Malachy’s and St Paul’s take turns each year in hosting the initial prayers and hymns before the cross is carried to the other church. The event was finished off by further prayers and hymns with soup served to all.
The call for the Church of Ireland community to boycott the event was ignored as several additional ministers attended the event for the first time.
Former Bishop Trevor Williams, recently retired from the Church of Ireland diocese of Limerick and Killaloe and former rector of Newcastle, said he felt it was important to attend the event.
“The Christian message for me is one primarily of love and concern for others and on this Good Friday that’s precisely the message, the cross of Jesus Christ and what he gave to the world,” he said.
“Jesus said love one another as I have loved you so that is the importance of this day. We learn most from those who are different so this walk today gives us an opportunity to realise that each of our traditions have something to offer, each has something to learn from each other.”
Church of Ireland minister, the Rev Adrian Dorrian from the Lecale group of churches, said he felt it was important to attend the walk.
“We have a similar walk of witness in Downpatrick today,” he said. “But, given the coverage this year and the protest letter which we disagree strongly with, we wanted to show support. Dean Henry Hull would have been here but he has other Good Friday service commitments. I’m very glad to have been able to come and represent the other churches in the town.”
Castlewellan parish priest, Fr Denis McKinlay, said: “It’s been a great turnout today and great show of support and solidarity from some very important people. After all it is a peace walk and it’s about peace, reconciliation and hope and we all have to learn from one another. Surely that has to be a great thing?”
In welcoming the walkers to St Paul’s, the Rev Brian Cadden said: “It is a real sense of joy today, despite different expressions of the Christian faith, that we can come together to share the most basic aspect of our faith which is the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.”
St Malachy’s parishioners, Harry and Margaret McCartan from Newcastle, have attended the walk for years.
Mr McCartan said why there were there: “To bear witness with our Christian neighbours, that’s what it is all about,” he said.
“That’s exactly it, this is nothing to do with politics,” added Mrs McCartan.
He continued: “Why be a Christian if you are afraid to show it?”
Gerald King from Annsborough said he attended the walk due to recent newspaper coverage.
“I came today after seeing that letter because them men are wrong,” he said. “Love one another as I have loved you, that’s what this is about.”
St Malachy’s parishioner Mary Steele, who walks every year, said: “It’s been lovely and peaceful and calm. It’s a prayerful day and it should be. Good Friday is the day and the resurrection is the day. Let those without sin cast the first stone.”
Fellow St Malachy’s parishioner Philomena Rice was there with her three grandchildren as she has done in previous years.
“I think it’s important to show my grandchildren the other church,” she said. “They like coming out to this, carrying the cross as they call it.”
Ronnie Hamilton, secretary of the Castlewellan Area Bible/Prayer Group said: “I’m very happy with the turnout today and it’s more than we normally have. It’s a real vote of confidence.”