Letter: Churchmen face balance between offering hope to victims of terrorist crime while never normalising violence

Shane Paul O'Doherty ('Everyone stands to benefit when war criminals are brought to justice', August 3, see below) shared his thoughts on the positive impact of anti-terror law being vigorously enforced.

Mr O'Doherty writes: “I am aware that many people are sick, sore and tried of morality references after having viewed churchmen of different cloths rubbing cheeks with paramilitary mass murderers and being regularly photographed with them beaming and glowing."

But this concern must be balanced by consideration of the sterling work done by prison chaplains like Rev David Jardine. His ministry helped to redirect the lives of former combatants (such as Pastor David-'Packie'-Hamilton). Pastor Hamilton's amazing jailhouse conversion is recounted in a moving life memoir 'A Cause Worth Living For’. However, there undoubtedly is a difficult balance for 'churchmen' (or female clerics) to find, so that hope is offered to both the victims (and perpetrators) of terrorist crime, yet violence is never normalised or glorified.

I do feel unease about elements of the imagery seen in a short online film about St Brendan's Church of Ireland Parish in Belfast's Sydenham district. The Youtube online film clip by Olive Tree Media (30 January 2022) has this title: 'Karl Faase interviews Joe Turner for Jesus the Game Changer Season 2'

Dr James Hardy, Belfast BT5

Opinion Shane O'Doherty: Everyone benefits when war criminals are brought to justice