ITALY: The involvement of two clergymen in the IRA decommissioning process was an acknowledgement of the role played by clergy in creating the conditions for peace, the Catholic primate, Archbishop Seán Brady, has said.
Addressing the synod of bishops in Rome at the weekend, he said "experience has shown in my own country the transforming power of the liturgy of the Word and of the homily.
"On so many occasions of great tragedy and violence, the power of the Word and the homily to transform attitudes of anger, vengeance and retaliation into events of reconciliation, forgiveness and healing has been both humbling and inspiring.
"It is gratifying to note how scriptural words like justice, peace, forgiveness have become the lingua franca of the peace process," he said.The involvement of the two clergymen "was perhaps, among other things, an acknowledgement of the role played by ministers of the Word of God in creating the conditions for reconciliation and peace."