Irish, British church officials welcome power-sharing agreement

Published: 2007-03-27

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Irish and British church officials welcomed the announcement that political parties in Northern Ireland have agreed to share power again. The March 26 announcement represents "an important and welcome development in the search for a stable future for Northern Ireland," said a statement from Ireland's Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and Methodist church leaders. Among those signing was the Irish primate, Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh, Northern Ireland. The statement said the churches had worked for a devolved government for Northern Ireland, "and we trust that this is now to be realized." It encouraged people to continue to pray for their communities. The British section of the Catholic peace movement Pax Christi welcomed the announcement and said, "Everyone involved now owes it to the victims and suffering families of the conflict to seize this opportunity to build a lasting peaceful and just society." The predominantly Protestant Democratic Unionist Party and predominantly Catholic Sinn Fein agreed to set aside decades of animosity and share power with each other to rule Northern Ireland, beginning May 8.

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