Everybody is welcome at the Birmingham Rally for Peace. Everybody that is, except for Fr Dermot Fenlon. Women dressed as Bishops: Welcome. Fr Dermot Fenlon: Not Welcome.
Peter Jennings writes ...
"Under the banner “United Birmingham – One City – One Voice for Peace” the Peace Rally, held in Summerfield Park on Sunday 14 August, brought together people from every faith along with civic and political leaders supported by the Emergency Services whose members come from the families of our multi-cultural community – all citizens of our great City of Birmingham.
...
Having listened to the various addresses made by the speakers, there were recurring and common themes: respect for life and the dignity of everyone created by God; love and care of neighbour; forgiveness and compassion; tolerance and humility; justice and peace. A Creed for us all!"
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Forgivenes? Compassion? Tolerance? Are those the virtues of a community where a man "entirely guiltless of any wrong-doing whatsoever" can find himself evicted from his home for over a year?
At the end of the peace rally this prayer was said...
Muslims, Christians and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm,
that they are followers of the one God
Children of Abraham and brothers and sisters.
Enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who were estranged join hands in friendship;
communities seek the way of peace together.
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Source image credit: Peter Jennings
I wonder, did Fr Duffield pray that prayer?
Did he mean it?
