19th June 2001 marked the beginning of Holy Cross School protest. I was in Rome at that time finishing a seven year assignment there. In November 2000 I had been appointed to Holy Cross as parish priest to take effect the following summer. Others are better placed to give an account of what happened from June to August 2001. I arrived at end of July and was elected chair of board of governors of Holy Cross Girls and Boys Schools on 6th August 2001. The schools were to reopen on Monday, 3 September. With less than a month to go before that date I had a lot of learning to do. What happened from September 3 until 23 November when the protest was suspended is well documented. Media interest is in the 10th Anniversary of the beginning of the protest. Clergy and others who were there need to give an account of what they did. I believe the 10th Anniversary that matters is in November 2011 when the 10th Anniversary of protest ending will come about. After November 2001 it took some time to get back to any semblence of normality on Ardoyne Road but a beginning was made. That process is still going on and needed. I was moved from Belfast in 2008 but my interest and prayers for a final healing continue to this day. A T.
i
No comments:
Post a Comment