Letters: Archbishop Eamon Martin's idea that the churches assist in setting up a Troubles truth recovery process is welcome

The suggestion by Archbishop Eamon Martin that Ireland’s religious denominations could assist in setting up a Troubles truth recovery process is very welcome (January 23, see link below).

As he says, “Peace, reconciliation and forgiveness on this island will only be progressed by bringing to light the truths that remain hidden and festering about our troubled past, and by engaging in respectful conversations across our communities about what we mean by a shared future”.In advocating a Truth Recovery Process based on a mediation process under judicial oversight by both British and Irish governments we are proposing an alternative for victims and survivors, for former combatants and for society at large to the criminal justice system. We believe that such a process can also supplement the work of the courts and lead to further information being uncovered in cases.

Achieving an outcome to a trial and declaring the case ‘closed’, whatever the result, is a totally inadequate means of dealing with what happened and the consequences for all concerned. The individuals affected and society at large are left with a vacuum that is often filled with superficial and inappropriate social media forums.

Despite their travails, the churches still provide an unrivalled network to discuss the issues involved in a non-judgemental way. It is very appropriate that Archbishop Martin chose an inter-community service at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast to mark the Centenary of the Irish Council of Churches for this initiative. It was outside another church, St Patrick’s in 2015, when Martin McGuinness met Prince Philip that the Sinn Fein leader called on politicians to show leadership in reconciliation.

The fact that the leaders of so many churches, including Archbishop John McDowell, Church of Ireland Primate, the Presbyterian Moderator the Right Reverend Dr John Kirkpatrick and the Methodist President, the Reverend David Nixon were present, and that there were so many positive responses to the Archbishop’s proposal from other senior religious leaders is a hopeful sign that this badly needed initiative may succeed where others have failed.

Padraig Yeates, Dublin; Harry Donaghy, Belfast ; John Green, Wicklow,

Church leaders could play role in legacy 'truth recovery' gathering hears