Protestants should not say sorry for abuse in Catholic establishments

I am horrified at the announcement in recent news reports that “Northern Ireland’s first and deputy first ministers will make an official apology to survivors of child abuse in institutions on 11 March, it has been confirmed” (‘Institutional abuse: Official apology date announced by Paul Givan and Michelle O’Neill,’ January 20, see link below).

If Paul Givan, the DUP first minister of Northern Ireland, does indeed offer an apology to those who suffered shameful treatment as children within homes supposedly established to look after them, he is linking the unionist and Protestant people with crimes carried out chiefly by Roman Catholic clerics and nuns within Roman Catholic institutions.

That is a step too far in the campaign of ‘mutuality’ pursued by Sinn Fein/IRA and the other pro-republican, anti-British parties that make up the majority in Stormont, and in which parade the DUP lamely limp along at the rear.

Let every condemnation be heaped on every wicked and guilty person and establishment, irrespective of their religious profession, but let not any unionist representative give the impression that the Protestant people share in the guilt and shame of these terrible events.

Bible Protestantism has consistently protested against the system of Romanism and the inevitable corruption that the ‘celibacy’ of its clerics and nuns will breed.

Rev Ivan Foster, Retired Free Presbyterian minister, Kilskeery. Co Tyrone

Institutional abuse: Official apology date announced by Paul Givan and Michelle O’Neill

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