Catholic leader agrees with TUV criticism of St Patrick's Day parade in Armagh

TUV’s Keith Ratcliffe questioned the cross community credentials of parade in Armagh on Friday after the procession includes three republican bands, no unionist bands and the Union flag omitted from display of world flags during the procession.

Paddy Monaghan, secretary of the Evangelical Catholic Initiative, was also disappointed with the parade.

He contacted the News Letter to say: “As a leader in the Catholic community I want to agree with the TUV’s Keith Ratcliffe that St Patrick’s Parade in Armagh should be non-political.

It should represent the real St Patrick, who was pre-reformation and thus could be a potentially uniting figure for Christians in Armagh and Northern Ireland. This is especially so in Armagh as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland is home to two cathedrals – one Anglican and one Roman Catholic, both called St Patrick’s.

“[During the St Patrick’s Day parade] in Armagh I personally challenged a number of participants in one Republican band at the end of the parade, who had marched under the Tricolour. I reminded them that the colours of the Tricolour stand for peace and reconciliation between the Orange and the Green. I challenged them to consider in future walking under both the Tricolour and the Union Jack. I wasn’t the only one that challenged them. Some of the spectators were surprised that this band was allowed to take part."

Mr Monaghan said that the parade was not the only celebration of St Patrick in Armagh: “A number of other celebrations were held and were genuinely cross-community. Both the Church of Ireland and Catholic Archbishops organised an Ecumenical Walk between both cathedrals on the March 16 at 9pm.

"I led a cross-denominational and international team of 32 folk who, in spite of the rain, took part in the walk and we, with permission, gave out St Patrick’s Testimony pamphlets in the RC Cathedral at the end of the walk.

"We also took part in a cross-community event in the Market Place Theatre, which was packed out and both archbishops shared what St Patrick meant to them. This was organised by the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and the Deputy Mayor Tim McClelland (DUP) gave a good introduction to it.

Mr Monaghan said the Evangelical Catholic Initiative is committed to renewal in the Catholic Church and building relationships with Protestant and Pentecostal Christians.

He said: “In conjunction with Wild Goose Publishing, a Pentecostal ministry, we produced this modern version of St Patrick’s Testimony. In researching this we discovered that Patrick quoted 70 different Scripture verses/passages in his relatively short Confession, which is actually his Testimony.

“This modern version of St Patrick’s Testimony Pamphlet has been endorsed by leaders from RC, Protestant and Pentecostal Churches from north and south including Archbishops Eamon Martin and John McDowell, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, President of the Methodist Church, Evangelical Alliance and a large range of Pentecostal Churches.“Maybe next year the Council would fund the St Patrick Testimony pamphlets as his wonderful testimony transcends all denominations. If so, I cant wait for Patrick’s Day in 2024 to happen.”