Prayers for murdered Omagh policeman

In the Church of Ireland prayers were said for the young officer and his family, and acts of reflection were observed.

In St Columb’s Cathedral at the start of the Family Service, the Dean, Very Rev Dr William Morton, described the past week as having been “very difficult for many different people”, beginning with the car bomb in the car park off Bishop Street, upon which a controlled explosion was carried out.

“A lot of people were put out of their homes, including elderly people who were evacuated from Alexander House and who had to remain out of their accommodation for 24 hours. Then of course, there was Friday morning when there was again disruption and disturbance in Bishop Street, but all of that pale into insignificance when we heard of the murder of a young policeman, in Omagh. Ronan Kerr was 25 years of age.

“Today in our services we will be remembering his family, and his colleagues particularly at a time of such abrupt sadness and bereavement. It is so dreadful and tragic that this has happened,” he said, adding that the act had been both “wrong and evil”.

“We think today of the family of that young man, Ronan Kerr, of his father and particularly his mother this Mothering Sunday, and his wider family circle. We will remember them all in our prayers.”

Later during the Communion Service, Canon John Merrick prayed for all those who were in mourning: “We remember especially the family circle of Constable Ronan Kerr. We remember his colleagues in the PSNI.”

In a seperate prayer the Canon went on to offer prayer for all the men and women serving in all ranks of the PSNI in the country, and called on God to fortify them with courage and resolution in times of crisis and tragedy. He also called on The Lord to give members of the PSNI the skill, perseverance and the good humour necessary to do their duty in what he called “this sometimes divided society”.

On Monday Church leaders in Londonderry visited Omagh to condole with the family of murdered PSNI officer Ronan Kerr and to show his “cruel and bitter” killers they won’t “shake our united resolve to live in peace together.”

The Right Rev Ken Good (Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe) and Most Rev Dr Seamus Hegarty (Roman Catholic Bishop of Derry) made the joint statement following a visit to Mrs Nuala Kerr and her family.

The Churchmen said the attack was anti-Christian and out of step with the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland.

“The killing of Constable Ronan Kerr is a profound rejection of the fundamental Christian teaching that all human life is sacred,” they said.

“We have come to Omagh to offer our deepest condolences to Mrs Nuala Kerr and her family. Ronan’s mother, brothers and sister have shown immense dignity, courage and generous humanity in the most tragic of circumstances. We are indebted to her for her words of healing in the midst of tragedy,” the Bishops said.

The prelates said they were making the visit to jointly to symbolize what is now reality - that a historic cycle has been broken.

“The time when political difference was addressed by violence is over. It has no part in the life of our community. “The efforts of those who so cruelly took Ronan Kerr’s life do not shake our united resolve to live at peace with our neighbour,” the said.

They said the young policeman had been an inspiration and his family had borne his loss with dignity.

“In a life so needlessly cut short, Constable Kerr has left a proud legacy. The police who serve and protect us are deserving of our unequivocal support.

“Notwithstanding this tragic event, we encourage young people from across our community not to be deterred from serving the public by joining the PSNI.

“Those who committed this crime must be aware of a stark contrast so obvious to all on these shores and beyond; a contrast between the cruelty of violent acts conceived in bitterness as compared with the inspirational example of service to his community exemplified by Ronan Kerr and the dignity shown by his family,” the Bishops said.

In the immediate aftermath of the killing the Archbishop of Armagh, The Most Rev Alan Harper, and Bishop Good issued a joint statement on the murder.”

Paying tribute to the role of the PSNI, they said: “The cruelty and shame of those who committed this act, either in planting the device or in supplying of information, is displayed to all of the world. It has brought needless devastation to the family of this young officer. It is also an act for which those responsible will indeed answer not only to their conscience but to their maker.”