Church leaders' hopes for peace

(L-R) Dr Morrow, Dr Eames, Archbishop Sean Brady

Northern Ireland's church leaders have expressed their hopes that a lasting peace can be built, in their Christmas messages.

Church of Ireland Primate Archbishop Robin Eames warned that despite the paramilitary ceasefires, there was "a culture of violence spreading fear among young and old alike".

He said: "I am very conscious of the contrasts on this island at the first Christmas of the millennium - the contrast between those who still want to use violence in a culture of violence to dictate events, and those who are longing to see an end to it, and are working hard for peace."

Dr Eames added: "As we move towards a just and stable society we pray that widespread terrorism and violence can be consigned to history.

"But today there is a another culture of violence corroding too many lives. It proclaims that violence in the street or in the home is an acceptable behaviour pattern for which society too easily finds excuses.

"We must challenge that belief and never assume that there is an acceptable level of violence in any civilised country."

The Archbishop of Armagh added that as the IT revolution revitalised parts of the province, people must not forget deprived and homeless people, and those in minority cultures forming new communities in Northern Ireland.

Troubles victims

Presbyterian Moderator Dr Trevor Morrow called on people to remember victims of the Troubles at Christmas.

Dr Morrow said: "Having spoken to a number of them over this past number of months, I know that at times they feel terribly isolated and even abandoned.

"What they have seen and experienced has left them indelibility scarred. Their feeling of loss is now reinforced with a moral awareness of injustice.

"Grief at any time is hard to bear - but for them, our Christmas camaraderie merely underlines for them their loneliness and isolation.

"My concern is that people might again experience something of the wonder of the Christmas message - the message of Emanuel, that God is with us and we are not alone."

'Release from selfishness'

Catholic Primate Archbishop Sean Brady said: "My wish is for a peaceful Christmas and a joyful Christmas, celebrated in the bosom of people's families.

"Recently I was passing a prison where a young boy shouted out: Say a prayer that I will get out for Christmas, father.

Methodist President Ken Todd: "Listen to message of goodwill to all"

"I hope that my prayers for him were answered, but I hope that we will all come out of our prisons this Christmas - the prisons of our selfishness and self-centredness, which so often detain us and prevent us from relating well to other people."

President of the Methodist Church the Reverend Ken Todd said: "Jesus was born in poverty and he was a refugee. There was the slaughter of the innocents. And yet into that context came the message of peace on earth and goodwill to all.

"That is the message that we need to hear at this time of the year at Christmas, with the peace process and the reaction against it, and the history that we have had of pain."