Greg Daly
‘Community will welcome Pontiff’
A leading Protestant cleric has insisted that the vast majority of his community would welcome a visit to the North by Pope Francis and poured cold water on suggestions of protests by extreme elements.
Canon Ian Ellis, editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette, told The Irish Catholic that “we don’t want to live in a country where it’s not possible for this [a papal visit] to happen – it’s such a good thing, really”.
Canon Ellis was responding to an article in The Ulster Bulwark, the magazine of the Evangelical Protestant Society (EPS), which was commenting on speculation that the Pontiff might visit Ireland during 2018’s World Meeting of Families.
The article by EPS secretary Wallace Thompson – a former DUP special adviser – criticised “the usual clamour from the usual suspects for him [the Pope] to visit Northern Ireland”, continuing, “sadly, some within Protestant circles who ought to know better have been very quick to issue messages of support”.
Mr Thompson characterised a papal visit as “controversial and divisive”, and said “if a visit takes place, we will, along with other evangelical Protestant organisations, churches and individuals, exercise our democratic right to express our opposition”.
However, Canon Ellis told The Irish Catholic that serious opposition to Pope Francis was unlikely. “I don’t think it would be a widespread reaction,” he said, adding “I wouldn’t be fearful of protests on any scale.”
Describing the Pope as “amazingly popular and a great leader”, Canon Ellis said “my impression is that on the whole people really find him a very, very attractive person and a person who speaks openly and freely,” continuing, “he’s greatly loved – it’s not too much to say that”.
Protests would not even be likely were the Pope to address the Assembly in Stormont, he added. “This is a free world, it’s a free country, we believe in religious freedom and we respect religious leaders – and that’s as it should be.”
A papal visit would be “a very positive thing”, he said. “I’d be very disappointed if he weren’t to come to Northern Ireland,” he continued, adding, “I think it would be a great disappointment to very many people – very many Protestants as well as to members of the Roman Catholic Church.”