Brady-Paisley meeting - Talks point the way to better future

Both sides described as groundbreaking yesterday’s hour-long meeting between the Catholic primate Archbishop Seán Brady and the Rev Ian Paisley.

That such a meeting between two local Christian leaders could be described in such terms is indicative of the problems in the North.

Such meetings have been taken for granted elsewhere in the world for centuries. Yet, the fact that an amicable meeting took place provides real grounds for hope just days before crucial political talks, on restoring power sharing in the North, are due to begin at St Andrews, Scotland.

“All of us have a part to play in creating a more stable and prosperous future for Northern Ireland,” Archbishop Brady proclaimed after the meeting.

“I firmly believe that such a future is within our grasp, if each one of us can find the courage to take account of the needs of the other and not just those of our own community.”

Real peace requires that all sides recognise and focus on the common good of society throughout the North, not just on sectional interests. Yesterday’s talks focused on social, economic and political issues.

“We have had a very good and useful exchange of views across a range of issues,” Mr Paisley stated afterwards.

“We look forward to further discussions with Archbishop Brady and his colleagues in the coming months.” And so say all of us.