NJPN North West Justice & Peace E-Bulletin May 2019 The e-bulletin for the North West, linked to the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN), is produced jointly by the dioceses of Lancaster, Liverpool, Salford, Shrewsbury and Wrexham. Please send diary dates to
[email protected] BELFAST: PRIEST CHALLENGES POLITICIANS AT FUNERAL OF LYRA MCKEE Jo Siedlecka 24 April 2019 (Updated 25 April 2019) Father Martin Magill, parish priest at St John's Catholic Church, Belfast, received a standing ovation after giving this address at the funeral of murdered young journalist Lyra McKee, in St Anne's Church of Ireland Cathedral, Belfast. He said: "I commend our political leaders for standing together in Creggan on Good Friday. I am however left with a question: 'Why in God's name does it take the death of a 29 year old woman with her whole life in front of her to get us to this point?'" Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and DUP leader Arlene Foster, were present and slowly rose to their feet after the congregation stood up and applauded. Watch a BBC clip here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-48039266 Fr Magill's address (slightly abridged) follows: I have no idea what you Sara, Lyra's partner must have felt on Thursday night when those shots rang out and Lyra was hit and fell to the ground. I can't begin to imagine what you Lyra's mum, and you her sisters and brothers must have gone through when Sara phoned to tell you Lyra had been shot.