Rite and Reason: The Pope was right when he said the road to healing is paved with justice, mercy, forgiveness, harmony, trust and peace, writes Father Denis Faul
Pope John Paul 11, speaking in Drogheda in September 1979, begged the men of violence to cease using violent means to promote their aims.
If the saintly Pope were to return in 2004, he would have to issue the same request to the men of guns, nail-studded pickaxe handles, pipe and petrol bombs who continue to control their own "side of the house" for gangster prizes and sometimes to attack the "other side of the house" and the PSNI. Why does this state of affairs continue?
Cardinal Ó Fiaich, speaking in 1985, said that the Protestant side of the house suffered from religious bigotry and the Catholic side of the house from political bigotry. Many people may contest what the cardinal said while knowing it to be true then as it is now. The only consolation is that all admit to living in the same "house".
The Pope returned to Rome, pondering, no doubt, on the words of Cardinal Ó Fiaich and Bishop Cathal Daly. He issued his second encyclical letter on November 13th, 1980. He called God the Father "dives in misericordia" (rich in mercy).
He outlined how wounded sides of the community can be healed and come together. The Pope himself was shot and seriously wounded on May 13th, 1981, showing that the shepherd must suffer with the sheep.
The road map outlined by the Pope is justice, mercy, forgiveness, healing, harmony, trust and peace. The message is that we can never heal society without mercy and forgiveness underlying political argument and reform. For example, the Good Samaritan showed mercy and helped a wounded man with whom he shared neither religion nor nationality.
Justice is not enough. It cannot travel alone. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" may appear to be equality and justice, but it is not. Justice must be accompanied by mercy. Deeper and more profound powers are necessary for us to love some people, such as mercy and forgiveness of God the Father.
Pope John Paul says: "Mercy is an indispensable element for shaping human relationships between people in a spirit of deepest respect for what is human and in a spirit of mutual brotherhood. It is impossible to establish this bond between people if they wish to regulate their mutual relationships solely according to the measure of justice.
"In every sphere of interpersonal relationships justice must, so to speak, be 'corrected' to a considerable extent by that love which, as St Paul proclaims, is 'patient and kind', or in other words, possesses the characteristics of that merciful love which is so much of the essence of the gospel and of Christianity. Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful."
This is the formula for the healing of Northern Ireland so necessary for peace and politics - for the healing of families of the dead, the disappeared, the injured, the exiles, be they civilians, IRA, loyalists, RUC, UDR or British army, all God's children reflecting the face of God the Father of mercy.
We give mercy and we receive mercy from God. It is a bilateral process, as the Pope says.
"True mercy is the most profound source of justice. Love and only love, including that kindly love that we call 'mercy', is capable of restoring man to himself. Love and mercy bring it about that people meet one another in that value which is man himself, with that dignity that is proper to him."
After 35 years of murderous conflict, we ask: do we want mercy to pass from generation to generation? If not, we have betrayed the establishment of equality and harmony between people for many years in conflict with each other.
It is sad that the same hostile traditions are passed from generation to generation, beginning with children of the age of three or four. The waving of flags, terrorist murals, challenging, bullying or defying each other, collecting gangster money and sectarian votes does this.
Healing the deep hurt, which exists in the hearts of the relatives of the dead and the wounded, the exiles, the prisoners and the intimidated is a matter for the hearts of all who live in the "house". Society can become ever more human only when we introduce into all the mutual relationships the moment of forgiveness - the fundamental condition for reconciliation.
The alternative is a system of oppression of the weak by the strong and permanent strife between the groups.
After Jesus, comes the example of Mandela, Gandhi and Edith Stein.
A truth and reconciliation commission in a small area would do more harm than good. The witness of one or two or six persons would do more to heal society by their personal acts of forgiveness and mercy. Note that the example of forgiveness of bereaved fathers and mothers does more good than the dry, defiant repetitions of dusty speeches, casting slogans and impious platitudes at the "other side of the house".
• Father Denis Faul is parish priest at Carrickmore, Co Tyrone