Rev. Latimer reflects on Bloody Sunday invite

AS the date of one of the city's most emotive events, Bloody Sunday, approaches, the Minister of First Derry Presbyterian Church, Dr David Latimer, reveals that he has been invited to be present at the religious reflection prior to the annual march.

After the publication of the Saville Report, it is the last time the families of those bereaved will make the annual walk from Creggan to Free Derry Corner, but Dr Latimer says he will not be taking part in that.

Keen to acknowledge that hurt and pain exists on 'both sides', and calling on his recent secondment as Army Chaplain to Afghanistan, Dr Latimer said he viewed the invitation as "a powerful, inclusive gesture", as well as an opportunity for people to take another small step forward towards a deeper understanding of the pain and hurt that exists for all who have suffered loss during 'The Troubles'.

In this exclusive reflection for the Londonderry Sentinel, Dr Latimer sets out his personal thoughts, revealing his deep commitment to bring forth something positive and enduring for everyone.

"Forty years for any of us is a very long time; yet for people who have lost valued loved ones during decades of civil unrest in our city and county, it's as if it all happened yesterday. That's the crystal-clear impression I was left with recently, following separate conversations with two First Derry families whose lives have been irrevocably altered by deadly terrorist bullets. Thank God the guns are now silent and in their place politicians, from both sides, debate, negotiate and talk at Stormont.

"Standing in the mortuary tent alongside bloodied body bags in Helmand Province, during my tour of duty in the second half of 2008, were stunned soldiers waiting for me to provide some sort of helpful statement. Frequently I struggled to find suitable words. However, I recall informing those sombre colleagues, on more than one occasion, how we were in fact all members of the same human family, which therefore meant that whenever any member of that family was hurt we all felt the pain.

"Time spent in a war zone relating to the relentless convoy of badly-broken bodies arriving into Camp Bastion by helicopter, comprising innocent women and children together with coalition force service personnel, Afghan security force personnel and insurgents, assists me to slightly better empathise with both Catholic and Protestant people all over the Northwest and beyond, who are hurting. Neither patriotism nor the desire to hold on to a piece of territory, however well int