It is depressing to know that we live in a society where a clergyman can have his life threatened and where people face protests for simply wanting to remember their dead relatives and friends in an organised service.
Over the past week the parishioners of St Mary's on the Hill have endured a number of serious incidents. Gravestones have been destroyed, protests were held against their annual cemetery Sunday, sectarian grafitti was daubed on their church and parish priest Father Dan Whyte was warned of a possible loyalist murder threat.
There is no apparent motive for any of this activity other than pure sectarian hatred.
Yes, Protestant and Catholic churches have been attacked in the past. Gravestones belonging to people of all religious persuasions have been destroyed before – in fact just such an attack took place at a Catholic graveyard in Scarva at the weekend.
But this past week has seen sectarian hatred sink to new lows even by our own sad standards in this part of Ireland.
The parishioners and clergy of St Mary's on the Hill have had barely a day when some new expression of hatred has been made apparent to them.
It started with the desecration of graves in Carnmoney Cemetery early last week. Then in the early hours of Wednesday the letters KAT (kill all taigs) were painted on the church door.
Over the weekend Fr Whyte was warned of the possible threat against him. Yesterday (Sunday) protesters blew whistles and sounded horns as Fr Whyte blessed graves in the cemetery. Stones were reportedly thrown at cars and police said two vehicles were later hijacked and burned near the Rathcoole estate.
Nationalist, unionist and loyalist politicians all condemned the week's earlier incidents. It is essential that they reject yesterday's dis-graceful scenes as well.
But more than that it is vital that serious efforts are made to stop these attacks taking place. The people of Glengormley – Protestant and Catholic – do not deserve to be treated in this way or to have their community brought to public notice in this scandalous way.
