THE ORANGE Order could soon be coming to a chapel near you, after the Grand Lodge scrapped a ban that stopped their members entering Catholic churches.
And the rule change hasn’t been universally welcomed by Orangemen or Catholics.
Though anti-sectarian group, Nil By Mouth, called it “highly significant”.
According to our sister paper, the Evening Times, the Orange Order’s leadership in Scotland took the decision to change the rules last month.
The change was reportedly ratified at a Grand Lodge meeting and has now been communicated with the wider membership.
Grand Master of the Orange Order in Scotland, Jim McHarg, was reportedly at lodge meetings to discuss the move.
A member of a Glasgow lodge, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Evening Times that the decision had received a mixed response.
He added: “The change was rushed through two months ago. Some of the membership are up in arms.
“There was an argument about it and it could have a drastic affect on the organisation.
“I fully support the move - we are all one society now.”
Dave Scott, director of Nil By Mouth, said: “This is a highly significant move by the order.
“I know from our work that the ban could cause a lot of tensions within families and friendships so the fact it is being lifted is both welcome and positive.
“It also recognises the realities of our day to day lives in Scotland were people marry and build relationships across old religious and cultural boundaries.
“It’s important that we recognise this is a big step for those involved in the Order to take and we should welcome it as a constructive measure toward improving relationships between faith and cultural groups”.
Labour MSP Pauline McNeill tweeted “It’s unbelievable it’s taken the Orange Order until 2019 to lift the ban on their members attending a Catholic Church.”
The Orange Order’s rule book tells members that they “should not countenance (by your presence or otherwise) any act or ceremony of Popish worship.”
That’s led to difficulties in the past, especially for Unionist politicians in Northern Ireland.
In 2011 Ulster Unionist Party leader Tom Elliott and the then Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy were subject to disciplinary proceedings after they attended the funeral of a murdered Catholic police officer.
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