"But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them," Mark 15:11.

(This message is a follow on from the one dealing with the shooting of IRA men, intent on murder, by the Army at Loughgall in Co. Armagh on May 8th 1987.)

This sermon, preached at the height of the IRA terror campaign, serves as a reminder of the support that representatives of the Roman Catholic Church gave to the IRA's campaign of murder and terror and the guilty silence of the ecumenical ministers of the so-called main Protestant churches.

Rev Foster highlights the eulogising of the IRA men shot by the security forces as they attacked a police station in Co. Tyrone.

How tragic to think that the DUP which, back at the time of this attack, condemned Sinn Fein/IRA for its actions and the priests who eulogised them in funeral sermons, is now in coalition with that very organisation, though it remains unrepentant of its murderous deeds but continues to extol the actions of murderous members such as those who were shot at Loughgall in May 1987.

Eight IRA men, intent on bombing the police station at Loughgall in Co Armagh and kill any policemen on the premises on Friday evening past, May 8th, were shot and killed by the Army. Their funeral took place some days later.

We will consider the messages proclaimed by the RC priests at those funerals and the need for Protestants to take note of what was said.

A very unpleasant picture of the human heart in its natural state is given us by the Saviour in Mark 7:21-23. The emissions from the human heart is to be found in every life irrespective of education, creed or class.

We had an example of that depravity at the funerals of the IRA terrorists shot by the security forces as they launched a murderous attack upon Loughgall police station a few days ago.

Not for the first time, RC priests openly supported the IRA campaign of terror and murder. They supported it in their usual cowardly, hypocritical manner - feigning righteousness they promoted wickedness.

Ecumenists would tell us that Rome has changed. But the gravesides of the IRA murderers the priests buried witnessed the heart and mind of Rome of old.