The inquest published findings on Thursday that two British Army soldiers “overreacted and lost control” when they shot dead five people in Belfast almost 54 years ago.
The finding that two soldiers “lost control” when they shot dead five people in Belfast more than 50 years ago has delivered “a measure of justice”, a Catholic bishop has said.
Bishop of Down and Connor Alan McGuckian said the truth “restores” the dignity of the victims and the publication of the truth “is of profound importance”.
The Springhill/Westrock inquest published findings on Thursday that two British Army soldiers “overreacted and lost control” when they shot dead five people in Belfast almost 54 years ago.
A Catholic priest, a father-of-six and three teenagers were shot dead in the Springhill and Westrock areas of west Belfast on July 9 1972.
Mr Justice Scoffield said that Father Noel Fitzpatrick, 42, father-of-six Patrick Butler, 38, and teenagers David McCafferty and Margaret Gargan were unarmed and posed no risk when they were shot.
In the case of 16-year-old John Dougal, the coroner said he was unable to conclude whether he was armed when he was shot, but said he was likely running away when he was shot in the back and the level of force used was not reasonable.
The coroner said that the two soldiers who shot them, known only as Soldier A and Soldier E, had “overreacted and lost control”, and fired prematurely without carrying out a risk assessment.
Bishop McGuckian told a congregation gathered at the Corpus Christi Parish on Sunday morning that it was “abundantly clear” that the legacy of conflict in Northern Ireland continues to cast “a long shadow”.
He paid tribute to the families who had “courageously sought truth and justice” while carrying “loss for generations”.
“The findings of this inquest acknowledges that this is a moment of deep significance for the families of these unlawful killings, your wider parish community and for all who carry the memory of what happened here on 9th July 1972,” he said.
He said the findings that the soldiers had used a level of force that was “unreasonable and unjustified” restored the victims’ dignity and delivered “a measure of justice”.
“While no legal finding can ever undo the pain of such loss, the public naming of this truth is of profound importance,” he said.
“Truth restores dignity to the deceased, and it brings a measure of justice to those who grieve.
“I want to speak directly to the families who have carried this loss for generations.
“I pay tribute to each of you who have courageously sought truth and justice for your loved ones carrying the cross of grief, misinformation and injustice.
“You have lived too long with silence. You have borne your suffering with remarkable restraint and dignity.
“Your perseverance in the search for truth and justice has been vindicated.”
The bishop also paid tribute to Father Fitzpatrick, who he said had stood with the community “in a time of fear and violence”.
The inquest found that the priest was likely tending to the dead, dying or injured, and was being helped by Mr Butler when they were both shot in the head with the same bullet.
The coroner said the priest, who was shot first, was “recognisable” as a priest at the time and said the soldier had “fired prematurely”.
Bishop McGuckian said: “Alongside parishioners and neighbours, he ministered in the Church and on the streets to children and families, placing himself in harm’s way out of faith, love and solidarity.
“His life and death remain a powerful witness to the Gospel values of service, compassion, and reconciliation in the midst of conflict.”
He said that he hears from families and the wider community who still seek “truth and justice, not for revenge”.
“The path towards reconciliation and recovery in Northern Ireland can only be achieved by walking together in the light of truth and justice,” the bishop said.
“Confronting the legacy of pain and suffering and working towards reconciliation remains essential because families still suffer, communities still mourn, and there are many who still seek truth, accountability and justice.
“In my ministry as Bishop of Down and Connor, I continue to hear the voices of families and the wider community who fearlessly cry out longing for truth and justice, not for revenge.
“Your witness reminds us all, politicians and wider society, that reconciliation is not built on forgetting or denial, but on honesty and mutual recognition of suffering.
“While peace and stability are precious achievements, they must never come at the cost of excluding victims or silencing their voices.
“Where truth remains hidden or unresolved, it continues to erode trust and hinder reconciliation.
“Credible, independent, and transparent processes that enable the pursuit of truth and justice are not obstacles to peace; they are its necessary and indispensable foundation.
“To you, the parishioners of Corpus Christi, whose streets and homes continue to carry these memories and scars: I thank you for the quiet strength with which you have sustained one another over the years.
“I pray that the findings of this recent inquest, like the earlier findings into the Ballymurphy Massacre, may bring some peace and consolation, and that it may renew our shared commitment to building a better future for our children and young people.”
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