He Forgives The Man Who Blinded Him

Over forty years ago a boy’s eyes were shot out by a British soldier in Derry/Londonderry. Last month that blinded victim visited Holy Island. His name is Richard Moore. The soldier who fired the rubber bullet is Charles Innis. He is a member of St. Cuthbert’s church, Norham. Several Holy Island folk listened spellbound as these two men told their stories at a packed Norham meeting. They recently met, became friends, and have taken their reconciliation story to varied places. Charles comes from an establishment English background. He was on duty and, unknown to him, one of his bullets hit Richard’s eyes. Richard comes from a Republican Catholic background in an area that had never felt itself to be British.

Richard has no bitterness. He gained a university degree, and started a charity called Children in Crossfire. The Dalai Lama invited him to India and says he is a hero because of his forgiveness. Charles believes he was doing his duty. Now that he and Richard have become friends he says that, despite their huge differences in background, their core values are the same. They recently went back to Derry/Londonderry and told their story in the school Richard went on to. Everyone clapped them. Richard has signed a copy of his book Can I Give Him my Eyes? This is now in our Celtic Studies Library and anyone is welcome to borrow it.

We had a final service in our Open Gate Cellar chapel. This will become a bio-mass heating centre. We now need gifts of £150,000 to help us build a new chapel. Please pray for this.