Irish Bishop Preaches At Canterbury

An Irish bishop preached for the first time in four centuries at the seat of the Church of England on Sunday.

Cardinal Cahal Daly attended a peace service at Canterbury Cathedral marking progress toward peace since the Irish Republican Army declared a cease-fire on Aug. 31 in its violent campaign to drive the British out of Northern Ireland.

“I wish to ask forgiveness from the people of this land for the wrongs and hurts inflicted by Irish people upon the people of this country on many occasions during that shared history, and particularly in the past 25 years,” Cardinal Daly told the congregation of 1,200.

Canterbury is the seat of the English primate and center of the Anglican church.