Fermanagh's County Grand Master of the Orange Lodge is happy for the organisation to review its rules, including one which forbids members attending Roman Catholic funerals and weddings. Tom Elliott admitted he would have no difficulty with the recommendation, although he wouldn't make any judgement on it until he saw proposals coming forward officially.
An Orange Lodge in the Republic has made a call to the Institution to remove a long-standing ban on members from taking part in Catholic church services.
Since its formation, the Orange Order has barred brethren from attending any Catholic service, including weddings and funerals.
However, a correspondent writing in a newsletter of the Dublin and Wicklow Orange Order LOL 1313, has called for such references to be removed and for the 'anachronistic' qualifications to be revised.
He asks: "Is it not time to remove from the 'Qualification of an Orangeman' those references to our Roman Catholic fellow subjects of both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic?"
Any changes within the Order would have to be approved, following a motion, by the ruling Grand Lodge. The County Grand Master for Fermanagh, Tom Elliott, explained he had not been made aware of the suggestion by any official channels.
However, he continued: "The one thing I will say is that I am supportive of continually reviewing the rules, including that particular one. I have no difficulty with that.
"Especially for funerals, clearly, that is one rule which could be looked at. But, I wouldn't like to make any judgement on it until I see any proposals coming forward officially," he cautioned.
"But, yes, certainly I would be open to look at suggestions and I would be quite happy to see this issue being considered, particularly with regards to funerals," Mr Elliott added.
The article called for the change stated: "The special place of the Roman Catholic Church in the constitution has gone. Is it not time to remove from the 'Qualification of an Orangeman' those references to our Roman Catholic fellow subjects of both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic?
"References which they find offensive and many of us anachronistic. What better way to change without compromise than to return to the original qualifications?" it asks.
"In doing so, we would be displaying to the world that we still hold dear our Protestant principles. More than that, we would be practising the instructions of scripture, on which our Order is founded."
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