"I welcome the initiative of the Guernsey Council of Churches Celebration of Christian Reconciliation. Many people have forgotten the War or never knew it, but there are still some who feel a sense of anger and this requires healing. A lady told me recently that she felt angry as the " Germans have never apologised for what they did ". Then one day a German lady, visiting the island spoke to her and at the end of their conversation apologised for what her country had done in the Islands. This gave a certain peace to my friend.
In striving to bring our communities closer, perhaps we could remind ourselves that it was the monk-missionary who left Nursling, near Southampton to evangelise Germany in the eighth century. We honour him today as St. Boniface, Bishop, martyr and apostle of Germany. His shrine at Fulda is an important place of pilgrimage for German Christians.
I look forward to welcoming our German brothers and sisters to Guernsey and to taking part in what promises to be an exciting and rewarding week.
"How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live in unity ...
The Very Reverend Canon Gerard Hetherington,
For there the Lord gives his blessing, life forever." Psalm 132.
Catholic Dean of Guernsey.