Raymond McCord and Fr. Sean McManus
CAPITOL HILL. November 9, 2017— Twenty years ago on November 9, 1997, in a quarry outside Belfast, 22-year old Raymond McCord, Jr. was brutally beaten to death. Because those responsible for the murder were British agents and police informers, the crime was covered-up. An appalling example of British Government collusion.

Despite the relentless and fearless campaign of his father, Raymond Sr., no one has ever been charged with the murder. And for all these 20 years, Raymond, Sr. has waged his lonely battle in constant danger of assassination.

Fr. Sean Mc Manus—president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus— said: “Raymond Mc Cord, Sr. is one of the heroes of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. This hardy Protestant Boy from Belfast has shown remarkable courage and personifies the extraordinary power and dedication of a father’s love for his son. I have been honored to be able to assist him in his struggle for justice by giving him a platform in the U.S. Congress where he now enjoys great support and respect. He testified before Congress on October 22, 2009. He succinctly stated the problem: ‘I really want to emphasize to [Congress] that my son’s case is not about police corruption. IT IS ABOUT POLICE AND STATE COLLUSION WITH MURDER.’’’

 Fr. Mc Manus explained: “Ever since I came to America on October 2, 1972, I have been briefing Members of Congress about historic, systematic British policy of collusion in the murder of Catholics in Northern Ireland. Then I brought Raymond, Sr. around Congress and he briefed them about British collusion in the murder of his Protestant son. The effect and impact were palpable: the case for collusion was thoroughly and definitively settled—and done by a proud Protestant from Belfast!”

Fr. Mc Manus concluded: “Reconciliation and ecumenism are at their best and truest when Protestants and Catholics in The North come together to struggle for justice and equality. This is the strongest foundation for the Beloved Community, the term made famous (but not invented) by Blessed Martin Luther King, Jr.: ‘The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community.’” (December 3, 1956).
                                                                         McCord’s open letter
Raymond McCord, Sr. issued this open letter to Fr. McManus to commemorate the 20TH Anniversary of his son’s death: “Dear Sean: As the 20th anniversary of the murder of my son young Raymond approaches on November 9, I would like to thank you for your support and efforts in seeking truth and justice for my son. If you had known him, you would have seen a young man who was always smiling and had no enemies. You have, in America, shown the kindness of a fellow Ulsterman in your support. My son will be looking down from Heaven thanking you. Hopefully, someday our politicians will come together and support all the innocent victims of The Troubles and not just their own side. As a father from the Unionist community, who has been blessed to have had such a loving son as Raymond, I say a big thank you to the kind supportive priest from Fermanagh whom I call my friend. I ask Americans and particularly Irish-Americans to pray on Thursday, November 9 for truth and justice for the victims of this great country. Victims stand together in their quest for justice and give strength and support to each other, irrespective of religion and politics. Our tears are all the same. —Raymond.”