THE Orange Lodge itself acknowledges that a PR overhaul is overdue.

Last February's Orange Torch, the Official Journal of the Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland, set out plans for a charm offensive for the coming 12 months.

The magazine read: "The baleful attitude of much of the Scottish media towards the Order, and how to tackle it, will form the basis of a media and public relations seminar in the spring.

"The event is expected to take the form of a 'how others see us' forum led by a professional PR consultant."

The planned attempt to win naysayers over was somewhat derailed by the attack on Canon Tom White just months later outside St Alphonsus Church on London Road during the annual Boyne march.

Yes, the man who spat on Canon White, Bradley Wallace, was not an official member of the march, he was a hanger-on but I think that point's been so well covered now as to be irritating to revisit.

Public perception does not distinguish between the march and those not in uniform who jog along beside it.

The Orange Order knows this and should accept responsibility for it.

The Order's 2015 Orangefest was also an attempt to alter perceptions, celebrating the organisation's history and culture and attempting to share some of the knowledge of both those things with the wider public.

It failed to persuade, however, and 27,000 people signed a petition calling for the George Square event to be banned.

Tomorrow Glasgow City Council will hold a public processions’ committee meeting with representation from Police Scotland and organisers of a proposed Apprentice Boys of Derry march planned for Easter Sunday.

The reason? The march goes past two Catholic Churches: St Mary's and St Alphonsus', the church where Canon White was attacked during an Orange parade.

If the parade is rerouted it will be a rare move by the city council but officials cannot ignore the 81 letters of concern that were received in response to the parade route, particularly on Easter Sunday, a profoundly important day in the Christian calendar.

Members will be very keen to point out that the Apprentice Boys of Derry and the Orange Order are separate organisations and that this is not an Orange parade.

Again, however, we go back to public perceptions.

To the untrained eye, an Apprentice Boys of Derry parade and an Orange Order parade are two of a kind.

Unless one knows what one is looking for, they are the same thing.

I notice that Call It Out, a new grassroots campaign in Glasgow against anti-Catholic bigotry and anti-Irish racism in Scotland refers solely to "anti-Catholic marches".

It gives no distinction to either organisation nor even acknowledges them by name.

That speaks to the level of hurt and animosity caused by the sight of Orange Lodges and Apprentice Boys out on parade.

I understand that the Apprentice Boys of Derry parade will fall silent while passing the Catholic places of worship.

That is an acknowledgement of hurt caused; perhaps it is even a sign of contrition.

It is not enough.

Both the Orange Lodge and the Apprentice Boys of Derry have a right to parade in the city, no matter what people think of them.

But by the Orange Order's own admission, public perception is poor and work must be done to repair damage and turn that perception around.

It may be an impossible task but at least willing can be shown.

In 2015, at the time of Orangefest, Eddie Hyde, the Grand master of the County Grand Lodge of Glasgow, said: "They know little or nothing about the Order's purpose, the huge contribution we have made, and still make, to the life of our wonderful city, nor the amazing extent of our charity work."

That may well be, but insisting on marching past St Alphonsus' Church is in appropriate in the extreme and speaks to a disregard for the feelings of Catholic parishioners who feel frightened and intimidated by these parades.

It shows no contrition for the events of last July.

The Easter story tells of new beginnings.

What a fitting time it would be for a Christian organisation to decide to show remorse and pay respect to those who oppose it.

Councillors tomorrow should vote to reroute the parade but they should not have to. It's not too late for an olive branch to be offered.