Australia’s Mel Gibson has nothing to offer us

Dear Editor, That was surely a sad reflection on the standard of journalism for The Irish Catholic to regurgitate the day dreams of Andrew O’Connell in the September 18 issue (IC Notebook). It is beyond belief that his conclusion about the state of Catholicism in Ireland should base itself on such a premise as a Mel Gibson film.

And furthermore, to drag St Peter into his reasoning as part of the syllogism is downright misleading. Does he not realise that in his criticism of “Peter following at a distance” (after cutting off Malchus’ ear!), he impugns the judgment of our Saviour in giving St Peter the ‘keys to the Kingdom’ as depicted so often in art.

If Mr O’Connell is convinced that our current recession into paganism has been so evident “over the years”, it is a pity that he has taken so long to reveal this sanctimonious nonsense. To suggest that a man casually watching television can be a worthy exponent of a nation’s ethos seems so far-fetched that even Mel Gibson’s father, were he alive, would have had his misgivings! There may be many needs in our spiritual armoury, but Mel Gibson isn’t among them.

Yours etc.,

Terence Gallagher,

Belfast,

Co. Antrim.