Courtney McGrailDear Editor, I am disappointed with Fr Whelan's attitude on Communion services (‘Limit priestless Communion services, bishops are urged’ IC 11/12/14). Priests are struggling to offer weekday Masses for the few who want them, why not let lay people get involved if they are interested. Yours etc., Patricia McKenna, Navan, Co Meath.
Category: Letters
Churches are not concert venues
Dear Editor, I wonder if any readers are bothered by the latest trend of using Catholic churches as concert halls featuring various artists. Is this not side-lining the Divine Presence and replacing it with a singer, who receives the sole focus of the attention of the congregation present? It seems to be a very popular…
Archbishop Michael Neary laid out a plan for the future
Dear Editor, It is a pity that your initial coverage (IC 13/11/2014) of Archbishop Michael Neary’s homily to the Association of Papal Knights did not make it past the first half of the sermon, else Deirdre Uí Ghoibín (Letters, IC 04/12/2014) might have been saved from her uncharitable assessment. The archbishop’s homily was remarkable for…
St Joseph missing from prayers
Dear Editor, Without doubt the two most powerful prayers of the Catholic faith are the Angelus and the Rosary. Both are of very long standing and recited all around the world, so what could possibly be missing from them? The exact same thing that had been missing from the Eucharistic prayers of the Mass, i.e.…
Naivety around the occult
Dear Editor, In the autumn 1944, the Western allies had the deluded idea that the Wehrmacht was beaten and that it was only a force of old men and children. What shocked them with their defeat at Arnhem in September 1944, and the Ardennes attack two months later, was the transformation of a supposedly defeated enemy into…
Stereotypical image of the family
Dear Editor, The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference must be congratulated on their excellent pastoral statement on the ‘Meaning of Marriage’. However, it is a pity the illustrations used were of the stereotyped family so beloved of the advertising industry: a handsome guy with a beautiful wife, but not more than two children, preferably one boy…
Religion is about much more than simply living a good life
Dear Editor, While I enjoyed Prof. Reville’s article ‘Science vs Religion’ (IC 04/12/2014), I was bemused to say the least that his view of “the function of religion is to teach us how to live good lives”. Maybe this is the function of certain religions but to me, as a Catholic, and based on Christ’s…
The Church cannot deny Communion to the faithful
Dear Editor, The shortage of priests, already a reality, is no excuse for denying the Sacrament of Holy Communion to the faithful. Indeed the Code of Canon Law seems clear (Canon 918). It is most strongly recommended that the faithful receive Holy Communion in the course of a Eucharistic celebration. If, however, for good reason…
The Church offers plenty of pastoral help
Dear Editor, Margaret Hickey in her letter (IC 20/11/2014), commenting on the apparent confusion on the synod and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s comment on the “longing for certainties”, asks for “the greatest charity from bishops to instruct the faithful in their faith”, saying that the issue is that of “teaching and fidelity to teaching”. I have…
Replacing the God of power and might
Dear Editor, three years ago, the new more correct translation of the Novus Ordo Mass was introduced. Many of the changes have been accepted and commonly used here in Ireland. But it is so sad to see that the Irish generally have not been willing to give up the frightening image of a God of power…