Dear Editor, I am writing following Mary Kenny’s article ‘Divorce-remarried and the plain divorced’ (IC 06/11/14) in which distinctions are drawn between people who are ‘’divorced-remarried’’ and ‘’plain divorced’’ i.e. not remarried. Also sympathetic treatment is encouraged for the ‘’innocent party’’. Divorce is a reality for many and I feel we should not be categorising…

Dear Editor, Pro-life or Catholic/Christian third level students are forced by their colleges into financially subsidising the promotional activities of pro-abortion student groups. This is unjust, ludicrous and wrong. Student union compulsory membership should not be an oppressive, intimidating condition for anyone seeking third level education and it is a scandal which should be ended…

Dear Editor, Fr Martin Henry (Notebook, IC 30/10/14) makes the point that the Church is more than buildings, that it is the Body of Christ, “God’s real presence in and among human beings”. In Ireland over the past two centuries, we have a proud tradition in building many beautiful churches. The faithful responded generously and…

Dear Editor, Your editorial (IC 30/10/14) stated that there has been a lacklustre approach to promoting priestly vocations in recent years and that sleepy parishioners have not encouraged vocations. I wish to state that Catholic parents have been rudely awakened in recent decades and are increasingly aware of the troubled realities within the priesthood. Catholic parents value…

Dear Editor, Peter Boucher engages in a bout of labelling a hypothesised group of Catholics as “conservative” in his letter (IC 23/10/14). Indeed he pastorally alerts whoever they might be to the possibility of their becoming “stiff necked”. As I am interested in ministering to such a group, perhaps he would outline their typical characteristics…

Dear Editor, “In Monty Python fashion, what has Rome ever done for us ?” asks Sarah Carey (IC 23/10/14). Does she know that she is quoting a blasphemous film? The Life of Brian depicted a trivialisation and mockery of the ministry and crucifixion of Jesus. Rome has done a lot for us Catholics, such as…

Dear Editor, It is certainly uplifting to hear a new campaign in Britain is urging the parents of up to one million young children to read stories from the Bible to their children. What beautiful pictures and stories with which to engrain their impressionable young minds, rather than the dark brainwashing tactics adopted in communist…

Dear Editor, In reply to Sarah Carey’s article ‘Is the Vatican a million miles away from parish life?’  (IC 23/10/14), God and the Church is very merciful, but also just. Everyone has, is and will be welcomed at Mass. However, if any soul is in a state of mortal sin, then that person cannot receive Holy Communion…

Dear Editor, I am writing to you about Cathal Barry’s article on Christina Gallagher and the House of Prayer in Achill (IC 30/10/14). You quoted Mick Power, who became involved with the House of Prayer in 1998, describing Ms Gallagher’s alleged divine messages as “appalling” and all about chastisement and the end of the world,…

Dear Editor, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s recent call for the Church to listen to married couples who have failed is a little puzzling. He mentions the high standards expected of them, but God never gave any person a standard without the grace to achieve it. He fails to mention why he has not spoken out on…