Dear Editor, How relieved I was when, just ahead of Christmas I read in The Irish Catholic the defence – against the worst intentions of a secular Sunday newspaper – of the work of the Capuchin Day Centre and the entirely unpaid role played by Br Kevin Crowley over many years in providing for the…

I was saddened to learn that the Capuchin Day Centre had been singled out for criticism by a Sunday newspaper in an apparent attempt to build on the disturbing financial news coming from the Central Remedial Clinic. The mistake made by the paper in question – if it was a mistake – was to assume…

Dear Editor, Margaret Nolan wonders (IC 12/12/13) what real criteria psychiatric teams in the Mater Hospital will use in deciding on the life and death of a child in the womb? Now that the ‘Protection’ of Life during Pregnancy Act has gone into law without effective guidelines, the answer appears all too clear: None. Yours…

Dear Editor, I do hope that Fr Gabriel Daly’s attack on Cardinal Levada (IC Letters 12/12/13) will not go unanswered.  It is not likely that Cardinal Levada will be reading the letters in your paper.  But someone should point out that Fr Gabriel avoided any specific details as to why the cardinal did act as he…

Dear Editor, The current Vatican survey on the attitude of the People of God to how the Church’s teaching on controversial issues around human sexuality is welcome. There are precious few opportunities within the Church for laypeople, priests and religious to offer their input. I suspect at a higher level, bishops and religious superiors also…

Dear Editor, I write in response to Fr Gabriel Daly’s letter published in The Irish Catholic (12/12/2013), where he criticised how Cardinal William Levada described Fr Tony Flannery’s views as heretical, and came heavily down upon what he saw as the aggressive imposition of conservative Catholics’ views upon liberal Catholics. I have no doubt that…

Dear Editor, Fr Gabriel Daly OSA (Letters, 12/12/13) writes about elusion on the grounds of narrow minded and arbitrary rules of Catholics who look for conformity to the rules and regulations imposed by one party in the Church. Then having declared that Cardinal Levada had no right to accuse Fr Flannery of heresy, Fr Daly…

Dear Editor, I was delighted to read Cathal Barry’s interview with the impressive Donncha O’Callaghan in the Christmas edition of the paper (19/12/13). It was a joy to read of the pride the Munster rugby player has for his faith and the “inner peace” prayer brings him. I was pleased to read that the fame…

Dear Editor, I would like to point out to Hilda Nelson (Letters IC 19/12/13) that I have always accepted priests who have “paid the price” for their child sexual abuse crimes should be allowed to move on with their lives. Also that any wrongful accusation of priest or lay person is devastating to that individual…

Dear Editor, It would appear that Fianna Fáil are trying to round up disillusioned deputies from other parties who courageously voted against the recently enacted Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act. This is somewhat ironic as the Fianna Fáil party in effect voted for the legislation. Micheál Martin will of course contest this and state that a…