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, 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, Thank you for your detailed coverage of the latest audits of dioceses and congregations (IC 12/12/13). The calm and ordered detailing of progress achieved, and the work yet to be done, was in contrast to the predictable search for grim reading so obvious in other areas of the media who remain apparently reluctant…

Dear Editor, The article ‘Pre-Famine bishops sparked hi-tech revolution’ (IC 12/12/13) appears lop-sided. The report praises Irish religious leaders for mandating in 1836 all education of Catholic children through the English language – albeit at the expense of our own Irish tongue. Talk of turkeys voting for Christmas! Why overlook the cultural cost? The whole…

Dear Editor, An article (IC 28/11/13), regarding women priests, read: “The reservation of priesthood to males, as a sign of Christ the spouse who gives himself in the Eucharist, is not a question open to discussion, but it can prove especially divisive if sacramental power is too closely identified with power in general.” I am…