Dear Editor,  The killing of Fr Jacques Hamel in Normandy, during a Mass was a shocking act of violence by two young men of immigrant parents raised in France. But despite the intentions of those who helped to radicalise these young men and to sow the seeds of divisions to promote their own warped agenda, the presence of…

Dear Editor, I read with dismay and deep sadness of the changes afoot within the Dublin diocese for future Catholic seminarians to receive their formation in Rome instead of the national seminary in Maynooth. While one should not doubt Archbishop Martin’s better appreciation of such matters, it is most regrettable that the Catholic hierarchy could not address issues internally.…

Dear Editor, Some weeks ago in an item entitled ‘Back to the future?’ (IC 14/07/2016) you touched on the subject of a growing desire on the part of some Catholics for a return to the Tridentine Mass. It seems to me that this ‘restorationist’ movement in the Church is based primarily on the belief that…

Dear Editor, Professor Patricia Casey often speaks wisely on many subjects. However, I have to challenge her on her views regarding the ghettoisation of ethnic minorities (IC 27/7/2016) with special mention of the Polish Community in St Audoen’s church. When I first came to Ireland in 1963 there were about 50 Polish people in the…

Dear Editor, I thoroughly agree with the sentiments expressed by Donal O’Driscoll in his letter ‘Clarify meaning of Eighth Amendment’ (IC 28/07/2016). I have listened to many of the abortion debates, and have felt totally frustrated by the ‘niceness’ and ‘politeness’ of the pro-life people. This is used and seized upon with great effect by…

Dear Editor, Prof. Patricia Casey (IC 28/7/16) makes an important point about ghettoisation. Immigrant chaplaincies were set up after the publication of the Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII in 1952. Their purpose was and still is to enable immigrants to integrate into the political, social, economic and cultural networks of life in their new…

Dear Editor, The brutal murder of Fr Jacques Hamel while celebrating Mass in northern France is one Catholics must reflect on with care. In your report on the murder’s repercussions among French Catholics (‘French Catholics in fear after Islamists kill priest at Mass’ IC 28/07/2016), you quote Fr Aidan Troy as saying that “attacking a…

Dear Editor, Last Thursday, I happened to hear Ray D’Arcy interview Sinead McBreen on his afternoon radio show on Radio One.  While it was a pleasant surprise to hear Ray giving voice to the pro-life side of the abortion debate, I was disappointed at how the discussion played out. By the end of the interview…

Dear Editor, It’s clear now that the purpose of the proposed ‘Citizens’ Assembly’, to be chosen by a polling company, is to remove the protections of the Eighth Amendment for the unborn. This unelected, unnecessary ‘assembly’ is a political fig-leaf, designed to give political cover to politicians who desire the destruction of Ireland’s constitutional protections…

Dear Editor, Your coverage of clerical remuneration (IC 18/07/2016) was of great interest to many of your readers. What trade union would accept a situation where members with equal experience and qualifications were on 26 different pay scales? Indeed from any cursory reading of the New Testament it is clear that Jesus treated all his…