Dear Editor, The celebration of First Holy Communion has not always been as elaborate as it has become in very recent decades. How much of today’s celebration expenses have grown in response to acquiescing to advertising by hotels and restaurants and other agencies? (to whom I attribute no blame, as the choice by parents remains…

Dear Editor, Sadly in Ireland now it is not uncommon for persons living alone to be found dead for days or longer despite the plethora of community groups etc. Comments can be made “such and such had no family”, which may mean in some cases they had no children – such comments can ease the…

Dear Editor, I was flabbergasted to read of Fr Iggy O’Donovan’s reported intention to vote yes in regard to the referendum concerning same-sex marriage. I read the article three times to ensure I had not misconstrued the press report! Now, I am not fit to untie Fr Iggy’s shoes – such is his wealth of…

Dear Editor, In relation to Fr Eugene Kennedy’s letter on boring sermons (IC 26/02/2015): A young priest was replacing an older man, who said to him: “These parishioners are a funny lot. They don’t like long sermons.” So the young priest starts his sermon and after 4/5 minutes a “hallelujah’’ came from the congregation. The young…

Dear Editor, In St Brigid’s church, Belfast, Cardinal Turkson said that the duty of a Catholic politician is to reflect the joy and transforming power of the Gospel. Sadly, as shown by David Quinn’s comment piece (IC 05/03/2015 Nationalist parties are alienating Catholic voters), that is lacking in the nominal Catholics of both Sinn Féin and…

Dear Editor, It seems to me that the media could be descripted as ‘hetrophobic’ towards people that disagree, however minutely, with them and the gay agenda. Fair is fair – if they want freedom of speech for themselves, they have to allow the same for others as well. Yours etc., Brid Fitzpatrick, Terenure, Dublin 6W.