Dear Editor, I watched with interest the interview by Gay Byrne with Stephen Fry on the RTÉ series The Meaning of Life. Whatever we think, what he shared in the interview makes it difficult for us to ignore the points he raised. Fry reserves his harshest comments about God in relation to suffering. Why should…

Dear Editor, Kindly permit me a few lines in relation to a short article in last week’s edition entitled ‘Surprise at decision not to ‘regularise’ Kilfenora status’ (IC 05/02/2015). The article was based on a tweet of mine in response to the announcement from the Vatican that the dioceses of Cashel and Emly were to…

Dear Editor, Fr Oliver Skelly says (IC Letters 29/01/2015): “It has been brought to my attention that in certain priest-less parishes in Germany and Switzerland, when a priest has turned up to celebrate Mass, he has been told ‘No, thank you Father, we have our Communion service’.” Did he ask his informant whether the priest…

Dear Editor, David Quinn writes apropos of Wolf Hall and St Thomas More that “a historian and a novelist can use history much like putty” (IC 29/01/2015). He is wrong to conflate these two very different categories of author. Novelists are entitled to some licence in fashioning the events depicted in their work.  They are…

Dear Editor, In Mary Kenny’s article ‘Greece dispensed with traditional blessing’ (IC 29/01/2015), she says “it may be noted that some of the most prosperous and stable regimes in Europe still begin their parliamentary day with prayers”. I have to say I do admire Greece’s new government and, yes, it is a pity that they…

Dear Editor, Elaine Ryan’s misgivings (IC, Life’s Little Things 29/01/2015) about trusting children with ‘other’ people are understandable, but prompt me to remember words of Mother Teresa: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Yours etc., Declan Rankin, Donnycarney, Dublin 9.  

Dear Editor, Pope Francis gave an interview on an airplane again and that means one thing: several media outlets waiting in the wings, like piranha in a tank, for morsels of ambiguity or concession on moral teaching, usually relating to sexual morality, to spin into sensational headlines. The holy father gave a vigorous defence of Humanae Vitae,…

Dear Editor, A recent letter entitled “The difference between ‘died’ and ‘passed’ (IC 08/01/2015) resonated with me two other wordsthat never sit well when read. They are ‘remains’ as in death, whereas ‘body’ is a much more spiritual word. Whenever I hear this I recall Romans 14.8 “whether we live or die we belong to the…

Dear Editor, The Government proposes an ‘historic’ change to the Irish Constitution, which will redefine the age-old definition of marriage. If approved by referendum, the amended definition will read: “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.” God’s definition of marriage as taught by Christ is: “Have…