Dear Editor, I think it’s important to understand that we can condemn the brutal attacks on the Charlie Hebdo staff in Paris, without necessarily throwing in our support behind what the magazine actually does in terms of its portrayal of religious belief. Lawless, merciless killing is an horrific evil, but mockery of people’s sincerely held…

Dear Editor, Some years ago I came across a book with the title The Feminisation of the Male. I thought of this book title on reading Philip Brennan’s letter on the subject of St Joseph (IC Letters 01/01/2015). Unfortunately, there has been a tendency in the past (not necessarily on the part of Mr Brennan)…

Dear Editor, That God’s will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven, is a petition in the Lord’s Prayer, commonly said by Christians. Then, due to human weakness, and often falling short of our good intent, we can still confidently rely on God’s love and mercy, because our prayer also includes the petition:…

Dear Editor, There have been many consoling, encouraging and beautiful experiences in my privileged 62 years of priesthood; few, however, more beautiful than witnessing and ministering to the love of God’s people for the God who loves them, as they receive him in Holy Communion. You published on December 11 a front page story and…

Dear Editor, Since retiring to this beautiful area of Kerry seven years ago, I have year upon year witnessed significant organisational Church decline which has included a reduction in the number of priests and a consequent 25% reduction in Sunday Masses.   Our parish is reputed to be the largest geographical parish in the country…

Dear Editor, This is a great time to be Catholic. We now go to Mass, not blindly because everybody else does, but because we choose to. Anyone who knows GK Chesterton and JRR Tolkien knows we live in the lands of long defeats. We are not supposed to win this side of the grave. Your…