Dear Editor, I write as a simple layman, who wishes to respond to the invitation on the front page of The Irish Catholic ( 17/4/14) inviting laypeople to express their views on Church renewal. Father Tom Whelan, Prof. Eamonn Conway and some of our Irish bishops suggest that because of the shortage of priests, laypeople could…

Dear Editor, A propos Minister Quinn's latest dictat regarding the teaching of religion in Catholic Schools, are we now to understand that the teaching of a rational, historically based religion like Christianity is to be placed on a par with irrational nonsense like astrology, alien abduction, New Age fantasy or whatever else you're having yourself?…

Dear Editor, Recently, we took part in a debate on same-sex ‘marriage’ on a university campus (NUI Maynooth) with lots of young students in attendance in a packed lecture theatre. Presenting the Catholic position, and looking both to natural-law reasoning and revelation, we defended traditional man-woman marriage as the only form of marriage that retains…

Dear Editor, The call by Pope Francis (pictured) for forgiveness for the evil committed by some priests, is another example of how perceptive he is in showing real leadership in addressing the scandal of child abuse, by putting in place processes to ensure such failures of governance are not repeated; such as the high level…

Dear Editor, Based on the highly logical reasoning found in Douglas Adams’ The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Ch.6, p52), the following theological argument can surely now be made: “I refuse to prove that I exist,” says God, “for proof denies faith and without Faith I am nothing.” “But,” says Man, “the recent removal of…

Dear Editor, I note hopes are rising for a State visit to Ireland by Pope Francis in the near future. This is an extension from an invitation to the Pope to address the Seanad, issued by Senator David Norris. The excited quotations from several serving Fine Gael Oireachtas members in the article speak for themselves. Consider…