Organ donation is a beautiful act of altruism
Dear Editor, the article titled ‘Rescind new organ donation law says leading theologian’ was published on page 3 of the June 19 edition of your newspaper. In the piece, Fr Vincent Twomey is quoted as saying: “In the first place, it assumes, that after death, our bodies are at the disposal of the State.”
This is not an accurate reflection of the content, or intent, of the legislation and his assertions go unchallenged in the piece. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the article with a view to sharing evidence from the legislation that makes it clear that an individual has the right to opt-out of consideration as a potential organ donor and in the event that they do not record their objection to organ donation, “a registered medical practitioner shall satisfy himself or herself that the designated family member of the person has confirmed that he or she does not have any objection to the donation of the relevant organ”.
The government is not ‘taking over our bodies’ as Fr Twomey asserts. In the absence of an individual choosing to opt-out of organ donation, consent for the act of organ donation remains rooted in the family.
The Irish Kidney Association has been at the forefront of the promotion of organ donation for transplantation in Ireland for over 40 years and this year, the Association’s 40th annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving will be held in the Church of the Holy Child in Dublin. Organ donation for transplantation is a beautiful act of altruism, and the Catholic Church has played, and continues to play, an important role in promoting this life-giving act.
Yours etc,
Colin White
Park West, Dublin 12.
Queen of the sciences in Theology
Dear Editor, I recall Jenna Marie’s presence and contribution to life and learning in Maynooth, in particular her love for ‘the queen of the sciences in Theology’.
Gratitude wells up in me for her contribution to The Irish Catholic. It makes me particularly happy as I recall and remember the centrality of Theology and Canon Law. In her May 29 contribution to the IC, she handles an interesting, delicate and foundational area of Theology. In Pope Leo XIV, God has given a further gift to the Church.
Yours etc,
Tom Morris
Knocktopher, Co. Kilkenny
The Sacrament of Reconciliation cleanses
Dear Editor, I was fascinated by A.P. Breen’s uptake on my joy in this Sacrament (May 15) in which he suggests “I am optimistic if not naïve”. He advocates working out our salvation with “fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). As confirmed by the Vatican’s Central Office of Church Statistics, there are 1.408m Catholics in the world, a sizeable increase lately, so obviously there will be differences of opinion as to the merits of each Sacrament.
To me, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a ‘spiritual resurrection’ when our souls are washed white and pure, like children’s. Jesus three times in the Bible mentions children: Mathew 19:14, “But Jesus said, suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven”. Mark 10:13, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” and again in Luke 18:16.
Matthew 18:3 emphasises “unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven”. These words of Jesus are sufficient for me to believe in the absolute cleansing of the soul in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
It would be naughty of me to suggest, tongue in cheek, that our choice of President compared to that of the New World may, perhaps, colour Mr Breen’s understanding of Catholicism!
Yours etc,
Mary O’Mahony
Crosshaven, Co. Cork
The creature man and his belief in God
Dear Editor, David Quinn in his article ‘Why he chose the name Leo XIV’ (The Irish Catholic, May 15, 2025) stated that in the Early Church the fundamental question was ‘What is God’; at the time of the Reformation the prime question was ‘What is the Church’. Nowadays, the question is ‘What is man.’
Fr Frederick William Faber, an Oratorian fellow priest of Cardinal John Henry Newman, addressed this question in his book The Creator and The Creature (1856). “Who that has read certain philosophical and scientific books does not know that men could write of creation without their thoughts as much as touching or coming in contact with the idea of a Creator?” and he continued “It is that men, even pious men, do not continually bear in mind that they are creatures, and have never taken the pains to get a clear view of what is involved in being a creature. He (The Creator) is unseen and hence is practically seen as absent; and what is absent is easily forgotten. He is out of mind because He is out of sight. There is no objection to giving God his place, only He is not thought of. This is one phase of the world’s forgetfulness of God”.
It is clear, that man must realise that he is a creature if he is to have a basis for belief in God.
Yours etc,
Daithi O’Muirneachain
Drumcondra, Dublin 9.
Facebook community
Pope urges cohabiting couples to get married
“Irish Catholic Bishops should tap into insights of folk like Marriage Encounter for advice on how to reach out to next generation and make Catholic Sacrament of Matrimony much simpler, affordable and realistic.
Imagine an Irish Synodal Pathway with bishops that reached out to heteronormative cohabiting couples as opposed to special consideration/meetings for those wanting to lead non-regular sexual lifestyles.”
– Alan Whelan
“If the legal system (judiciary) was fair to both parties, people would accept the Pope’s recommendation with open arms. It’s a simple fix. Why are lawmakers not getting this through?”
– Allan Fernandes
Rescind new organ donation law says leading theologian
“While I completely agree the concept of organic donation is positive, the process the government has brought in certainly needs to be challenged on a lot of fronts and examined.” – Pat Savage
A new history course gives an unbalanced account of the Church “Will the courses include references to the fact that unmarried mothers were put out by their families instead of protecting them. In the 1920s, my grandparents kept their unmarried mother and their grandchild at home and protected them. Why did other families not do the same?” – Edward Duffin
Ireland’s Faith crisis is opening door to demons, exorcist warns
“This is a genuine and important ministry especially in this day and age, it’s only when people find themselves in this predicament that they realise that there’s a way out. Then the ministry is appreciated… Fr Pat Collins, an Irish priest is the main man involved in this ministry in Ireland…he can tell you all about it!” – Eamonn Quinn