Dear Editor, For the life of me, I cannot understand the stance of Independent members of the Oireachtas and local county councils. As Shane Ross remarked in last week’s Sunday Independent, the three-horse line-up to date for the presidential race lacks lustre and is second rate. Maybe Sinn Féin will pull a rabbit out of the hat.
According to recent surveys, almost 40% of the electorate remain uncommitted and unconvinced. They seek an alternative candidate.
Could I please ask the Independent members of the Oireachtas and local county councils to support an independent, alternative candidate, whoever that may be?
Why do the main political parties seek to block a presidential nomination from county councils? Maybe because Seán Gallagher and Peter Casey gave the political parties a good run for their money in previous elections.
This attempt to block nominations appears to me to be both undemocratic and Machiavellian. It is very much against the spirit of the Constitution.
What has happened to political voices who constantly call for choice, diversity and inclusion in all matters, including elections? Let the people decide.
In the interest of transparency, I for one would like the opportunity to cast my vote for Maria Steen. She is very intelligent, competent and articulate. She represents my values. She is also very familiar with Constitutional law.
In the absence of her name on the ballot paper, I will have no option but to spoil my vote. I will write Maria Steen’s name on the ballot paper. I would urge others to do the same. It will send a powerful message to the powers that be.
But my appeal is about a wider issue. Please widen the choice on the ballot paper, in the interests of true democracy.
If the list of presidential hopefuls on the ballot paper is increased, nobody can complain that they were disenfranchised, and the general public will accept the outcome.
Let’s have a truly open competition for the presidency and may the best person win.
Yours etc,
Geraldine O’ Brien
Drogheda, Co. Meath
Subverting of the Irish Constitution
Dear Editor, The decision by Maria Steen to withdraw from the presidential race is very disappointing. A very intelligent and educated woman and a devout Catholic, which is the real reason for the opposition to her candidacy; they knew she could win. Democracy in Ireland is in the hands of the elite. These political parties have decided who can run for the presidency and anyone ‘different’ like Maria Steen must be stopped. This is a deliberate subverting of the Irish Constitution by those who only want to run for the presidency, those who are of like mind as themselves. To think what has happened to Maria Steen as well as 30 years of sectarian strife, murder and violence give us the bare face audacity to lecture Israel on democracy – do me a favor!
Yours etc,
Fr Paul O’Connel PP
Moultrie, GA, USA
Democracy in Ireland is failing
Dear Editor, The citizens of this country are going to vote in the election of the future president of Ireland. An election that is no longer democratic. Our politicians who are supposed to be the voice of their constituents no longer represent us. Shame on them, and on the RTÉ presenter who made a disrespectful joke regarding Maria Steen being short of two votes in order to run. Shame Shame Shame!
Yours etc,
Clare McCormick
Curragh, Co. Kildare
A social community strategy could benefit the Church
Dear Editor, Peter Costello, in his book review of England’s Thousand Best Churches, asks the question ‘what are we to do about our churches?’. (The Irish Catholic–September 18, 2025). We were told that we have too many churches and asked ‘Is closure the future?’. If that is done we might find that we need them in the future. The closure of so many branch offices of banks and An Post has caused serious problems to many, especially those in rural areas. Closing a church would be even more damaging to the community spirit than the loss of the local bank branches and post offices. Closure of churches now could probably hinder the development of the church into the future.
It has been reported that the development of a local social centre, e.g. a coffee shop, has improved local rural life. The church would profit from developing a social community strategy.
It was stated that some Anglican parishes in the Dublin region seem to thrive in a way Catholic parishes do not. Their Select Vestries play an essential part in their parish life. The Catholic Church should look at how those Vestries work.
Yours etc,
Daithi O’Muirneachain
Dublin 9
‘Greedy’ government class lacks knowledge of the real world
Dear Editor, People are angry because like me, a working class person, they are effectively disenfranchised.
Social Partnership was used to destroy unions and create this scab and grab society with all its violence, greed, anti-social behaviour and racism, not to mention all the addictions of drugs, alcohol, gambling etc.
The corrupt greedy government class are arrogant, aloof and completely out of touch. They live in a different world to ordinary people.
Everyone in the Dáil is from this same greedy class.
There was nothing social about Partnership; it destroyed unions and religion and civilised behaviour where society once had a balance now near gone.
Perhaps in the future the corrupt will reap what they have sown.
It’s all very sad.
Yours etc,
Simon Leggett
Greenhills, Dublin 12
Catholic Church encouraged as more men become seminarians
Dear Editor, News that 13 new seminarians are currently undertaking studies at the Redemptorist Mater Seminary in Dundalk, Co. Louth; Pontifical Irish College, Rome; Spain’s Royal English College, Valladolid; Royal Scots College, Salamanca, and the International Seminary of Ars in France is to be welcomed in the throes of dwindling numbers and retirements.
The new entrants bring the total number of seminarians studying for the priesthood for Irish dioceses to 77. In 2024, 21 men commenced priesthood studies – the highest number yet to come forward in a decade. Even with increased numbers of ordinations it does not compensate for the significant number of priests retiring or dying each year, where the average age of priests is high.
National Diocesan Vocations Coordinator, Fr Willie Purcell said that the men begin their vocational journey by entering the propaedeutic year – serving as a preliminary instruction or as an introduction to further study. While this is an encouraging development, it should not make the Church more complacent or relax its efforts. But instead, it should remain diligent in its mission to grow, evangelise and serve the faithful. The days when nearly everyone was a churchgoing Catholic, the parish priest was revered and Church doctrine was central in public policy and private life are no more.
Despite the setbacks, Catholicism is still important to the people who still go to Mass on holy days and for baptisms, weddings and funerals. Most parents still rear their children as Catholics so as to gain entry to Catholic-run schools.
Yours etc,
Gerry Coughlan
Kilnamanagh, Dublin 24
Charlie Kirk’s legacy honoured at remembrance service
Dear Editor, As you know, Charlie Kirk was a leading US pro-life advocate and a great supporter of family values and Christian marriage. He was recently assassinated and leaves behind a wife Erika, a former Miss Arizona, and two young children.
Charlie was an evangelical Christian from a Presbyterian background and his wife is a Roman Catholic. At his remembrance service Erika publicly forgave the young man who murdered her husband.
Some 200,000 people turned out at the remembrance service to honour Charlie Kirk on Sunday, including President Trump.
Millions watched the remembrance service live on video.
Charlie Kirk loved to challenge university students to debate his views and his favourite line was “prove me wrong”.
Unfortunately, he was subject to ongoing character assassination and remarks he made were frequently taken out of context by those who were unable to win their arguments in a public debate.
Since his death 60,000 students have applied to join his organisation Turning Point.
P.S. Our photo taken at Cavan courthouse shows some of those who turned up to support our prayer vigil.
Yours etc,
Liam de Paor
Carrickane, Co. Cavan
Catholic schools left behind in diocesian discussions
Dear Editor, “Stop Pretending – Catholic schools must choose Christ or collapse” was your very powerful and well argued editorial of the August 28 edition.
Judged by the recently published Pre-Synodal Document for the Irish Church in preparation for its mid-October gathering, as reported in your September 25 edition, diocesan discussions failed to give any real priority to Catholic schools and their Mission. I firmly believe Catholic schools should be high up on any national agenda and my wife and I said as much when we met with the other seven interested lay Catholics from our diocese who attended the one in-person gathering to comment on priorities.
As I see it, so much of parish, diocesan and national resources are focused on Catholic schools while at the same time their effectiveness or ineffectiveness seems almost totally ignored. Meanwhile, thank you for your ever increasing reporting of informed lay concerns at what is being allowed to undermine the Mission of our Catholic schools.
Yours etc,
Alan Whelan
President Catholic Secondary Schools Parents Association