SIR, - JUDGING By RORY O'HANLON'S TWO LENGTHY LETTERS (SEPTEMBER 5TH and 8TH), HE IS OBLIVIOUS TO THE NEGATIVE IMPACT HE MUST BE HAVING ON RELATIONS WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH. HE IS FEEDING THE UNDERSTANDABLE PARANOIA OF THOSE UNIONISTS WHO FEAR THAT DUBLIN RULE EQUATES TO ROME RULE.IN HIS EARLIER LETTER, WHILE HE TRIES TO REASSURE US THAT HE DOES NOT SEEK TO IMPOSE HIS RELIGIOUS VIEWS ON OTHERS, HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS RIGHT AND THAT THE COMMON GOOD IS BEST SERVED BY FOLLOWING ITS TEACHING. CONCLUDING HIS LATER LETTER, HE WRITES: "IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND OVER 90 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION CONTINUE TO PROFESS ALLEGIANCE TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE AUTHORITATIVE TEACHING OF THAT CHURCH ON THE GREAT MORAL ISSUES IS CLEARLY EXPOUNDED IN THE DOCUMENTATION EMANATING FROM THE POPE AND THE MAGISTERIUM OF THE CHURCH."SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE NOTION OF PLURALISM? WHERE HAS HIS HONOUR BEEN RECENTLY? HOW DOES HE RECONCILE HIS 90 PER CENT COMPLIANCE WITH THE DECLINE IN SUNDAY MASS ATTENDANCE, THE WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE AND PRACTICE OF CONTRACEPTION, AND THE PASSAGE OF THE DIVORCE REFERENDUM? PRESUMABLY HE PINES FOR THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN J. C. MCQUAID AND E. DE VALERA RULED THE ROOST, WHEN THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE WAS A NON-ISSUE. FREE AT LAST, AFTER CENTURIES OF OPPRESSIVE FOREIGN RULE, WE WOUND UP GETTING MORE OF THE SAME FROM OUR OWN KIND.ALTHOUGH I DO NOT REMEMBER ANY DANCING AT THE CROSSROADS, I DO VIVIDLY RECALL THE AUSTERE AND REPRESSIVE SOCIETY THAT DROVE MANY OF US OUT OF OUR NATIVE LAND. THE GOOD OLD DAYS, INDEED, WHEN IT WAS A MORTAL SIN FOR A CATHOLIC TO ATTEND TRINITY! IT WAS A QUINTESSENTIALLY CLOSED SOCIETY, MORE AKIN TO A THEOCRACY THAN A DEMOCRACY. IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE JUST THE KIND OF SOCIETY THAT RORY O'HANLON WANTS.IT IS QUITE EXTRAORDINARY THAT, FOR ALL THE PROGRESS WE SEEM TO HAVE MADE IN RECENT YEARS, A MAN OF RORY O'HANLON'S STATURE COULD BE SO OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY. I DO NOT DOUBT FOR A MOMENT THAT HE IS SINCERE AND WELL-MEANING. BUT BEING WELL-MEANING, AS BRUNO BETTELHEIM OBSERVED, IS NOT ENOUGH. - YOURS, ETC.,SEAPOINT, CO DUBLIN.