JOHN ALDRIDGE,
Sir, - What a tragedy it is that someone of the stature, goodness and humanity of Bishop Brendan Comiskey has felt it necessary to resign - a man who has been so quick to confess publicly to his own weaknesses.
And yet, what a tragedy it is that these things have for so long been swept under the carpet and allowed to ferment.
It is nearly 50 years since I was at a Catholic boarding school in East London in the Cape Province of South Africa, when one of the teacher-brothers sexually assaulted a friend of mine in the college. You guessed it: by the time the lad's parents had arrived with the police, the "religious" was back in Ireland, safe from prosecution.
I am a convert to Catholicism, annoyed every time I hear a priest give thanks to God for "the faith we got so easily". Some of us didn't - and had to fight with our inner selves over a long time to search out and find what we perceived to be the truth.
Let's face it, there can be very few of us who haven't - in thought, word or deed - sinned against the sixth and ninth commandments. But to take away the innocence of children! "It were better that a millstone. . ." Is it any wonder that the media have their fangs out for the Roman Catholic Church?
It is time for the laity to meet head-on with the Hierarchy and insist that matters be dealt with from now on in an honest, forthright way - and, forgive me, to hell with legal advice. Our faith is built on morals and the commandments - and on following the Resurrected One. Is it any wonder that I find myself questioning whether I made the right decision in 1956 to join what I saw to be the true faith? - Yours, etc.,
JOHN ALDRIDGE,
Larganboy,
Ballyhaunis,
Co Mayo.
Sir, - The time has come for the Irish Catholic Church to cleanse itself from the ruthless evils that were perpetrated in the past.
As with any major scandal, the senior management should be asked to step down. It has been the failure of the bishops and cardinals to manage and control the paedophiles that allowed these horrific acts to proliferate.
They have clearly shown that they are guilty by association and are not worthy to preach the gospels to their flocks. As Brendan Comiskey has now done the honourable deed, Desmond Connell, the metropolitan bishop for Ferns, should follow his fine example. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID MOORE,
Royal Oak,
Santry,
Dublin 9.
Sir, - With clerical child-abuse scandals much in the public mind, people are sometimes accused of naïvety when they ask: "How would Christ have reacted in such a situation"? Perhaps the following parable for our times might put things in context:
"A man came to Jesus and said, 'Master, we have discovered that some of your disciples have been sexually abusing young children and rumours about this are spreading throughout the district.'
"And Jesus said to him: 'Do not tell this to anyone else - we must keep it as quiet as possible.'
"And when the man had gone, Jesus called his Apostles and said: 'Take some money and go to the Sadducees. ask them to send their best lawyers so they may take care of this matter for me according to the law.'"
I rest my case! - Yours, etc.,
TONY BURKE,
Baldoyle,
Dublin 13.