BRENDAN BUTLER,
Madam, - Father Seamus Murphy, in the course of an article defending canon law (Opinion, November 6th) makes a most outlandish and arrogant claim on my behalf as a member of the Catholic "faithful".
He writes that "right now [the faithful\] are expressing a clear sensus fidelium or consensus that repeat sexual abusers are unfit to be priests".
I want to inform Father Murphy that there is a clear sensus fidelium that once a priest commits the vicious act of sexual abuse against a child he is clearly unfit to be a representative of the goodness of God on earth. We cannot allow him or facilitate him to be a "repeat" abuser before we consider him unfit to continue in his priestly ministry. - Yours, etc.,
BRENDAN BUTLER, Swords, Co Dublin.