Sir, - Could we, as three ageing parish priests in the West of Ireland, with almost a century of priesthood between us and desperately clutching to the remnants of what passes for rational argument and a sense of perspective, offer a few thoughts on this most tired of tired subjects, clerical celibacy?
1. Celibacy is not intrinsic to priesthood. There have been, there are and there will be both married and unmarried priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Fr Michael Manning (June 10th), the present Pope and others may like to think that celibacy is intrinsic to priesthood, but the weight of history and common sense is against them.
2. No sensible person would argue that optional celibacy is a panacea for the Church's ills, as Rev Chris Hayden (June 15th) says opponents of enforced celibacy claim. But optional celibacy would make the Eucharist more widely available, enrich the Roman Catholic priesthood and enhance the witness of celibate priests.
3. Building theories around cocktails of canon law and Church history and suggesting, for example, that Pope Siricius in the fourth century required even readers to be celibate, as Rev David O'Hanlon writes (June 15th) may be entertaining and even unintentionally comic, but they are ultimately embarrassing for our Church because they suggest that current teaching is based on such bizarre rubbish.
4. The present reluctance to relax the enforced connection between priesthood and celibacy is not about theology or history or tradition. It is about money and power.
5. The enforced celibacy ruling will be changed for the reason that the Church cannot deny that the Eucharist, which is at the heart of the Church's understanding of itself, is more important than enforced celibacy, a Church-made and changeable law.
6. In our experience of the parishes we have worked in, most of our parishioners over the years are in favour of optional celibacy and would have no problem with married clergy, as Patricia Joseph points out (June 18th). - Yours, etc.,
Brian Conlon PP, Bangor Erris, Co Mayo. Brendan Hoban PP, Kilglass, Enniscrone, Co Sligo. Michael O'Horo PP, Skreen, Co Sligo.