Sir, - It is sad that Fintan O'Toole should have indulged in anti-Catholic bigotry. Unfortunately, it consolidates the widely held view that The Irish Times too frequently lapses into anti-Catholicism. From a national and political point of view such irresponsibility only feeds the deeply rooted divisions abounding in Northern Ireland. The peace negotiations are balanced on a "knife edge", and are of the utmost concern of all Christians and believers there, where all religions are striving to restore the Peace of Christ.
The promotion of Dana for President emanated, to her utter amazement, from the Christian Community Centre, about six weeks ago, supported by an appeal to Christians and believers for a National Crusade of Prayer. With her Northern Ireland Christian and family tradition, and her rich gifts of spirit, mind and nature, she was an obvious people's choice, divorced from the taint of politics. With these qualities it was considered she could form a desirable bridgeway between the peoples of North and South as the President of Ireland and as a sterling custodian of the people's Christian Constitution. - Yours, etc.,
T. C. G. O'Mahony,
C.C. Centre, Serpentine Avenue, Dublin 4.