Madam, - I found Kevin Myers's Irishman's Diary last Wednesday disgusting. I appreciate his objections to the recent beatification of Emperor Karl of Austria, but surely he could have expressed these without ridiculing, with sexual innuendo, the prayer life of St Teresa of Avila. She is one of the great mystics of the second millennium whose life and writings are still relevant for people who are trying to deepen their prayer life.
It is obvious that Mr. Myers knows nothing about mysticism or the role of prayer in any religious tradition. I am sure, however, that he would not write in such scurrilous way about the prayer life of a Sufi saint or a Hindu mystic.
But one can write any kind of offensive nonsense about any aspect of the Catholic tradition - be it her doctrines, mysticism, saints, rituals or teaching on social justice and the environment.
Your paper, which is read by people of faith from many religious traditions, should not facilitate such blatant anti-Catholic prejudice. - Yours, etc.,
Father SEÁN McDONAGH,
St Columban's,
Navan,
Co Meath.