Sir, – In his comments on the marriage equality referendum ("Church has 'much to reflect on' after referendum, says archbishop", May 31st), Archbishop Eamon Martin expresses his desire for the church "to re-commit ourselves to the pastoral care of anyone in society who experiences victimisation and stigmatisation". Given that the church teaches that homosexuality is an "objective disorder" and a tendency "toward an intrinsic moral evil", it seems to me that the church is looking to have it both ways – to engage in the stigmatisation of gay people, and then offering pastoral care to gays when they feel stigmatised. – Yours, etc,
JAMES QUINN,
Sterling Heights,
Michigan.
Sir, – Surely the Catholic Church’s retaliation against the Irish people would be most effective if they denied the future use of the schools they own for the holding of elections. – Yours, etc,
PAT McQUAILE,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.
A chara, – Après referendum, it is astonishing the amount of things we are learning that the 34th Amendment gives a mandate for. This includes, inter alia, unfettered abortion rights, a dismantling of the denominational school system and its replacement with one underpinned by a secularist philosophy, voting rights for emigrants no matter how long it is since they've lived here, and the criminalisation of any parent who gives their child a smack. It also apparently, in the name of equality, should have allowed for the lowering of the age of presidential candidates, which makes its rejection by way of a separate referendum very confusing. Doubtless I have omitted a great many things and even more will emerge over time.
It was very naughty of the Government, not to mention the Referendum Commission, not to make us all aware of this in advance of the vote. Still, I’m sure all right-thinking people would have supported it in any case, so no harm done.
The thing to do now is take the existence of this incredible mandate to its logical conclusion and set up a truly authoritative public body on the strength of it – may I humbly suggest the title of the 34th Amendment Secretariat? There would be thereafter no need for any future referendums – indeed, perhaps no need for a government, or any other elected representatives. Any public matter of any importance would simply be referred to the secretariat who would decide what course of action was most in the “Spirit of the 34th Amendment”. On that basis the decisions would almost make themselves.
The only problem I foresee would be figuring out who would make up this all-powerful new body. But I’m sure that if we allowed ourselves to be guided by the principles of the amendment a clear answer would soon emerge. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.