Sir, – The Archbishop of Philadelphia drags us down a rabbit hole of obfuscation ("US archbishop criticises Mary McAleese's remarks on church", October 8th) as he seeks to redefine the term "intrinsic disorder". Sure apparently we are all intrinsically disordered, in our own peculiar – not to say queer – ways.
Archbishop Chaput seems to be mixing up his catechism and his Lewis Carroll, in an attempt to put a mere female canon lawyer in her place. “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”
Archbishop Chaput would do well to reflect on the fate of the intrinsically disordered Humpty Dumpty. – Yours, etc,
SÉAMUS DOOLEY,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – I feel that Mrs McAleese ("Church stance on homosexuality is simply wrong says McAleese", October 3rd) is gratuitously insulting to the synod fathers in referring to them as "300 celibate males", as she is continuing the trend in modern culture of reducing the value of the human person to his or her sexual aspect, which, ironically, is something Mrs McAleese says she has a problem with in the church. This reductionist view categorises people in such a way that a person's other qualities are ignored. This leaves the way open for prejudice toward people on merely one aspect of their personhood. – Yours, etc,
DONAL DEASY,
Richmond,
British Columbia,Canada.
Sir, – Former president of Ireland Mary McAleese referred to Pope Francis and the bishops as “elderly, celibate and male”.
I was present at a gathering for priests in Rome in 2012 when Mrs McAleese addressed the group who were mostly elderly, celibate and male and praised their life of service for others, their humanity and their witness to the Kingdom of God. Is there more than one former president of Ireland called Mary McAleese? – Yours, etc,
Fr GREGORY
O’BRIEN, PP
Templeogue, Dublin 6W.