Religion in schools

Sir, – The article "Bishops warn of secularisation of Catholic schools" (October 13th) quotes from the report Catholic Education at Second Level: Looking to the Future, which says, among other things, that "religious education deals with ultimate questions" and goes on to suggest that as such religion should be afforded a special status. So is this report saying that those of us of no religion are unable to deal with "the ultimate questions"? Or that schools of no denominational status are unable to facilitate and encourage any philosophical debate? I think not. In fact, I think that those with no faith-based prejudices are better able to facilitate debate on the ultimate questions. – Yours, etc,

MARY FRIEL,

Clonsilla, Dublin 15.