Sir, – The Vatican, church and bishops have lost moral authority as Catholics in Ireland have suffered an accumulation of disillusionments with their church.
Enda Kenny has quite correctly expressed the rage of the majority of Irish people at the cover-up by the church of crimes, while it preached and held up values to be lived by us that clearly were not lived out at the highest level.
This rage goes back to issues far beyond the latest Cloyne report. This has only served as a tipping point for the outpourings from Government Ministers, politicians and the Irish people.
For the Vatican to respond to the Government by pointing out errors in the Cloyne report or in Mr Kenny’s speech is not helpful. In addition, providing yet another apology for wayward priests will not restore the church’s moral authority.
Nothing short of admitting the cover-up of crimes and gross failure to protect adults and children, and ending the placing of a higher value on the avoidance of scandal ahead of care for the victims, by the Vatican itself and the hierarchy, would contribute anything to the possibility of reconciliation. – Yours, etc,
PADDY MOLONY,
Balally Grove,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Following 14 years of an outstanding and dignified presidency, Ireland had enhanced “her place among the nations of the world”.
Following the extraordinary and incredibly offensive, and surely thoughtless, outbursts by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, this country has now lost respect worldwide: a new low is emerging.
A decent apology by both parties, as well as a retraction of some of the ignoble measures proposed, would help in some way to restore balance and rebuild broken bridges. – Yours, etc,
GERTRUDE M SEARSON,
De Bret House,
Loreto Abbey,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – John Waters’s article (Opinion Analysis, July 29th) on cynicism and the Catholic Church is an attempt at misdirection.
In the wake of the Cloyne report, we all now know the cynicism shown by the leaders of that very church. Had we been more sceptical about those who held authority in Ireland, we could have reduced the damage done by the misuse of unchecked power.
This is true for the State as well as the church. – Yours, etc,
EDWARD GAFFNEY,
Custom House Square,
Dublin 1
Sir, – At last I can enter the debate concerning the Cloyne report. Up to now, I was seemingly disqualified from so doing as I had actually read part of the report.
Like Vincent Browne (Opinion Analysis, July 27th), however, I have not read the papal bulls he quotes. The slightest acquaintance with academic scholarship will, however, lead one to suspect that one-liners from documents written in Latin and obtained from some other source other than the original documents are unlikely to offer an accurate interpretation.
Needless to say, Mr Browne fails to mention all the papal writings that condemn slavery, and the great figures, such as the Dominican, Bartolemé de las Casas, who fought for its abolition. – Yours, etc,
Dr KEVIN E O’REILLY,
Carpenterstown Road,
Dublin 15.