A chara, - Father James Good (August 13th) was offended by Thinking Anew (August 7th), which stated what is accepted by most churches in the country apart from Roman Catholicism, that there is no basis in scripture for the doctrine of Mary being ever-virgin or without sin.
The Catholic Church offers no credible explanation for the existence of Jesus's siblings: "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren James, Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?" (Matthew, 13:55-56.)
And the only support offered for the immaculate conception is "Blessed art thou among women" (Luke 1:28).
Both these doctrines were accepted only in mediaeval times, and there is no reason not to question them. - Is mise,
HENRY WILLIAMS,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.