A chara, – Maria Mhic Mheanmain’s response (December 27th) to Joe Mulvaney’s suggestion (December 22nd) that the Catholic Church in Ireland needs to march to a different tune, indicates that it is not Catholicism that needs to change as much as its erstwhile adherents such as Mr Mulvaney.
As the changes that Mr Mulvaney seeks are well established in the Anglican Communion, is it perhaps time that he and many others disenchanted by Rome’s need for control and lack of respect for human dignity (especially of women and children) relinquished Catholicism in favour of the Church of Ireland? – Is mise,
.Sir, – I had just finished reading your story on the ultra-Orthodox Jews in an Israeli town imposing segregation on women and children in the name of religion (World News, December 27th) when I came to the Letters page. Ms Mhic Mheanmain (December 27th) wants the retention of unmarried priests as she can’t see how the alternative would work! She claims to be humble enough to accept she can never be ordained and embraces the Catholic Church’s prohibition on contraception.
Ms Mhic Mheanmain then asks if there is room for her in the Catholic Spring. I would suggest she has ample room already in the Catholic Autumn. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Maria Mhic Mheanmain (December 27th) objects to Joe Mulvaney’s description of the church’s laws in relation to women (December 22nd) as “medieval”. Rather, she argues that room should be made for those who support the current church position on the ordination of women, etc. A glance at 1 Timothy 2:8-15 would suggest that she has the New Testament on her side. Of course, the same passage should also suggest to all reasonable people that Christianity may not be the best place to look for moral guidance on the treatment of women. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – It has rightly been said that “once a Catholic, always a Catholic”.
In my humble opinion, the Catholic Church is a refuge for those who prefer others to do their thinking for them.
As for a “Catholic Spring”, I believe it’s going to take more than a bit of spring cleaning to sort out that particular institution.
It reminds me in many ways of the Augean stables, and we all know what a Herculean task that proved to be. – Yours, etc,