Sir, - Patrick O'Connor's suggestion (October 12th) that one ecumenical service be celebrated at the commencement of the law year - at present, he states that there are six denominational ones - is one that obviously should be adopted. The practice of each denomination having its own service, implying, as it does, that God would not be honoured if people presented their petitions in conjunction with other worshippers - is surely an affront to God. National events in Ireland should be celebrated by a non-denominational service as Mr O'Connor has suggested and, in the case of the Law Society, in the Four Courts building.
The custom in the Republic of holding a service around July 12th with the leaders of all the denominations participating and reading from their separate liturgies is, so far from being a unifying action, the complete opposite, implying, as it does, that there is no common way of praising God: each denomination is assuring its followers that God is correctly worshipped by their action.
A service of praise and petition conducted by laymen and women and attended by all the different church leaders and Government officials would make all the people of this island feel one; as it is, the message the church leaders are sending out is that they definitely are not, which is tragic - especially for us in the North. - Yours, etc., J. Lawless,
Craigavon, Co Armagh.