Leading churchmen are being denied basic human rights by ‘kangaroo court’ tactics

I WISH to congratulate Ray Kinsella for his excellent article headlined ‘Bishops should not resign’ (December 31).

The events and procedures he outlines following the Ryan and Murphy reports bring to mind certain similarities with the barbaric “justice” meted out by the kangaroo courts in the townships of South Africa in recent years and occasionally even in our own day. Individuals suspected others as thieves, robbers, or whatever, and in time the number of accusers grew.

Finally, this frenzied mob grabbed those “suspects” even from their homes and, having doused them with petrol and placed a tyre around their necks, set them alight in the street. How barbaric, but how similar to what we witness in Ireland today.

Using the willing press as their PA system the baying of those calling for “justice” resembles the howling of dogs beneath a full moon. Such mob “justice” should be recognised for the barbarism it promotes and it should be outlawed right away.

Unfortunately, people of no discernment lap it up and even unwittingly endorse it. This is not a legal system and is far removed from natural justice.

Mob rule, even majority rule, does not always respect our basic human rights, not to mention our God-given dignity. ! To demand resignations, even the closure of churches, is totally illogical. The Catholic Church is made up of humans who can and do err, but the church itself is of divine origin. May the good Lord be merciful to each of us and teach us his ways.

Harry Houlihan

Liberty Street

Cork