Letter to the Editor: Yoga can put Catholics in an ambiguous position

I refer to the criticism levelled at The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Alphonsus Cullinan concerning the practice of yoga in Catholic schools. A Roman Catholic bishop is a successor of the apostles; he is indeed shepherd of his flock, and carries a staff as a visible symbol of this role. As bishop, he has a sacred duty of pastoral care.

This includes teaching and upholding the tenets of the Catholic faith, which comes to us from the apostles, commissioned by Jesus Christ himself. Regrettably, the Catholic laity has largely been left without any ongoing guidance from the clergy on the subject of yoga and other New Age practises, for far too long, despite the church guidelines published on the subject.