Williams knows little about the Irish situation

THERE can be few things more calculated to rally support for the Catholic Church in Ireland than uninformed criticism from a British Protestant.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams clearly has a very limited knowledge of Irish affairs and displayed that fact quite spectacularly during his recent BBC interview.

He has embarrassed the Church of Ireland, as Archbishop John Neill has been quick to point out.

I hope Dr Neill and the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, suggest forcibly to Dr Williams that he confine his comments to his own jurisdiction and to matters over which he may have some competence. This episode lends further weight to suggestions that the Church of Ireland should withdraw from the Anglican Communion – an association that only brings us into disrepute with our Catholic neighbours.

The Church of England has been described as “the Tory party at prayer”. In the same vein, the Anglican Communion could be described as “the British empire at prayer”, and we have no place in that sort of scenario.

David Roberts

Castlegrove

Mallow

Co Cork