The increasing number of Catholic bishops who are defying public health advice by allowing Communions and Confirmations in their dioceses as hospital admissions continue to rise are throwing down their episcopal gauntlets and challenging the authority of the Irish State.
They are not just in contempt of public health advice, but they are misusing their episcopal authority by ordering their priests and encoraging their diocesan Catholics to be collaborators with them.
It resurrects an unresolved historical issue of whether the State has jurisdiction over the Church and whether its legislation can override canon law in the public interest.
This challenge marks the end of the cosy Church/State relationship that has existed in the Irish State since its independence.
Will an Irish Government once again, allow its sovereign authority to govern for the common good to be challenged and defied by bishops?
The Government cannot sit on the fence — it must respond robustly.
Brendan Butler
Malahide
Co Dublin
Church leaders not listening to the pope’s teachings
It is unbelievable that any organisation, but especially one that claims to teach morality, would go against public health advice and endanger people’s health and lives.
There is an abundance of evidence that many of these indoctrination
rituals have turned into super-spreader events, and this was before the far more transmissible Delta
variant appeared.
Data from Public Health England show 10%-13% of children who catch the virus go on to suffer from long Covid, which often lasts for months and is extremely debilitating.
Perhaps the irresponsible Irish bishops should remember what Pope Francis said last year when he urged people to obey rules aimed at preventing a devastating second wave.
The same still applies now, or do the Irish bishops think they are not only above Irish rules but what their Pope says too?
Stephen Kearon
Ballinaclash
Co Wicklow
Religious teachings not for the young
The Church and anything in relation to its teachings should stop at the door of a church, as that’s where they belong.
A church should never be allowed to skew and indoctrinate any young minds.
No church influence should ever be allowed into our education, medical or political environments.
A church is there to provide spiritual guidance to those old enough to understand what it is they’re asking for and to be in a position to make that decision of their own will. That is something that is taken away if they are indoctrinated from a young age.
Hugh McGlynn
Gorey
Co Wexford
Vaccine passports make no sense
I’m writing to speak out against the Government’s senseless and abhorrent introduction of vaccine passports. There’s no way in any reality that this makes sense or is any way just.
No one should have to disclose whether or not they got a vaccine or any medical procedure. It’s a private thing that should concern no one but the person in question.
Besides that, getting the vaccine doesn’t stop anybody from getting the virus or passing it on.
I applaud any and all businesses that refuse to implement such a cruel and discriminatory practice. Any that do are just working against themselves and the people they’re supposed to serve.
Robbie Rowe
Co Wexford
Flouting of hurling rules needs to stop for good of game
If the current situation remains, it is possible (and maybe probable) that the winners of this year’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling final will be decided by poor refereeing, players taking too many steps, and /or players throwing the ball at times without being penalised.
I am so disappointed by the poor standard at inter-county level, with players scoring goals having almost gone home with the ball in the hand and referees not blowing for frees when the ball has quite obviously been thrown.
I am wondering are some managers telling forwards to get the ball in their hands, run towards the goal “and you won’t be blown”.
Where is it all going to end?
I wish for referees with a little common sense.
Liam Burke
Dunmore
Co Kilkenny
Remembering Ireland’s first foray into the Olympics
It is timely to remember Ireland’s first venture in the Olympics in 1924, not long after independence, when a team of boxers, swimmers, and soccer players left by train and boat for the venue, Paris, in July that year.
They were led by Maynooth-born Major Patrick Colgan of the National Army, Curragh, a great advocate of sport in the new army.
The participation was an opportunity to show off Ireland’s independence. It paid off when, in 1930, the French government established the first foreign mission to Ireland, taking up residence in Leixlip Castle.
Colgan (whose genetic roots are in Kilkeel, Co Down, and I are not related), and his wife Ann Shortt (of Templemore, an international bridge player), embarked on a new career as joint owners of Muckross Park Hotel, Killarney, where the major is commemorated to this day.
John Colgan
Leixlip
Co Kildare
Pat O’Callaghan’s trove of awards
In the early 1970s, I attended Dr Pat O’Callaghan’s surgery in his lovely home on Queen St, Clonmel.
He diagnosed a cracked bone on my lower right leg, just above the ankle, compliments of a belt of a stick from a hurler in an inter-banks (Clonmel v Kilkenny) mixed hockey match.
It was terrifying.
On my third and final visit, I wrote him a cheque for £6.00 total.
I knew that I might not get the opportunity again, so on the way out I asked him meekly if I could see his medals. He became very impatient at such botheration and my heart fell. Then, with the quick turn of a hammer-thrower, he half-shouted: “Yerra come on.”
I followed him back through the hall and to the left was a wide-open mahogany stairwell.
At the top, he caught the handles of the floor-to-ceiling concertina doors with his enormous hands and flung them back.
I couldn’t believe my eyes at the display of silver cups and shields, goblets, statuettes, and marble trophies, all inscribed with the different feats of his many achievements.
Set at the front, amid a myriad of other medals, were his two Olympic gold medals in open boxes, in a propped forward-sloping position.
He gave me about 10 seconds to take in this gobsmacking sight before half-shouting in his best Derrygallon accent “right, that’s it” and pulling the doors shut again.
Eileen Caplice
Dromore
Mallow
Templebreedy graveyard records
While I wish to congratulate the group who have refreshed Templebreedy graveyard, Crosshaven, perhaps I may not be out of place in remarking that in 1966, without any aid, I singlehandedly recorded the inscriptions on every stone in the cemetery, even the 1711 memorial to John Darney.
In reality, then, these monuments have not been hidden for over 100 years as has been stated.
Richard Henchion
Wilton
Cork
No hard questions for agri minister
In an interview on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said we are world-renowned as a model of sustainable food production, that we produce ‘green’ and that we will continue to do this as the world’s growing populations need it.
Not a single question was put to him about the declining standards of our rivers, streams, and water due to farm run-offs; the decline in biodiversity; the removal of trees, hedgerows, and wetlands; and the increasing general destruction of our countryside.
John MacBreg
Drumcondra
Dublin 9
Kinsale requires more litter wardens
It is a criminal offence to litter a river or botch up a life belt that could be used to save a life. I always check the life belts in Kinsale and report to the harbour master if any are missing.
We are also lucky that Kinsale Tidy Towns group do trojan work every Thursday cleaning up our town. Also, Belgooly has its own group, which keeps it up to the same standard.
We need more litter wardens to police our rivers and scenic walks.
Noel Harrington
Kinsale
Co Cork
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