Dear Editor, One of the questions connected with the idea of same-sex marriage is that of same-sex couples raising children. This, I suggest, is an issue where the sexual orientation of the adults can be quite irrelevant. Unusually perhaps, my father and his brother married twin sisters.  At one time in my childhood, my mother…

Dear Editor, Andrew O'Connell is to be commended on his article ‘The crime of gossip’ (IC 6/2/14) I commented recently that the Church i.e. from our altars, has been lax in this regard.  Since every word Andrew says is true it's quite amazing it's given such a wide berth. Is it because everyone contributes to the…

Dear Editor, Whatever her personal views on same-sex marriage may be, Sarah Carey, in her article of February 6, displays a quality of reasoning and logic (especially in her criticism of the reaction of the pro-same-sex marriage lobby to the recent case involving RTÉ and some prominent pro-traditional marriage supporters) that is all too often…

Dear Editor, In The Irish Catholic of February 13 a spokesperson for the Iona Institute is reported as saying that the group’s "opposition to same-sex marriage is based on the belief that marriage is a child-centred institution first and foremost …". It follows from this, that motherhood and fatherhood and the natural ties are extremely…

Dear Editor, You recently published an article on what the chances were of an imminent Irish cardinal – poor enough at present, I agree (IC 16/1/14). But by way of explanation that it would be heading North when finally bestowed, you stated that the odds are in favour of such an eventuality because, with the…

All knowledge needs to be encompassed within life values

Dear Editor, Louise O'Keefe's victory against the Irish Government in the European Court of Human Rights is a victory for all institutionally abused children. Her bravery and determination deserves the highest commendation.  The judgment drives a coach and horses through the Irish Government's claim that it is not responsible for abuse in education, welfare and…

Dear Editor, In the issue of January 16, Peter Costello reviewed At the Praetorium: Good Friday Revisited, a trilogy of one act plays’ by Sean Walsh, the former head of drama on radio at RTÉ. The review remarks “it is always difficult to see how plays might be in performance, but these are not (on…

Dear Editor, In an interview with Martin O’Brien (IC 16/1/14) Denis Bradley is reported as having said “the Church at a clerical level has been taken over by very young and very conservative young men. I think half of them are in Opus Dei." Would that half of them were trained for the priesthood by ‘Opus…

Dear Editor, I wish to draw the attention of your readers to the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013. First stage and second stage of the Bill have been completed by the Dáil, and it has been referred to Select Committee. If passed, the Bill will allow the representative of a person lacking capacity to get…