Holding off on judgement

Dear Editor, The Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s TV interview with Gay Byrne may well be an example of ‘muddled Catholicism’ (IC, 29/6/14) but, having viewed it a couple of times, I’m not so sure that most of us are not just as muddled.

Certainly the Taoiseach did demonstrate some of the ‘à la carte’ Catholicism that our Church is trying to reverse, but who amongst us could be so sure that we’d be true to doctrine if we were seated in front of a couple of TV cameras and asked similar questions of our faith? Isn’t it fair to say that most of us have core beliefs that are slightly left or right of what the Gospels tell us – or, perhaps more relevantly, of the Church’s interpretation of the Gospels?

I’m with author Megan Miranda who writes: “I thought that this must be what Purgatory was like. Can’t go forward. Can’t go back. Awaiting some official judgement.” So I’ll pass on judging the Taoiseach’s faith, if only because I’m too worried about my own lest it be found wanting when then ‘official judgement’ comes.

Yours etc.,

Declan Rankin,

Donnycarney,

Dublin 9.