Research on alienation
Dear Editor, I am an Irish postgraduate student with a background in digital humanities.
As a young person in Ireland I am deeply aware of the increasingly liberal slant both of Irish media and culture, and the degree to which contemporary culture is increasingly at odds with the values, lifestyle and sincerely held beliefs of a great many Irish citizens.
As such I am undertaking a visual media project which seeks to document the opinions and experiences of those who feel increasingly alienated or even attacked as a result of beliefs now deemed ‘unsuitable’, ‘incorrect’ or even ‘old-fashioned’.
To take part in this project or to seek further information, I ask your readers to please feel free to contact me at incongruentproject@gmail.com. Thank you.
Yours etc.,
Rachel Gough,
Blarney,
Cork.
Political correctness at Mass is unnecessary
Dear Editor, With reference to the letter from Bríd Ní Rinn “Where have all the Catholic men gone?” (IC 07/09/2017) and Kieron Wood’s response (IC 14/09/2017) it seems to this reader that both Ms Ní Rinn and Mr Wood make valid points.
Regarding Mr Wood’s reference to certain priests’ use of the expression “sisters and brothers” (which I’ve heard being used at Mass sometimes) instead of “brothers and sisters”, it strikes me that the former (which, of course, isn’t any more ‘inclusive’ than the latter) – while, no doubt, well-meant – smacks of contrived and unnecessary political correctness (though whether or not it’s liturgically incorrect I’m not qualified to say).
Yours, etc.,
Hugh Gibney,
Athboy, Co. Meath.
HPV infection not just from sexual activity
Dear Editor, In his letter in The Irish Catholic (21/09/2017) John Kennedy writes “I presume that if young teenage girls refrained from sexual activity then they would not contract the virus”.
With greatest respect, may I suggest that this assumption is not well-based.
First of all, a girl could abstain from sexual activity before marriage, but acquire the infection from her husband after marriage; vaccination would protect her.
Secondly some people can pick up HPV infection and suffer from cervical cancer without ever engaging in sexual activity (and HPV can lead to other types of cancer in both women and men). Evidence is accumulating that this virus is more robust outside the body than was previously realised and viable HPV has been recovered from surfaces following disinfection. It is of course difficult to prove, but exposure to shared non-disinfected surfaces in gyms, poorly disinfected medical instruments and toilet seats have been suggested as possible sources of non-sexual HPV infection. Rare cases of mother to baby transmissions have also been suggested.
HPV vaccination would protect against these sources of infection as well.
It is therefore impossible to attribute the cause of any individual case of cervical cancer to sexual activity. It is really important that as many as possible are vaccinated to reduce the incidence of the virus in the population.
Not vaccinating will not impact either way on sexual behaviour of young adults; but vaccination is likely to give girls (and ideally boys as well) protection from HPV irrespective of whether it comes via sexual activity or other routes.
Yours etc.,
Martin Clynes,
Emeritus Professor of Biotechnology,
Dublin City University.
Criticism of our liberal society is not allowed
Dear Editor, I was glad to read Fr Andrew McMahon’s article re the George Hook controversy, “Hook has been put on trial for questioning the maxims of a permissive society” (IC 21/09/2017).
So many journalists rushed in to criticise and stoked the debate to try and get George fired. Anyone who actually listened to the show could understand his argument. He was not being misogynist or attempting to blame the rape victim. He was making a very valid and sensible point that we must all take responsibility for our own safety.
Our individualistic and rights-driven culture tells young people they have the right to do whatever they want. It is perfectly acceptable to get so drunk or high on drugs that you cannot make sensible decisions or even walk or talk coherently. Every week young people out partying, both male and female, are putting their lives in danger because of their behaviour. They are lucky if they get home safely without incident.
This is not a healthy way to socialise, but criticism of our liberal, modern society is not allowed, as we can see from the George Hook controversy.
Yours etc.,
Bernie Buckley,
Douglas, Cork.
Catholic politicians fear their faith will kill their credibility
Dear Editor, I take a different view to that of your editorial of last week (‘To articulate Church teaching, one must know why the Church teaches what it does’ IC 21/09/2017). We are all very familiar with Catholics explaining why they oppose modern morality and making it very clear that it is because they have examined their own consciences, analysed all the issues and rationalised their opinion in practical secular terms. They tend to take the view that any mention of their faith will kill their credibility and their argument.
Mr Rees-Moog, who can debate with the best (and worst) took a refreshingly different approach. He simply stated his faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ and his Church. The result was extremely effective. The hosts [of the ITV interview] were completely taken aback as they had never heard that argument before and were totally unprepared for it. He also showed the world what a real Catholic sounds like. And the world reacted. Mr Rees Mogg is a rare hero and has done his Lord and His Church a great service.
Yours etc.,
Sean Grace,
Malahide, Co. Dublin.
Grateful for letters supporting Fatima prayer
Dear Editor, Assuredly it is most pleasing to Our Lady of Fatima to see The Irish Catholic receiving so many letters in support of the decade prayer she gave to the Little Shepherds after the vision of hell: “O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need”- a most efficacious prayer for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls, similar to the Lord’s own Prayer: “…Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. It forms part of the Message of Fatima that recent Popes affirm to be more relevant today than one hundred years ago, far from being “banished forever” as Fr Joe McVeigh has written.
Further, as regards “offending” God, the word was spoken by the Angel in his second Apparition to the Little Shepherds: “Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw peace upon your country. I am its Guardian Angel”.
And Lucia gave us the final words spoken by Our Lady: “Do not offend Our Lord and God anymore, because He is already so much offended”, adding “How loving a complaint, how tender a request. Who will grant me to make it echo through the whole world, so that all the children of our Mother in Heaven may hear the sound of her voice!”
In the Lord’s own Prayer we say: “Our Father…forgive us our trespasses (our offenses) as we forgive those who trespass against us (offend us)”.
Surely, Fr Joe’s suggestion to refrain from using the word, “offending” God, is not a divine inspiration!
Yours etc.,
Sr Mary Diane OP,
Dominican Nuns of Perpetual Rosary,
Wexford.
An information request to readers
Dear Editor, A study group would be most grateful if you let me ask readers, who may be able to do so, to help us to get copies of the 1951 Karl Stein autobiography The Pillar of Fire. They could phone or text me at 0879292754.
Yours etc.,
Joe Foyle,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.