Surely we are not so miserly

Dear Editor, As I sit here tonight my wife is in the next room being treated by the palliative care team. She was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour and her life expectancy was estimated to be 3 or 4 months. I struggled for a few weeks trying to help her as she needed to be fed, clothed, brought to the commode or helped in and out of bed. As her condition deteriorated I knew I needed help.

I know only too well how carers tire and feel burdened. Caring is burdensome. Patients sense this and can feel pressure to end the carer’s ordeal. The pressure they exert on themselves for our sake can be more powerful than the pressure we place on them.

While my wife is sedated now, she is far from being unaware of her surroundings. Yesterday as I spoke and sang some of the songs she likes she raised her hand and gently squeezed mine. The words “until death do us part” mean more to me now than ever.

Caring for someone is a genuine expression of compassion more so than offering the avoidance of suffering through assisted suicide. Unfortunately, there are occasions when palliative care does not adequately relieve the suffering for some. But every lawmaker knows hard cases do not make good law, and those who do not know this should not be lawmakers.

But palliative care is expensive involving nurses’ time and medications. I believe church leaders, laity and the followers of every faith need to make their voices heard through social media or directly to their elected TDs demanding the government finance palliative care rather than favour the cheaper option of assisted suicide. Surely we are not so miserly that we refuse to pay for the compassionate care of people in the last stages of life.

Yours etc.,

Brendan Kennedy

Belfast, Co. Antrim

Well done Brendan

Dear Editor, I am a regular reader of The Irish Catholic and enjoy being updated on matters of concern to me.

However, I must give credit where credit is due. The weekly feature which I most look forward to is Brendan O’Regan’s TV&Radio column. It is regularly insightful and interesting, and worth a good read.

Well done, Brendan.

Yours etc.,

J. Mathews,

Drogheda, Co. Louth

Very grateful for men’s superior strength

Dear Editor, I would like to commend David Quinn on his article ‘Time to say something in support of boys and men’ [The Irish Catholic – November 28, 2024].

I am shocked to hear of this ridiculous survey monitoring children’s activity.

I feel that in today’s society, men are being forced to watch what they say and how they act. This “dumbing down” of men’s behaviour, to please the feminists, is unhealthy. Boys build up their physical strength through rough play.

I was recently very grateful for men’s superior strength and skill when they installed extremely heavy triple glazing windows and doors in my house. This strength was, no doubt, encouraged, honed and built up in their boyhood years and so essential to their development.

I for one was very appreciative!

Yours etc.,

Nora O’Malley

Dundrum, Dublin 14.

St Nicholas Bishop of Myra: A story of generosity and gift giving

Dear Editor, St Nicholas or ‘Sinterklaas’ in Dutch was a 4th-century Bishop of Myra who appeared on the night of December 5 laden with gifts for Dutch children. The man is dressed in red and white, with a mitre and crozier, as befits a bishop, and many miracles are attributed to him. St Nicholas came to be known as the patron saint of children, sailors, pawnbrokers, coopers, and the falsely accused. His acts of charity inspired Dutch and Germanic tradition of Santa Claus. The saintly figure was known for wandering the streets at night, leaving gifts for people in their homes. His bedtime attire during these late-night escapades even makes their way to the nightcap stylings of Santa. Sinterklaas, which evolved into Santa Claus’ role as a giver of gifts to children, involved placing shoes by the fireplace, singing songs and writing humorous poems which echo the St Nicholas tradition. After his death in 343 AD, multiple churches and countries observe December 6 as his feast day with great celebrations, processions, services and gift giving. Turkish archaeologists have uncovered the likely burial place of St Nicholas, who gave rise to the legend of Santa Claus as everyone knows is alive and well, residing in Lapland. Surveyors discovered an intact temple and burial grounds beneath St Nicholas church in Antalya. By the time this vignette is published, the feast of Saint Nicholas will have already occurred in Western Christian countries on December 6. St Nicholas of Myra once said: “The giver of every good and perfect gift has called upon us to mimic His giving, by grace, through faith, and this is not of ourselves.”

Yours etc.,

Gerry Coughlan

Kilnamanagh, Dublin 24

We need a newer Church culture

Dear Editor, It took me a while to process the view of Bishop Brendan Leahy (Limerick) about the focus of the latest Synod deliberations – “Synod calls for a new ‘Church culture’” [The Irish Catholic – October 31, 2024]. This new culture would be “directed towards being better able to promote justice and peace in the world as we ourselves grow in processes of listening and dialogue, sharing and reconciliation”.

It appears to me that this new culture is not really centred on the fundamental Biblical imperative of the glory of God and salvation of souls. Specifically, Jesus’ departing mandate on Ascension Thursday was: “therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matt 28:19-20)

This new culture is not really centred either in the general substance of papal and council declarations throughout the centuries as represented in this statement of the Catechism, “The Church’s structure is totally ordered to the holiness of Christ’s members” (#773).

I believe we need a yet newer Church culture that refocuses on the primary objectives of evangelisation, making disciples and holiness.

Yours etc.,

A.P. Breen

Bronx, NY