Dear Editor, Many wonderful, good and necessary efforts are being made at this time of crisis, this time of the Covid-19 virus. I thank God for all this, but I wish to add another much needed and very essential effort – a wake-up call; a call to conversion – a call back to the Ten Commandments.
These commandments are God’s 10 rules or directions in peaceful, happy living, in joy, in fullness of life and love. They need to be revisited, re-learned and re-lived. They are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. Do we hear them mentioned? Do we hear them preached? Do we see them written down? The commandments appear again and again in the Bible.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd wants to lead us back to God, the Father, and I hope and pray we follow his Word, teachings, guidance and direction. This may be a difficult time for us all, but I believe Romans 8:28 – proof good will come out of all of this for we have so many good people trying to do their best as they live quietly and prayerfully day by day.
Pope Francis tell us “never stop loving”. Much love is being displayed now. God is the source of love – may he give us strength to keep helping one another and keep believing the word of St Augustine: “God only permits suffering to bring a greater good.”
May we have the wisdom and peace we need to learn from Scripture, from the lives of the saints and from so many good people, past and present.
May we hear the words of John’s Gospel: “Let not your hearts be troubled.” (John 14:1)
Let’s keep up the good work of prayer and action at this time of crisis and let’s remember words of wisdom: ‘This too shall pass.’
Yours etc.,
Sr Susan Evangelist,
Ballyshannon, Donegal.
A vaccine must be shared worldwide for free
Dear Editor, We are in a moment of history akin to the World War I story where opposing soldiers came out of their trenches and shared cigarettes and photos. Then at dawn they went back to war and an opportunity was lost.
The world is at war against a common enemy and we must unite to defeat it. This will mean removing all sanctions.
When a vaccine/antidote is developed, which it will be, it must be shared and produced by all the major pharmaceutical companies by government edict if necessary and provided free to every country in the world, particularly developing countries. Regardless of the economic conditions this must be subsidised by developed countries, including Ireland.
We must do this for two reasons. Firstly, and preferably, because it’s the right thing to do. Secondly, because it’s our best defence against a constant pandemic recurrence. Unfortunately, the greatest threat to this new world order lives in The White House and doesn’t seem to have a concept of ‘sharing’ and ‘unselfishness’ and basic human respect except to the dollar.
Yours etc.,
Pat Conneely,
Glasnevin, Dublin.
Young people must act ‘inspirationally’
Dear Editor, Us older people remember how important our peers were to us as teenagers and as young adults. We were each other’s protectors and standard setters. We lived in each other’s shadows and found inspiration from one another. Those are universal and lasting realities for the young of every era.
But now is different. These are not normal times. As W.B. Yeats said: “Everything is changed, changed utterly.” A terrible pandemic is raging all around.
Please, young people, do not congregate. Please do not disregard the advice that is for everybody. Please do not bring the disease home to your worried parents and lovely grandparents.
You are our hope for many tomorrows. You are our future leaders. We need you at your present best. You can and must be our inspiration during these trying times.
Yours etc.,
Michael Gleeson,
Mayor of Killarney Municipal District,
Killarney, Co. Kerry.
God is not a formula
Dear Editor, Firstly, I must congratulate you and your reporters on a wonderful and informative newspaper that has always been a pleasure to read. Despite this ongoing pandemic I’m impressed The Irish Catholic continues to bring us much-needed news and analysis. The article causing me to pen this letter was about sacrilegious (as Fr Pat Collins puts it) chain prayers that I have increasingly being seeing [IC 26/03/2020].
Fortunately I haven’t been giving them any of my time and ignore them, but I know of many people who feel compelled to recite the certain prayer a certain number of times and then send it on to a certain number of people to avoid some looming catastrophe that will befall their loved ones. Fair play to Fr Pat for calling this vile practice out for what it is, evil, and an insult to God.
I will continue praying, as is necessary, for all those on the frontlines who are battling this virus, those who have contracted it and those who are in fear of have been affected by it.
Chain prayers reduce God down to a formula and this is not the God whom we Christians love.
Yours etc.,
Bill Graham,
Cherrywood, Co. Dublin .
Cling to God in times of suffering
Dear Editor, David Quinn’s article [IC 26/03/2020] was inspiring and was lovely to read. Worldly suffering has long been a difficult topic to broach with believers even, never mind atheists!
Fear can be disabling, as he says, and there is much fear abound as we hurtle through the pandemic which brings with it so much uncertainty, twists and turns. But now is not the time to question our Faith, but cling to it more strongly than ever, God will help us through this.
Yours etc.,
Mary Dunne,
Drogheda, Co. Louth.