Courtney McGrailDear Editor, In Mary Kenny’s article ‘Greece dispensed with traditional blessing’ (IC 29/01/2015), she says “it may be noted that some of the most prosperous and stable regimes in Europe still begin their parliamentary day with prayers”.
I have to say I do admire Greece’s new government and, yes, it is a pity that they have decided to dispense with the traditional blessing, but I think I would trust them much more than the other ‘prayerful’ prosperous governments in the rest of Europe.
If Ireland is anything to go by, these prayers must be no more than a hypocritical display to make their politicians look good, because I fear it is not for any great piety on their part.
All the countries in the EU are going through austerity measures that are totally as a result of the greed of the IMF and cronyism between the international banks, bondholders and politicians.
Monies which are being collected through various forms of taxation or drained from the sale of the assets of the various countries, are feeding a core of greedy elite bank owners and bondholders, even if it means families with children and old people being thrown out of their homes onto the streets.
Ordinary decent people are trying to survive while being taxed to the hilt and their pleas that they cannot afford these are being ignored.
Still the rich fat cat politicians get huge salaries they do not earn and fat pensions they do not deserve.
Maybe they should pray to recover their ordinary decent principles and their ethics which seem to be long dead, here in Catholic Ireland especially.
Yours etc.,
Roseanna Tyrrell,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly.