Dear Editor, Listening to the Gospel the other morning I was struck by the words “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you” (John 15:18). These words struck a chord with me because the previous day I was accused of lacking compassion by opposing assisted dying as a compassionate response to the suffering of people facing a painful death. It comes naturally to be moved by the pleas of people such as Dame Esther Rantzen. But I wonder if we are being misled under the banner of compassion to accept death and the destruction of life as solutions to the problem of human suffering.
Michael Kelly [The Irish Catholic – May 5, 2024] described how members of the Oireachtas ridiculed and castigated legal, medical and psychiatric experts who voiced opposition to euthanasia. We must be vigilant because people can argue that evil is good and good is evil, and the word ‘compassion’ is being redefined to convince us that abortion and euthanasia are compassionate acts. St Ignatius cautioned us that the Evil One will confuse us by suggesting good thoughts while intending to lead us to do his will.
Abortion and euthanasia must not be seen in isolation. They are part of a more pervasive issue: evil’s influence in our world. They should not be seen as separate from global warming, the destruction of ecosystems, violence, the oppression of the poor, the mistreatment of asylum seekers etc. We are witnessing a culture of death. Politicians look at problems in isolation to be solved. We see the presence of evil to be opposed.
In this secular age, when many are ashamed to call themselves Christian, we need the spirit of truth to give us the wisdom and courage to see and oppose the influence of evil.
Yours etc.,
Brendan Kennedy
Belfast, Co. Antrim
Real examples of synodality in action
Dear Editor, Congratulations to the author of ‘Formation is important but not everything’ [The Irish Catholic – May 2, 2024].
Ideas on synodality often come across as abstract and simply aspirational. The article points out that many lay organisations such as St Vincent de Paul, Youth 2000 and Net Ministries are real examples of synodality in action. They operate on a ‘master and apprentice’ system and new members easily learn on the job.
Yours etc.,
Katherine Buggle
Stepaside, Dublin 18
Shockingly inappropriate RSE for Catholic schools
Dear Editor, You will be aware that the recent Stormont motion concerning Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) was carried by a clear majority of 49 vs 33, with voting largely along party political lines. Sinn Fein, SDLP and PBP all voted in favour of the motion. Media coverage mainly concerned some childish and puerile behaviour by a DUP minister.
From a Catholic perspective, however, the debate and the result are both remarkable and concerning. Simple analysis of the vote would imply that all nationalist/republican voters support an extremely liberal programme of RSE is schools. Indeed, the tenor of the debate in Stormont suggested that parents and families are not to be trusted to provide RSE to their children because it requires ‘experts’ to deliver this. On the face of it, the vote suggests that only Catholics who vote for Unionist/loyalist parties have any concerns or reservations about the current RSE programme being promoted in our schools. While some parents from the nationalist/republican community may be content with liberal RSE in schools, it simply cannot be the case that they all do.
At a time when young people are exposed to much malign and hideous information, graphic imagery and negative ideologies, appropriate RSE is more important than ever. Families of all faiths and none have the right for their children to be taught in compassionate and moral terms consistent with their own values. This is not happening in many Catholic schools.
RSE programmes that are both consistent with Catholic values and culture and compliant with the basic requirements of legislation are available and easily accessible.
Unfortunately, school managements too often appear too to be adopting ‘off the shelf’ RSE programmes, some of which are shockingly inappropriate for Catholic schools. Lack of resources and funding cannot be used as an excuse for this negligence.
Perhaps we should remind ourselves that parents are the first and primary educators of their children. Parents and families have the right to have their children educated in a tolerant, compassionate Catholic environment. Parents and governors have more rights than perhaps they realise and could certainly exercise their right to question schools on the important subject of RSE policy. Parents do have the means to influence how their children are treated in the maintained sector and should be reminded of the fact rather than succumb to despair.
Yours etc.,
Michael Murphy
Magherafelt, Co. Derry