Madam, – John Hunter (March 4th) considers it unconstitutional for a party of soldiers to bear the reliquary of St Thérèse of Lisieux in parade. I have looked through the Constitution and cannot find any relevant reference. Nor do I understand why St Thérèse should be less deserving of a military escort than a recognised statesman or stateswoman.
St Thérèse is recognized and honoured by many Irish people, probably more than most statesmen or public servants. To object merely on the grounds that the person honoured is a church figure is discriminatory. – Is mise,
Madam, – I despair at the seemingly official participation of the Defence Forces at a macabre Roman Catholic ceremony which involved their providing military honours for relics of St Thérèse of Liseaux, who died in 1897.
Were the members there under orders from their superiors? In the photograph in Monday’s edition, the party carrying the reliquary seemed to be under the control of an officer.
I do, of course, acknowledge that members of the Defence Forces are free to adhere to the beliefs of any religion as part of their private lives. I do, however, object to their lending the authority of their military uniforms and training to such a sectarian event. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – This an absolute outrage. Oglaigh Na hÉireann are not window-dressing for some pious charade. We have a religion-free Constitution and no established religion. – Yours, etc,