Madam, – Bravo Jennifer Sleeman on so clearly articulating what most Catholic Irish women are currently feeling about today’s Irish Catholic Church (Front page, August 11th). I for one am with her on September 26th! – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The excuse “he or she is of their generation” lost all meaning this week. While one octogenarian (Jennifer Sleeman) has instigated a protest to highlight the exclusion of 50 per cent of its membership from active decision- making within the church, another octogenarian (Pope Benedict XVI) refuses (without explanation) to accept the reasoned decision of two of its appointed leaders to resign in light of the Murphy report. Who offers more hope to the faithful? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Today (August 12th) Tony Corcoran regrets that your report on the recent commissioning of 10 new lay parish pastoral workers was “hidden on page 8”. I have to say, Madam, that for dramatic content, page 8 seems just about right to me. However, when Diarmuid Martin ordains the first woman priest I believe that you should definitely include that report on your Front page.
Which brings me to Michael O’Mara’s suggestion that rather than a boycott of Mass, Mná na h-Éireann should have their own Mass in (say) Phoenix Park. If they take his advice one thing is absolutely certain: the celebrant will have to be a man! – Yours, etc,
Madam, – How interesting that the two letters (August 12th) in response to Jennifer Sleeman’s excellent suggestion (Front page, August 11th) are both written by men. They have, I believe, missed her point.
Rather than organising a Mass in the Phoenix Park for “all the women of Ireland”, as suggested by Michael O’Mara, maybe some of the women parish pastoral workers mentioned by Tony Corcoran, could be available to lead those who wish to take part in some form of liturgy?
Unfortunately, as women, they will not be permitted to celebrate the Eucharist! For that we would need to look to our more enlightened sister churches.
May I, as a man, be permitted to encourage women to answer the call to boycott mass on September 26th? While I’m at it, may I also ask men to show their solidarity with women on that day? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In light of the Pope’s refusal to accept the offers of resignation of the auxiliary bishops it is incumbent on all Irish Catholics, both men and women, to follow Jennifer Sleeman’s example and boycott Mass on September 26th.
I for one will be joining her. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – It was with anger and incredulity that I read about Jennifer Sleeman’s call for a boycott of Masses on September 26th. While people have both the right and the duty to follow their conscience, as well as to protest against wrongdoing, it is repugnant to the most deeply-held beliefs of Catholics to attempt to use a Sacrament for political leverage.
Catholics who are knowledgeable about the faith hold that the Eucharist is the summit and source of all Christian living, celebrated with love in obedience to Christ’s command (“Do this in memory of me”). To call for a boycott of the Eucharist in the context of a protest against “the institutional church” suggests a view of the Mass as an instrument of power and subjugation, an idea that, one imagines, would be utterly repugnant to many Catholics. As the late Pope John Paul II observed, Christ’s requirement to love God and neighbour is facilitated by the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Love. To attempt to tackle failures to love by calling for a boycott of that which, for Catholics, is the source of love is, at the very least, contradictory.
If the church is not rooted in Christ and the Sacraments, then it does not have a future; however, its survival and growth for the past 2,000 years suggests that, despite all its faults and failings, it does. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I would wholeheartedly agree with and support the call by Jennifer Sleeman for a one-day boycott of Sunday Mass on September 26th.
However, I would suggest that the boycott should not be limited to the “faithful women of Ireland”, but that all those concerned for the future of the church and who wish to have their voices heard, including the faithful men of Ireland, should be encouraged to participate.
At the same time I am aware that there would be those who would find it very difficult and painful not to attend Sunday Mass, because of the importance which it holds in their lives. For those who would not wish to miss Mass on that Sunday, might I suggest that they attend Mass as usual but that rather than their normal generous offerings, they would make only a token offering of say 1 cent on that day. Thus they can both attend Mass and make an offering, while at the same time demonstrating their concerns for the future of their church. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Jennifer Sleeman is to be complimented. Her invitation to women to boycott Mass on September 26th as a protest against the way the abuse scandal has been handled by the church and the way that the church treats women, is a simple step to take.
However, simple as it may seem, if enough women take that step, who knows where the journey may lead? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Jennifer Sleeman (Front page, August 11th) feels that the Catholic Church is caught in a time warp and comes up with the excellent idea of women staying away from Mass for one day in a show of numbers. And what are the first two things we are told about her? She is: 1. “a monk’s mother” (defined by a male relative – though it’s a bit rough on him too, under the circumstances), and 2. she is 80 years old (defined by her age).
What was that about a time warp? This is 2010, not 1910! And while we’re on the subject, how about another day when women who find spirituality important in their lives but have long ago given up on the Catholic Church can go back in a show of numbers? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Tony Corcoran and Michael O’Mara’s dismissal (August 12th) of Jennifer Sleeman’s call for a nationwide boycott of Mass on Sunday, September 26th (Front page, August 11th) says it all, the all-male hierarchy will not easily give up its power.
Mr Corcoran’s intimation that women should be rejoicing at the appointment of women parish pastoral workers is particularly insulting. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I would like to congratulate Jennifer Sleeman and support her boycott of Sunday Mass on September 26th.
She has articulated very well the feelings of many Catholic women of Ireland who feel excluded by the Vatican and the Irish church.
Well done! – Yours, etc,