Sir, – As long as the gap between the formation for priesthood and the realities of the modern world continues to increase, the greater the likelihood that the church will be dismissed as an anachronism, and that the unchanging deep spiritual and human truths that it preaches are likely to be dismissed as well. – Yours, etc,
VICKY COSSTICK,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – Colm Fitzpatrick (August 10th) writes that "all Catholics are called to be chaste". By whom? I am not aware that Jesus made any such requirement of his followers.
Mr Fitzpatrick adds that “sexual activity should be confined to validly married heterosexual couples where the act of sexual intercourse is open to new life”. Again, where does this “should” come from? While supporting the only visible intimate relationships at the time, (Judaism being intensely homophobic), Jesus did not place any gender restrictions on human love.
Most amazingly, Mr Fitzpatrick continues with “Pope John Paul developed a very attractive theology of the body around it” (heterosexual intercourse in marriage). But for whom is this theology “very attractive”?
Clearly a number of theological students in Maynooth, not to mention a majority of the Irish population who voted in the marriage equality referendum, do not accept this exclusive theology of the human body as being “very attractive” to all.
We must be grateful to those Maynooth seminarians for their courage to be Christian before they are Catholic. – Yours, etc,
DECLAN KELLY,
Dingle, Co Kerry.