Madam, - I read with interest (The Irish Times, September 4th) that Enda McDonagh, professor of moral theology at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, is in favour of legalising same-sex unions.
He favours this on the grounds of justice, charity, freedom from discrimination; "the liberation of gay couples to contribute more freely and fully to the common good of church and society"; and "its redemptive and healing role in a society which in many ways is sexually sick".
He is also critical of what he terms the "offensive language" of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith on the issue.
Implicit in what Prof McDonagh says is that Church teaching on this issue is contrary to the principles he espouses. He suggests a "more sophisticated analysis" but, simply put, it seems to me that his arguments have a base in situation ethics, which ultimately sweeps aside objective analysis in favour of feelings and perceptions.
For my part I had always understood the nub of the issue for the Church to be one of objective sexual morality, by which justice, charity, the individual, the family, and the common good are best served. Historical and contemporary evidence of the failures to live this ideal, in all walks of life regardless of sexual orientation, serves to emphasise rather than negate the correctness of this teaching.
Prof McDonagh suggests that Church teaching is not redemptive or efficacious in this area.
Perhaps, as a priest and theologian of the Catholic Church, he would like to elucidate precisely the "redemptive" aspect of his teaching, how it will correct what he terms a sexually sick society, and how his teaching can be squared with Church teaching in the area of sexual morality. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN SKELLY, Diswellstown, Castleknock, Dublin 15.