Madam, - My friend Stephen Neill takes exception (April 19th) to the Pope's declaration on the reception of what passes for the Holy Eucharist in non-Catholic churches.
It must be realised that His Holiness is just reiterating the stand of the Church down through the ages. One thing that can be said for Church to which the majority of Irish people belong is that it is consistent where matters of doctrine and discipline are concerned.
This is a lot better than a church which an Anglican friend of mine described to me recently, where the Minister stands up on the pulpit before a congregation in which everyone has his or her own interpretation of the Scriptures, faith and morals, to none of which the Minister himself subscribes.
In extending Christian charity would Mr Neill offer Communion to members of the Muslim, Confucian, Hindu or Jewish faiths? - Yours, etc.,
BRIAN P. Ó CINNÉIDE,
Durban,
South Africa.
****
Madam, - It was sad to see the evident sarcasm in the Rev Stephen Neill's letter. Surely, for the Christian Churches to, as he wrote, "extend the gospel of love and reconciliation" to each other it is important to approach the matter with humility and also with some understanding of what is involved - both of which were sadly absent from his letter.
Unlike him, I am not a clergyman, but I certainly recognise the profound - and so far insurmountable - differences between the Reformed Churches and the Roman Catholic Church in the matter of the sacrament of the Eucharist.- Yours, etc.,
EOIN NEESON,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
****
Madam, - After hearing last Thursday's news about about the Pope's encyclical on the Eucharist, it was very heartening indeed to read Rev Stephen Neill's short and so very true remarks in his letter to your paper. Thanks! - Yours, etc.,
KAREN HIGGINS,
Mallow,
Co Cork.
****
Madam, -I am a Roman Catholic and most of my life have been friends with and part of a Church Of Ireland family. Recently I attended Divine Service with them, received Communion and sang in their choir.
Didn't the Lord say: "When two or three are gathered in My name, behold I am with them"? Well, I'm sure He was there that Sunday morning - and why should I not have taken part in his Communion? - Yours, etc.,
CHRIS MURPHY,
Garadice,
Kilcock,
Co Kildare.