Sir, - The recent and controversial leading article in the Church of Ireland Gazette referring to the private life of the Taoiseach has caused much hurt and embarrassment to me and to many people within the Church of Ireland and beyond it, notwithstanding the fact that the journal in question is not the authoritative voice of the Church of Ireland on any matter.
I have no problem with the Gazette or anybody else affirming traditional family values and I gladly defend their right to do so. However, I do have a problem when it takes the form of personal and public attacks on an individual who is living through what must be a difficult situation affecting not only himself but several others. That churches should deal with such situations sensitively and caringly was a key factor in the Church of Ireland decisions relating to the remarriage of a divorced person in church.
Another aspect of the leading article that requires comment is the condescending tone of its remarks about the Roman Catholic Church and its perceived "reticence" to defend public morality because of recent clerical scandals. I have not noticed such a reticence and I believe that the record would support that view. As for clerical scandals it is a simple fact that such things do not recognise denominational boundaries and I believe it is quite wrong even to appear to point the finger in situations which are for many people, lay and ordained, both hurtful and disturbing.
In its recent comments the Church of Ireland Gazette did not speak for me and it did not speak for the Church of Ireland nor serve it well. - Yours, etc., Gordon Linney,
Archdeacon of Dublin, Glenageary, Co. Dublin.