Madam, - Having stopped going to Mass many years ago I have been reluctant to comment on religious matters, as I respect the right of others to exercise their religion and to express those beliefs, even if they are a little odd.
However, the campaign by fundamentalist evangelists and the Vatican City State to impose their brand of religion on the people of Europe by insisting on an exclusive reference to God and Christianity in the Constitution of the European Union and the unfortunate edict issued by the Vatican City State on Thursday are steps too far.
The edict clearly states that a Catholic politician must vote against any legislation that is in favour of homosexual unions. The Vatican City State is a sovereign, independent state, yet it believes that it has the God-given right to order around the democratically elected leaders of other sovereign independent states.
How dare this pathetic excuse of a state, a relic of the Dark Ages and Europe's last autocratic dictatorship, continue to treat this country like a feudal vassal? The days of the 1950s and the regressive rule of the likes of de Valera and McQuaid are over and they are never coming back.
Imagine if Queen Elizabeth II issued such an order to Irish Anglican politicians? What would be the reaction? There would be howls of outrage at the idea that a foreign monarch would try and boss our politicians around. This edict from the Vatican City State is no different, it is a gross interference in our political process by a foreign power that cannot be tolerated.
In a modern Western democracy, a politician must listen to and obey the democratic will of the people.
Any Irish politician who obeys the senile whims of a foreign despot should have his loyalty to the Irish people seriously questioned, and his suitability for office reassessed.
This diktat is final proof that the brave and courageous decision by the Convention on the Future of Europe to face down intolerance, bigotry, discrimination and hatred by refusing to put any reference to God and Christianity into the Constitution of the European Union was the right one.
The Vatican City State ought to be firmly reminded by the Irish government that the Irish people live in a democracy and not a theocracy. Our Constitution, which is the ultimate law of this country, clearly and unambiguously states that all power derives from the people and that is the people which decide all matters of national policy.
Any Irish politician or political party who forgets that and tries to make excuses for this subversion of our hard-won democracy and sovereignty can kiss my vote goodbye, forever. - Yours etc.,
JASON FITZHARRIS, Oak Park Avenue, Carlow.