Madam, - What a pity that the Roman Catholic Church continues to exclude women from full participation as ordained ministers and denies them "access to positions of responsibility" which would allow them not only to "inspire" but to help determine the policies of the institution.
The "feminine characteristics" extolled by Dr Séan Brady in his article on the "letter" from Rome (Opinion, August 9th) are surely needed if the Church is to have an authentic dialogue with all its members. Was ever an organisation more in need of "dispositions such as listening, welcoming, humility, faithfulness, patience and perserverance"?
The sense of alienation and disempowerment that is experienced by many of the laity, women and men, is unlikely to diminish until the patriarchal, paternalistic behemoth that is the Roman Catholic Church takes its own advice and ends "all unjust sexual discrimination".
It will be the poorer for continuing to reject "the gift of the other". - Yours, etc.,
MÁIRE UÍ THÓIBÍN, Fearann Seoin, Luimneach.