‘New vision’ is out of focus

■ In Saturday’s attack on the Catholic Church (‘Defending the indefensible? Why the Catholic Church wants no talk of women’s ordination’, Irish Independent, June 30), Sarah Mac Donald claims that “survey after survey”, which she fails to reference, shows a support for women priests among Irish Catholics.

Which Catholics is she referring to? The 20pc of faithful Catholics who continue to practise their faith regardless of the continued attack on it by the State?

Or the 82pc of the country’s population who in the last census claimed their religion to be “Catholic” yet overwhelmingly voted against Catholic teaching in the last two referendums?

Only if you are part of our Church should you have a right to comment on such topics.

Ms Mac Donald should know this and if indeed you are part of our Church then you will know its teaching and why it is.

So, Ms Mac Donald, where are all the women at the moment lining up to help the local priest with his duties of preparing the young people for the sacraments like marriage, first holy communion and confirmation?

Where are all the young women showing up for a vocations weekend to the many religious sisters’ orders and nuns’ convents?

Where are all the female students undertaking Catholic catechist studies in order to help their parish grow in the knowledge and teaching of the Catholic faith?

Because surely all these masses of women, so eager to aid the Church, would make wonderful potential female priests in your new vision.

Ciaran Quinn Castlebar, Co Mayo