Leaders of Catholic Church should think before they speak
■ I returned to Ireland last October having spent over 20 years overseas in the US and Africa. Good to be home, I thought...
Well, yes, the economy is recovering nicely and advances have been made in aspects of equality.
However, against that, how can successive governments expect to remain in power when sufficient homes and basic timely health -care procedures – which are fundamental constitutional rights – can not be provided. Age-old issues are supposed to be solved, not continually band-aided and kicked down the road.
Any government must get the basics like the provision of homes and healthcare permanently correct. Governments love changing constitutions for the better, but what about implementing existing constitutional laws on housing and healthcare with a view to a permanent and enduring solutions?
Furthermore, being a Catholic and daily communicant, I am flabbergasted at the continuing discrimination against women by the Catholic Church. The world changes all the time but the Catholic Church stands still? We are all born equal. Full stop.
The Repeal side won the abortion referendum and, instead of trying to bring the two sides together, some bishops are further polarising an already decimated Catholic population.
Many, many countries allow women to perform communion services, which I have attended and given. This is a reality which the Catholic hierarchy in Ireland seemingly refuses to accept.
The leaders of the Catholic Church in Ireland need to think before they speak, and listen before continually defending the indefensible. There are priests on the ground who do not agree with their leaders but they are very loyal to the parish es which are( and if not, should be) run by the people. People run the Church.
Bishops and archbishops need to ask themselves before they pontificate, what would the Lord do? It looks like we need to be shocked, and shocked further, before much-needed real and permanent solutions are achieved for these important issues. Michael Deegan Co Waterford