I wrote to this paper (October 11) and vaguely sensed even then that a further letter might also be required. And lo it has come to pass – once more I am responding to that irrepressible defender of the faith, JDP McAllion.
He says (October 27) that my objection to the term ‘ecclesial communities’ amounts to problems not with him but with the Holy See and the document Dominus Jesus (2000). I have no problem with the term. I know the document. It was written by one Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) and caused great controversy when first published. It was widely criticised both inside and outside the Church for being unsympathetic toward other Christian denominations and other faiths. One critic was Bishop (now cardinal) Walter Kasper, a man held in high esteem by Pope Francis.
Actually I was more concerned with Mr McAllion’s sneering reference to the “so-called ‘reformation’”. Why so-called? It is the Reformation. And why should an historical event that happened almost 500 years ago provoke such anger?
Worse still, though, was his insistence on Catholic supremacy over the worship of other Christians and his mention of Eucharistic miracles to bolster his case.
Honestly, to treat faith communities as if they were competing teams in a Champions League, and miracles as goals scored for the Catholic side, is unbelievably crass.
His most recent tirade against the Reformation, sorry, ‘reformation’ (he begrudges the capital letter) is outrageous. He rants against “Luther and others with their hostility to the Petrine office... and their galling presumption to decide what should be in the Canon of Scripture.” The resentment is palpable. One would almost think that Mr McAllion had been present at the proceedings and was still smarting over events that did not go his way.
Of course he fails completely to address the inconvenient truth that the Catholic Church of the time was hardly a powerhouse of spiritual health and therefore partly responsible for the events that unfolded. He merely reiterates that Catholic worship is more pleasing to God than the Lutheran kind. How anyone can be so sure about something as mysterious as faith is beyond me.
The Spanish philosopher Miguel de Unamuno wrote: ‘A faith that does not doubt is a dead faith.’
What Mr McAllion presents is dead certainty and therefore dead faith.
I am sure he means well but I’m equally sure he does more harm than good to the Church he would no doubt claim to love. He often comes across as a belligerent fundamentalist.
The theologian Fr Gabriel Daly has this to say about Catholic fundamentalists: ‘They bluster and bully and set themselves up as guardians of orthodoxy. The gospel faces us with the difficult task of loving them – while standing up
to them.’
The words of this priest explain both the way I see JDP McAllion and my reason for writing this letter.
MARTIN J McGUINNESS
Coalisland, Co Tyrone
Like Nuala McCann I’m still unsure about clowns
Nuala McCann’s phobia on clowns (October 15) struck a chord with me. I share her experiences, being a child in the 1960s, when there was a famous clown called Coco. Word reached our school, (Holy Child Primary), that Coco was going to visit us, the excitement verging on hysteria. Coco emerged from the crowd in a blue Rover car, popping out through the sunroof waving. Despite the rising cheers something wasn’t right. We have a grey Rover. I looked closer, stomach lurching, the painted smile, tartan trousers, my breathing almost stopped.
“That’s my daddy’s car,” I shouted.
Coco the clown has stolen my daddy’s car. I was quite emotional, as I knew first hand how busy daddy was, as a local GP. He would get called out at night, return hours later for a cup of coffee before morning surgery. I glared at this monster.
I ranted on trying to convert my friends to the gangster in their midst, but to no avail. I tugged at the teacher to alert Miss O’Connor our headmistress, but her failure to act further added to my sense of outrage. I stood with gritted teeth, hands on hips, muttering to myself while Coco enjoyed mass adoration.
I pictured the disappointment on daddy’s face at the loss of his essential and much-loved car. Here goes, time to spill the beans on the thief.
To my utmost disgust they all fell about laughing, yes laughing. It turned out that Coco couldn’t drive his tiny car with clown shoes on and as an early day Pope-mobile my daddy’s car was perfect to reach the multitude of followers. Daddy was more than happy to use Coco’s car for his house calls and being a true gentleman Coco cleaned daddy’s car till it shone.
So it’s time to clear Coco’s name but like Nuala – I’m still unsure about them.
MARGARET McLAUGHLIN
Dunmurry, Co Antrim
Key issues in Asher case not addressed
It is amazing that The Irish News editorial ‘Mediation best for Ashers case’ (October 27) failed to identify the key issues arising from the judgment in the ‘gay cake case’ at Belfast Court of Appeal.
These are around freedom of conscience and/or freedom of expression as variously articulated by a host of more informed commentators including such diverse voices as Peter Tatchell, the LGBT campaigner, Fionola Meredith in The Irish Times, a Guardian editorial and Michael Kelly in The Irish Catholic.
Having had three days to think about it The Irish News strangely failed to address the consequences of this judgment and seemed to throw up its hands and accept that the law can never be changed.
Pinching an old idea from Councillor Andrew Muir it suggests that mediation might have prevented this case from coming to court.
However, it fails to explain how mediation would have prevented Ashers from being compelled by an unjust law to write a message that conflicted with their conscience.
MARTIN O'BRIEN
Belfast BT9
Human right to life
Relating to its campaign to introduce state sponsored abortion, Dr Anne McCloskey (October 31) rightly questions Amnesty International’s courage to forego headlines, to understand real issues, and to protect all humans.
Official 2015 statistics for England and Wales give an annual total of135,655 abortions performed in NHS funded hospitals.
Recently three bus loads, totalling about 100 migrant children arrived in the UK from the Jungle Camp in Calais. Contrast this with the facts that on an ongoing daily basis the equivalent of 11 bus loads of babies in their mothers’ wombs are being deliberated terminated. Compare Amnesty’s comparative silence on the human rights of migrant children, with its current clamour against the human right to life of the unborn.
BRIAN ROONEY
Downpatrick, Co Down
Beware of Irish miles
Eamon Quinn, business editor of the Irish Examiner (November 1), makes the sweeping claim that the Republic is “miles ahead” when it comes to attracting foreign investment. He gives no reasons so it is more like a politician’s claim than the analysis of a journalist. There are three reasons in support of the Republic: (1) the advantage of a lower corporation tax which may soon disappear; (2) well educated young people and (3) an unemployment rate 50 per cent higher than in Northern Ireland. However, the Republic also has disadvantages: (1) energy costs; (2) labour costs which are almost the highest in the EU; (3) standard rate of VAT is higher in the Republic; (4) high property prices and (5) worst of all the concern that exports from the Republic to its main market – the UK - are likely to suffer following Brexit. That is why NI has been successful in attracting foreign investment and why there is more in the UK than in the entire other EU countries.
Beware of Irish miles.
LORD KILCLOONEY
Mullinure, Co Armagh
