Catholic Church – a pivotal moment

Sir, – Your editorial on the synodal process that took place in Ireland highlights the need and yearning for change in the church in Ireland (“The Irish Times view on the Catholic Church in Ireland: an existential challenge”, August 17th).

If history has taught us anything, when we look at the response to Vatican II and the retrenchment to outdated power structures and disengagement from the voices for modernisation and reform, it would be naive to expect that this time round the wishes of the people will be taken on board and profound changes will be implemented in the church at all levels.

In response to your observation, almost 60 years since Vatican II began, we still see the conservative nature of the power structures in Rome and the glacial pace at which reform takes place, the survival of the church in Ireland is not an “open question”; it is doomed to obscurity with little or no relevance or role in the lives of the vast majority of the people in Ireland. – Yours, etc,

DÁITHÍ Ó hAODHA,

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Cork.

A chara, – The refusal by some, including clergy, to accept the need for change in the church is a refusal to believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to make all things new. It is a stubborn refusal to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide the community of faith into a new way of being church in the world today witnessing to truth, equality and justice. Those who oppose change for the spurious reason that this is the way it was always done are putting their heads in the sand. They are living in darkness. Sad people! – Yours, etc,

Fr JOE McVEIGH,

Enniskillen,

Co Fermanagh.

Sir, – Bishop Michael Router has stated that the Catholic Church’s response to the Irish consultation document sent to Rome will be a slow process (“Consultation document will not lead to ‘overnight change’, says bishop”, News, August 18th).

The article on the bishop’s response goes on to say, “It is ‘very clear’, he said, that respondents want women to have a greater role within the church.” Surely in the year 2022 we should be asking, why not an equal role for women in the church? –Yours, etc,

KEVIN McLOUGHLIN,

Ballina,

Co Mayo.