Sir, - Nuala O'Faolain writes (Opinion, July 20th) that she was taught at school "outside the Church there is no redemption". This statement, entirely without nuance, puzzles me.
All of her generation were taught their Religious Knowledge from a work called Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine by Dr Michael Sheehan. On page 160 of Sheehan's Apologetics we read: "A man [sic] born of Protestant parents is baptised; lives all his life as a Protestant without having a grave doubt that he is wrong; makes before death an act of perfect contrition for grave sins committed or an act of perfect charity - such a man will be saved, for he dies in the state of grace."
In line with this teaching it is worth recalling that a distinguished American Jesuit, Fr Leonard Feeney, was actually excommunicated in 1949 for publicly insisting that only Catholics could be saved. The above does not square with Nuala O'Faolain's bald statement concerning the theology of her schooldays. - Yours, etc., (Fr) Tom Stack,
St Joseph's, Ramleh Park, Milltown, Dublin 6.