Sir, - The irrepressible Bishop Desmond Tutu said of South Africa: "We are a scintillating success waiting to happen." Nelson Mandela warned against "exaggerated expectations" but nevertheless he claims to be "strong and full of hope because I can see our dreams emerging". Wonderful, positive expectations.
Would that there were men in Ireland who could speak in such terms of our emerging nation.
Instead, heading towards the millennium, we are building our version of the Golden Calf. We call it the Celtic Tiger. It seems to be the intention of many of our leaders, in the name of liberality, secularism and consumerism, to break the Christian spirit of our people.
They are succeeding. We are following trends of materialism and indiscipline. Over-indulged, self-centred children are unable to accept any deprivation. Others are bitter and hungry. Drug and alcohol excesses, violence, broken relationships, deceit, greed and graft in high places are emerging nightmares.
We may well succeed in having our version of the Golden Calf dominate our scene by the turn of the century. But already visible are its feet of clay. It will tumble; and in its shadow people will be crushed. We are a tragic collapse waiting to happen. Is this our Easter vision? Or is our moral spirit still sufficiently alive to reverse these sickening trends? - Yours, etc.,
Angela Mac Namara
Eden Road, Greystones.