Madam, - Michelle McDonagh (February 23rd) explains how, as a result of grassroots meetings between lay parishioners of two churches in Galway, the facilities of a Protestant church were offered to the parishioners of a Catholic church, during a period of renovations to that church. The offer was approved by the Church of Ireland Bishop of Tuam, and indeed there was a further offer to reschedule the Protestant Sunday services to facilitate the Catholic parishioners.
The headline to this article reads "Bishop gives permission to use C of I facility in Galway". Rather amazingly this does not relate to the Protestant bishop but rather to the Catholic bishop giving permission to his parishioners to celebrate Masses in the Protestant church! Is this really an appropriate headline for such an act of generosity?
Maybe, in the not too distant future, the GAA might allow Croke Park to be used for rugby and soccer while Lansdowne Road is being redeveloped. I'm sure the vast majority of the taxpayers of this country, who have provided almost half of the funding for the re-development of Croke Park would be in favour of this. If it were to happen, is it likely the headline in your paper would read, "FAI and IRFU give permission for Irish soccer and rugby teams to use Croke Park"?
I somehow doubt it. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID A. LUKE, Sydney Parade Avenue, Dublin 4.