Sir, - As a Roman Catholic married to a member of the Church of Ireland, I write with a heavy heart after the latest pronouncement from the Catholic bishops on taking Holy Communion together.
The RC Church needs to be open and trusting with regard to inter-Communion with other Christians. It is thwarting the will and spirit of Christ by excluding faithful Christians from His table.
When I sit at Mass beside the good Christian to whom I am married, I cannot go to Communion as he is excluded and I cannot support that wrong. Behind the priest, Christ is undoubtedly smiling at us and holding out the Host - but the Church is thwarting Him.
And in the Anglican Church, I will gladly continue to go to Communion among the faithful and devout Christians there. If Jesus differentiates the quality of his presence between churches where a believing and loving people enjoy the Roman Apostolic succession, and churches where a believing and loving people do not enjoy that Roman succession, then He is still present in both Churches and I will accept crumbs in one and cake in the other if that is what He is offering. But I will not presume to know His mind as to in which Church I find the cake, and in which the crumbs. Does he really respond differently to the same love - on the sort of technicality in which we human pharisees are so wont to entrap ourselves?
My wish for the Roman Catholic Church for the Millennium is for an almighty spiritual alarm clock - but we had one 2,000 years ago! - Yours, etc., Maggie Blackley,
Gurrane, Fermoy, Co Cork.