Sir, - Listening to media reports and comments on the recent pronouncement by the Roman Catholic Church on the Eucharist, a few points strike me.
1. The confusion of the meanings of "ecumenism" and "pluralism".
2. The inability and/or refusal of some (on both sides) to accept the difference between "transubstantiation" and "symbolism" in the water and wine of the Eucharist.
3. The predilection of so many Roman Catholics to want their Catholicism a la carte.
4. The inability of so many Roman Catholics to accept the discipline of Catholic teaching.
Since Vatican II the Church of Rome has gone more than halfway to accommodate the "separated brethren". Indeed, many Roman Catholics, like myself, might consider too far, remembering it was they who separated from us, not we from them.
Roman Catholics can't have it both ways, as many would wish. They are, of course, quite free to do as they like. But they must remember that the Roman Catholic Church was never, and never will be, a democracy. We can't have a foot in each camp and still call ourselves Roman Catholics.
In this, as in many other matters, it is stand-up-and-be-counted time. Faith is never easy. But to those who believe, no explanation is necessary; to those who do not believe, no explanation is possible. - Yours, etc., Bill Long,
Bellevue Avenue,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.