Sir, – Patsy McGarry ("Just two Catholic priests in Dublin aged under 40, says Martin", Home News, June 4th) refers to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin's vision for the future of the Catholic Church in Dublin, with laypeople, deacons and religious led by fewer and fewer priests.
While the church still has a small number of mature men becoming seminarians, resolving the priest deficit crisis will require decisive action by church leaders sooner or later to allow suitable married men to be ordained. Whatever the merits and equality argument for women priests, there is no theological barrier to allowing married men to become priests. Cardinal Hume in England persuaded the Vatican to allow a number of married Anglican priests to become Catholic priests in the 1990s. – Yours, etc,
FRANK BROWNE,
Ballyroan Park,
Templeogue, Dublin 16.