Madam, - E. O Raghallaigh (August 27th), writing about the Magdalene graves at High Park convent, castigates Fiona O'Malley, TD, for a "rush to judgment" on the Catholic Church. Some of our politicians and media are referred to as being "perched precariously on the high moral ground".
Given that the Catholic Church never hesitates to occupy that position itself, this belated appeal for dispassion on its behalf would be amusing, were it not so ironic.
Moreover, by way of justification for this reprimand, Mr O Raghallaigh recalls the "vast social welfare network" developed under Catholic control and created "long before State involvement" and with "pitiful State aid".
While no reasonable person would dispute the right of any of our churches to fund or provide social services in a responsible manner, this does not justify the fact that the Catholic Church took that role one step too far and presumed actually to exclude our State altogether from the direct provision of important social services or, at the very least, dictate its terms of access to them. Does anyone remember the reaction of that Church and its vested interests to the State's own modest proposals for the now infamous Mother and Child Scheme? Then again, our sovereign Republic and its elected representatives knew their place in those days.
Nevertheless, E O Raghallaigh would now also have us accept the political scandals of this country in recent times as some sort of misguided excuse for the Catholic Church. Quite apart from the extent of the denial that this displays on the part of some, what they also fail to appreciate is that the politicians of this country, whether good or bad, are ultimately subject to our laws, to our Constitution and to our democratic process of election. To whom are the upper echelons of the Vatican State accountable?
Whatever the theological answer, the Church is still accountable only grudgingly, in the first instance, to the democratic will and institutions of the Irish people who deserve and expect so much more. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN EARDLY, BL, Law Library, Four Courts, Dublin 7.