Madam, - The Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Seán Brady, speaking of the "emptiness' in the "new" Ireland (August 23rd) is correct on the disease but wrong on the cure.
There are scores of different philosophies and religions across the world which can help allay the "emptiness" Dr Brady describes.
The Irish school curriculum (hitherto dominated by the Catholic Church) provided for years a one-dish menu on the meaning of life to the Irish people.
As we all know, that menu offered a very restricted diet of belief in a Catholic God (not even a Christian God).
When the Catholic edifice collapsed in scandal the one dish on offer went sour. Any explanation of emptiness in Ireland must place this reality alongside that of "the land of stocks and shares" to quote Dr Brady.
The solution, Dr Brady, is not one dish again, reheated.
Instead it lies, for example, in introducing world philosophy as a subject on the secondary school curriculum (as in France) thus exposing young Irish people to the myriad ways to find meaning in this beautiful life, with or without God. - Yours, etc,
PATRICK HENNESSY, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Madam, - Archbishop Seán Brady berates the Irish people for "consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, tarot cards. . .".
The scientific evidence for any supernatural hypothesis from any of these pastimes is equivalent to the evidence for any of the large number of supernatural hypotheses proposed by various religions and faiths.
In all cases scientific evidence is categorically non-existent and "a leap of faith" is required.
Any supernatural dogma, be it someone disappearing from a tomb or messages from tarot cards, just seems irrational to people who are uncomfortable making the required leap of faith.
The words "glasshouses" and "stones" come to mind. - Yours, etc,
ALEX STAVELEY, Norseman Court, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7.