Madam, – While we must respect Jennifer Sleeman’s reasons for calling for a Mass boycott, I must question her understanding of “church”. The Catholic Church is our “family” and just as we would never consider boycotting our family, it is just as unbelievable to consider boycotting the central tenet of our faith – the Mass. To those of us who disagree with the boycott, I would suggest that on the weekend of September 25th-26th we attend a Saturday Vigil Mass and a Sunday morning Mass, not necessarily in opposition to Ms Sleeman’s reasons, but to compensate for the absentees, if any. Change can only come about from the inside. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – It was with a sense of relief and gratitude that I read Joe Mulvaney’s eloquent rebuttal (September 1st) of Cyril Daly’s caustic attack on Jennifer Sleeman’s call for a one-day boycott of Mass on September 26th next.
It appears there are loosely speaking three groups reacting to her proposal: 1. Committed supporters, 2. Those who support the objective yet are unable to countenance a boycott (ie they are willing to withold funds or voluntary work from the church) and 3. Those who are gravely offended by the proposal.
As I understand the situation, Ms Sleeman has been blessed with the courage to make her rallying call to all of us “theological illiterates”, as we are now fondly known. It would be part of an overdue but unexpected dialogue if parishes were to offer congregations on the day the opportunity to sign books of support for the objectives of the action. Where will the new national priests’ group, stand on the boycott call? It is an early test of its future relevance, or in the eyes of Rome and the Irish hierarchy is it to be consigned to the irrelevance of the disenfranchised lay church? – Yours, etc,