Sir, - I salute the three Jesuits who fulfilled their prophetic role by their condemnation of abortion in all circumstances (December 5th). However I would have prepared a more charitable tone - New Testament rather than Old.
Abortion is a complex issue; how to handle it in a pluralistic society even more so. People of good will trying to grapple with these issues deserve our respect. In place of the present widespread aggression let us have prayerful reflection and tolerant debate on all the arguments.
I become uneasy when people argue in absolute terms. We are human and can err in our understanding of the truth. This is particularly so when we are intent on imposing our views on others. In these circumstances we run the risk of reducing a general truth to a rigid, invariable rule. We need to bear in mind Christ's admoniton that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. - Yours, etc., Brendan Burke,
Millview Lawns,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.