Sir, – I am a fully paid-up active member of the Catholic Church and I completely and utterly object to any church assets being freely distributed to other educators. John Coolahan, chairman of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector is reported (Home News, June 23rd) as suggesting there needs to be a degree of flexibility and goodwill from the church on issues such as finance and transfer of school properties. I laugh at his naivety!
That is not how the world works. If the situation was in reverse, where another grouping was asked to give similar assets to the Catholic Church, I can already hear the hysteria it would create and the objections it would raise.
For historical reasons, the Catholic Church provided some assets required to establish a primary education system. It was and continues to be able to support the system as a result of our support, and that of our ancestors. It is now our reward to have this education system in place for our children.
Incredibly we are being asked to give it away! Others who wish to establish schools with their own patronage should do so, but they need to help themselves, as we did in the past. Please do not expect the Catholic Church to help set up anything other than Catholic schools, just as other groupings will, I assume, only be expected to establish schools with their ethos.
I am tired of the Catholic Church being asked to “be flexible”, “step back” or “give up”. It is time we Catholics became inflexible, stood up and were counted. We are Catholics and we have rights too! – Yours, etc,