Madam, - There are two kinds of loyalty to an institution.
The first is loyalty to the personnel and structures of an institution, which, if excessive, leads to cold-heartedness and other evils, justifying the statement that institutionalism is the worst sin. It also prevents problems being met both efficiently and effectively.
The second type of loyalty is that to the purposes and spirit of an institution, which should be the more important one, though this too needs balance, because it too can result in intemperate, poorly controlled and destructive action. But it is seldom, if ever, as destructive as that brought about by excessive loyalty to institutional structure, and the personnel belonging to same.
It is my opinion that too much loyalty to the structures of the Roman Catholic Church lies behind many of the present and past troubles, and indeed behind the serious evils which it has condoned or engaged in over time, practises clearly at variance with its basic purpose, spirit and teaching.
This is because the governing structure of our Church is too closed - even more closed that that of the Kremlin in the old USSR.
Basically, the Cardinals elect the Pope, and the Pope selects the Cardinals. I cannot see any hope of real change in our church until this system is changed, and a more open one put in place.
I recommend that all Roman Catholics, but especially those in positions of leadership and authority - our priests, bishops and cardinals and the Pope, most of all our Irish ones - consider how to open up our ruling body.
I could be wrong on this, but from my understanding there is no reason why lay people should not be cardinals. So as an interim measure I suggest that half the College of Cardinals be lay people, and that at least half of these be female.
Furthermore, I propose that another section of the College of Cardinals be appointed from amongst the nuns of the world who have made, and continue to make, such great contributions to our religion and to mankind.
Both lay and nun members of the College of Cardinals should come from all over the world, and should eventually be elected by the total church population in each area.
I would also recommend that eventually the majority of all cardinals, if not all, have to face election at 10-year intervals, so that the college is to some extent answerable to the entire Church body, which after all is the Body of Christ and therefore just as likely to be inspired by God as is our spiritual leader the Pope. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID F. DUNNE, Bodalmore, Castlejane, Glanmire, Cork.