Sir, - It is good to read that the Roman Catholic director of vocations for the Archdiocese of Dublin, Rev Kevin Doran (October 30th), supports "the aspirations of Irish nurses to have their professional status properly recognised and rewarded". But it would be even better to read that Father Doran supports the aspirations of women to have their vocations to the ordained ministries recognised.
Christ set women free. Yet 2,000 years later rules and regulations still hold them in chains in the Church. And our official leaders' hearts are still bound by the chains of prejudice and sexual discrimination.
Whose coming will we be celebrating this Christmas in this Jubilee year: the God, born of a woman, who sets captives free and has no favourites, or the god who makes men privileged and gives them power over women?
I will be celebrating the former, but unless there is a radical change I know that I will not be able to do so in my Church. - Yours, etc.,
Soline Vatinel, Spokesperson, BASIC, Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.