The Rosary from the heart: the key to ending violence
Dear Editor, The apparitions of Our Lady of Cuapa, Nicaragua in 1980 were fully approved by the local bishop in 1982. Our Lady appeared to a simple, poor, not very well educated 49 year old man called Bernardo Martinez. He served as a sacristan in his local church. He was never paid for his work.
Our Lady appeared five times to Bernardo, once a month from May 1980 to October 1980. In May, on his way home from fishing, she first appeared to him. She said, “I come from heaven. I am the mother of Jesus.”
She said she wanted people to pray the Rosary everyday. She said, if people do not change, they will hasten the arrival of a Third World War. This was the same warning at Fatima, when Our Lady said if you don’t change (this was during the First World War) a second great war is going to happen. And it did.
Now she is saying the exact same thing. Our Lady said the answer to avoid a Third World War is the Rosary. Prayed well, and from the heart.
Bernardo eventually became a priest. He was ordained at the age of 64. He died 5 years later, in 2000.
The talk shop on synodality that’s been going on for the past 7 years is just a distraction. The bishops throughout the world should be encouraging their people to pray the Rosary, everyday. They should lead by public example, for a start.
Yours etc,
Declan Condren
Dublin 7
The discussion on priesthood through a more relevant lens
Dear Editor, Your front page heading from Mary McAleese’s podcast to her Belfast School during Catholic Schools Week was surprising (January 29 issue).
A more relevant focus on the priesthood for young people in education during Catholic Schools Week would be to highlight the following:
As Catholics we follow Jesus Christ, our High Priest, his life and teaching. Jesus was a man. For us every priest is another Christ (St John Paul II, May 7 1982, address to priests). A female Patron of Europe and Doctor of the Church, Catherine of Sienna in The Dialogue makes the plea “do not touch my Christs…Christ’s ministers”.
Women are gifted with motherhood and are also open–as Mary McAleese well knows–to fulfilment in any field they choose: civic, cultural, political etc. where their contribution is both necessary and valuable.
Genesis 1:26-27 tells us we are made in the image and likeness of God. Deeper insights and going back to this source can help untie the knots present day questions raise – trying to steer us away from God’s creative plan for each man and woman.
I met the former President Mary McAleese a few times and was aware of her admirable attitudes and leadership in society. The change in perspective your headlines show is a pity.
Yours etc,
Antoinette Nolan
Terenure, Dublin 6W
Teaching on the Holocaust is necessary and vital
Dear Editor, I agree with Renata Steffens’ article calling for teaching about the Holocaust in Irish schools (IC January 29) and believe that the late Pope Francis and the current Pope Leo would also be in favour of this.
I suggest a petition to the Minister of Education in this regard. I and many others would sign this petition.
Yours etc,
Andrew Kieran
Emmaus Greenwich, London
These Sacred Vows is an ‘offensive’ attack on the Church
Dear Editor, RTÉ reached an all time low on the feast day of St Brigid by serving up a nasty, stomach churning attack on the Catholic Church and priesthood in the opening scenes of These Sacred Vows aired on February 1. It was offensive and twisted in the extreme and I switched it off after twenty minutes. Sneering, innuendo, sarcasm, bullying and belittling of the priest was downright despicable. Evil influences were certainly at work in the writing of that script. We as a nation surely deserve better than this.
Yours etc,
Maeve McCarthy
Lucan, Co. Dublin
An enemy in the camp
Dear Editor, I endorse Fr John McCallion’s prayer for Mary McAleese; “God help her”; and it reminds me of a story I was told at a wake some years ago. Someone said to the late Fr Dennis Faul when she was elected: “Isn’t it great to have a Catholic in the Áras?” His answer: “an enemy in the camp!” How did he know what the rest of us didn’t?
It would be a lot less hypocritical if Mrs McAleese left the Church with which she is so dissatisfied and entered one of the many alternatives which may suit her views. The only difficulty for her is that these churches are losing members much quicker than the Catholic Church. On the other hand of course, she could set up her own. What an idea!
Yours etc,
Mary Stewart
Ardeskin, Co. Donegal
Leaving Mass early
Dear Editor, I read with interest the piece by D.D. Emmons on why we shouldn’t leave Mass early. I remember, in my younger pre Vatican II days, that if we were present from the Offertory to Communion time, we were deemed to have fulfilled our obligation to ‘hear’ Mass. So not only leaving early, but also arriving late!
On a lighter note, I recall a recent visit to St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh. A group of us were given a guided tour of the Cathedral and our guide drew our attention to a stained glass window depicting the Last Supper. We could see Jesus and the Apostles seated around the table, but she pointed out the top left corner where Judas could be seen slipping out the door. She suggested that this was one of the earliest examples of someone leaving Mass early! Another puzzle for D.D. Emmons?
Yours etc,
Paddy Shannon
Newcastle, Co. Down
Halal meat in Catholic school meals
Dear Editor, I am writing as a Catholic parent to raise a concern that I feel should be of interest to the Catholic community. Recently, I discovered that some meals provided through the Hot School Meals Programme in Catholic schools include halal-certified meat. Crucially, parents are not informed that this is the case.
As someone who chose a Catholic school for my child because of its faith-based ethos, I feel that my parental choice has been taken away. I was not given the option to decide whether my child should be served halal-certified meat, and I do not agree with this being imposed without transparency. Many Catholic families may feel the same, yet there appears to be no guidance from Church authorities or school boards on this matter.
While I respect the need to accommodate diverse dietary requirements, this situation raises a fundamental question for the Catholic community: how can parents exercise informed choice in Catholic schools if critical decisions about what children eat are made without their knowledge or consent?
I am sharing this out of concern for fellow Catholic parents. We should be able to make decisions in line with our faith, and our children’s school meals should not conflict with the ethos we choose for them. I would welcome The Irish Catholic bringing attention to this issue so that transparency is ensured and parents can make informed choices.
Yours etc,
Jennifer Walsh
Carrigaline, Co. Cork
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A new round in the war against religious symbols in public places
No, it’s a government place. Unless the building is a former church or something, no. If not–it’s a place meant to represent all–either have all symbols in that case or none. – Paul Turnbull
Why should an atheist minority be allowed to dictate? – Gerry Donnelly
Our crowd in the Dáil will fall over each other enforcing it. – Sean Mac Seafraidh
Mary McAleese tells Catholic school girls some Church teaching ‘rancid’ and Pope a ‘stopgap’
Nice lady, Mary, but that is purely a personal view from her. I, and I believe most Catholics, prefer to listen and respect the views of our Pope, already a man playing a significant role in the proper world leadership on how we all should live and act in our day to day lives. – Dick Brazil
Mrs McAleese is entitled to her views, but surely given these opinions and accompanied by her earlier sentiments on infant Baptism, it is now time for her to actually decide that she is no longer Catholic. If it’s that bad then please feel free to leave… – Shane Higgins
Mrs McAleese…it’s beyond time for you to step away from the Roman Catholic Church, perhaps the Anglican Church would be a better fit for you. The Catholic Church is not going to change its teachings in line with your perceived changes and surely you as a canon lawyer know that? – Mary Fallon
It’s a weekly attack now from a woman who has no other way of getting into the media. – Noel Wilson
Beware the single voice. It has no constituency. Empty vessels make the most noise. – Stephen Cummins
Why we shouldn’t leave Mass early
I heard a joke about how Judas was the first person to leave Mass early. Don’t be like Judas by not leaving Mass early. I’ve seen it in my local church whenever it comes to the collection after Holy Communion there are less people in the church than there were during the Offertory collection. – Fearghal O’Muineachain
I haven’t seen that happen here in the UK. Years ago in Tullamore it was widespread, am thinking 50 years ago. You also had men, mainly who would stand outside during Mass and walk away before it was over. – Declan McSweeney
In my pre-Vatican life we attended Mass once we were there before the first Gospel. Some people left before the Last Gospel and the Prayer for Conversion of Russia! So much ritual back then. – Alan Whelan
