Catholic outlook

Michael Kelly (Perspective, 21 November) should know better than to say women priests could be on the agenda of the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul II said the Church does not have the authority to ordain women. Married priests are another matter altogether, and there are already married priests in the Church.

As for Hugh MacKenzie (Letters, 23 November), whether or not 75 per cent of Catholics approve of same-sex marriage (which I very much doubt), truth does not depend on the result of a public opinion poll. If whales were asked if they were fish or mammals, and 75 per cent thought that they were fish, would that make them so?

Regarding the comment made about being “unable to get enough candidates to train for the priesthood and that good folk are deserting a Church which seems to be living in the Middle Ages”, that may be true here or there, but there are more priests and more Catholics now than there have ever been.

COLIN McALLISTER

South Street

St Andrews, Fife