Unfair criticism of Kevin McNamara

A young girl's gentle rebuke (October 24) of Kevin McNamara presented the point of view of Lourdes or the innocent and unsophisticated which, if she reads his article of October 17 carefully, she will find he recognised hut could not share.
The attack by another reader on a most devoted, humble and charitable Christian who is also a prominent politician is, however, most distressing.
Kevin is an elected Member of Parliament and it is precisely because of his responsible position that he feels impelled to put forward his point of view on any subject which concerns not only himself but all or many others.
Norman St. John-Stevas does likewise. Both are MPs. profess a political creed. and are Catholics. They have not only a right but also a duty to speak out. It would be a sorry thing for our country if our professional politicians were qualified to speak only about party politics and government.
It may be thought that Lourdes is not a fit subject for a politician. Not so. As profiteering is to the Socialist anathema, so should the blatant commercialisation of holy places be to the Christian.
Kevin McNamara, like myself and many others, is a committed Christian and a Socialist, The affrout to the spirit is twofold. Like Kevin, I would have found great spiritual uplift at Rocamadour but little or none in Lourdes. It is well to remember what Our Lord did and said to the moneylenders in the Temple.
Clare Hourihane IA Dingle Road, Bournemouth, Hants.