I would like to congratulate Fr Daniel O’Leary (“Set the rule book aside for once”, 6 June). It is heartening to find someone speaking up for us from within the institution, a cleric who is well qualified to critique clericalism. We laity, a significant number of whom are women, feel like the “anawim”, the people without a voice, who are bullied, put down and our needs ignored by those in power in the Church. We are indeed a remnant; many have left the Church in despair starting with “the Pill debacle”, but those of us who stayed want more. More understanding of the difficulties we face, especially in family life; more compassion, more sense of welcome and love from the Church, to feel valued not just tolerated if we are in somewhat “irregul