Madam, - John Rochfort (March 14th) criticises the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, for calling on all parties not to make sectarian statements.
Mr Rochfort makes, as his main argument, the point that the screening of the Angelus every day on RTÉ television is sectarian in nature.
This is, to put it mildly, completely missing the point. The Angelus acts as a moment of reverence to God in daily life.
Mr Rochfort is accurate and correct in his assertion that it concentrates on the immaculate conception.
However, his decision to criticise the screening is exactly the type of thing which causes sectarian difficulties.
Does Mr Rochfort have a remote control? If so, I suggest he use it.
The Angelus is not the answer to our social problems, but intolerance of such short, basic and inoffensive symbols of faith is overly dramatic and is magnifying the proverbial molehill. - Yours, etc,
TOMMY CANAVAN, Breaffy, Castlebar, Co Mayo.
Madam, - Today I spotted the first "anti-Angelus on RTÉ" letter of the year. Is this a record? - Yours, etc,
SÉAMUS O'REILLY, Shankill, Co Dublin.