Madam, - Pope Benedict's recent statement on the relationship between the Catholic Church and the other Christian Churches has come in for a lot of criticism. He was misunderstood in what he said, but he left himself open to misunderstanding. Certainly, he in no way implied, as many of his critics seemed to think, that Catholics were better or holier or more certain of salvation than other Christians.
The various Christian denominations differ theologically and so each can point out where it considers others are lacking. In the Catholic view the other communions lack the papacy, others also lack the episcopacy. Nevertheless the Pope acknowledges that numerous elements of sanctification and truth exist in the Christian communities not in full communion with the Catholic Church. Indeed, as the Vatican Council put it: "All religions reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all".
David Adams is a journalist I have come to respect. Consequently I was amazed that he should imply in his column last Friday that Pope Benedict must believe that only Catholics will get to heaven. Five minutes' research would have told him that if that was the Pope's view he would be deemed heretical by the whole Catholic Church. - Yours, etc,
Rev JOHN O'CONNELL, Holy Redeemer, Herbert Road, Bray, Co Wicklow.