DEAR EDITOR: Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI quoted twice from the embattled Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus, in the same lecture at the University of Regensburg on September 12. We have read the first quotation reviewed everywhere.

In fairness to that unfortunate king, we should know what else he said, that the Holy Father also quoted: “God is not pleased by blood and not acting reasonably is contrary to God’s nature. Faith is born of the soul not the body.

Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death.”

The publicity sought by so many for his and her opinion and interpretation of the Holy Father’s intention was truly disappointing. At his General Audience of September 24, he gave his explanation, but no one has published it.
Elias Galy, Port of Spain

DEAR EDITOR: Perhaps the individuals commissioned to draft a new constitution for this twin island state of Trinidad and Tobago with its relatively small population of 1.3 million inhabitants, would do well to ponder on the following observations.

Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and  Earth, proclaimed ten simple commandments expressed in the simplest language that every human being could easily understand and follow and by which members of the human race could exist in peace and harmony with each other in a manner pleasing to God and man.

In this little insignificant spot of land however, it seems that we need a document consisting of some 130 pages written in legal jargon that is incomprehensible to the average man in the street, encroaches on his or her rights and freedoms and seeks to place absolute power in the hands of one individual who may not necessarily think or act in the best interest of the citizens of this country.

Before any such document can be brought to its final conclusion and put into law, there must be lengthy and widespread explanation and debate among members of the public and all the interest groups concerned, to ensure that any new constitution is not arbitrarily foisted upon them with deleterious consequences.
Martin Kavanagh, La Romaine

DEAR EDITOR:  The Gospel for Sunday, October 15 describes the encounter between the rich young man and Jesus. The late Pope John Paul II wrote in 1985 for the occasion of International Youth Year a wonderful Apostolic Letter based on this meeting.
He spoke on many themes including eternal life, marriage, talents, tasks, growth, vocations, inheritance, self-education, morality, conscience and the challenge of the future.
I strongly recommend this letter “To the Youth of the World” as essential reading for all the faithful young and old alike.
Brian Noriega, D’Abadie