Sir, - As a Roman Catholic who believes that the only future of Christianity - survival, relevance, growth in understanding - is through ecumenism, may I register my dismay at the reported words of Cardinal Ratzinger (The Irish Times, September 6th).
We all know that each church must logically believe that it has a greater grasp of the ultimate truth than other churches, but no church can consider that it has already achieved perfection. If there is more to learn and growing to be done, how can any church know where that learning and growth will come from? Ecumenical dialogue must be considered a fertile source - hence not a choice but an imperative.
It seems that Cardinal Ratzinger and his Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith act as if perfection has been achieved. If this attitude is predominant in Rome, than God help the Roman Church. I don't believe this attitude is predominant among the Roman Catholic people; we must not be silent lest the occupants of the ivory towers prevail. - Yours, etc.,
Maggie Blackley, Gurrane, Fermoy, Co Cork.