Sir, – Fr Con McGillicuddy (August 26th) wrote, with tongue in cheek, that he had a conversation with God regarding the recent survey concerning a poll of students that suggested 37.5 per cent of them did not believe in God. According to a report in The Irish Times last week the former Pope Benedict XVI also had a conversation with God when he was advised to apply for his P45. All very interesting, if a little strange. I do, however, wonder why, when he was serving as cardinal, Prefect of of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and pope over two decades, the same God did not tap him on the shoulder and suggest to him that he should treat the problem of clerical abuse of children as a criminal matter. Perhaps I'm missing something. – Yours, etc,
JOHN T KAVANAGH,
Braemor Road, Dublin 14.