I find it rather amusing that Dr Sean Brady (now cardinal) was placed in the rather unenviable position of having one of the Assembly's First Ministers, Martin McGuinness, present at his elevation to this high position within the hierarchy of Roman Catholicism; not because he is one of the First Ministers, but because he was, and probably still is a member of PIRA, and of its Army Council.

Given that McGuinness has a catalogue of murders to his name, and headed up a murderous terrorist organisation that killed more of his co-religionists than the police, the army and the loyalist provos put together, Dr Brady must have been so uncomfortable, not to say embarrassed, at his presence in the Vatican.

When the Pope visited Ireland some years ago, he made a statement that I am sure Sean Brady still agrees with, namely, that "murder is murder." Obviously McGuinness does not believe this statement, nor do those who praised his attendance at Dr Brady's elevation.

To have had McGuinness present at the Vatican last weekend must surely have been most insulting to the Primate, given that McGuinness has not repented of his evil activities covering almost 40 years, and indeed said on BBC Radio Ulster that he was "proud of his past". Proud of murdering Protestants and Roman Catholics! Proud of his protection of PIRA killers at the Saville enquiry! Are there no depths of depravity to which this man will not stoop?

J. E. Hazlett Lynch (Dr)