Sir, - I was delighted to read Pádraig McCarthy's recent letters in your paper making an urgent appeal to all Christians to act now and help the 13 million people in southern Africa suffering from starvation and aids.
The hordes of politicians who met recently in Johannesburg have left these unfortunate people with more promises of help. How many of them will see 2003, let alone 2015? Help is urgently required now.
When the disciples urged Christ to send the multitude home to attend to their own needs, he curtly told them: "You yourselves give them something to eat...How much bread have you got? Go and see and bring it to me".
Being a follower of Christ is very challenging indeed. We must set no limit to our giving, no more than our forgiving... We must forgive "not seventy times, but seventy times seven." Likewise with our giving. The poor we will have with us always. Thanks to Father McCarthy for the wake-up call. - Yours, etc.,
Sr PAULINUS O'CONNOR,
Loreto Convent,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.