Sir, – Rev Patrick G Burke states that the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is a fiction (June 18th). It is not.
I became an ordained Pastafarian minister during 2015. Beforehand, I went through an arduous process in 2014 involving the ecclesiastical authorities in Armagh to have my excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church confirmed in writing. My faith in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is considered heretical by the Roman Catholic Church and this incurs latae sententiae excommunication, according to Canon 1364. In the correspondence that I finally received from the bishop, he also states that he is "acknowledging apostasy in accordance with Canon 751, the total repudiation of the Christian faith".
One of the reasons why I repudiated Christianity was the long history of Pastafarian persecution that has been perpetrated by Christians of every hue. I hope correspondents will reflect upon this history before blaspheming against my religion. Pasta-based religions should be afforded the same respect as carpenter-based religions. – Yours, etc,
JOHN HAMILL,
Pastafarian Minister,
Church of the Flying
Spaghetti Monster,
Castleblayney,
Co Monaghan.
Sir, – After centuries of religious-inspired violence, maybe the penne is mightier than the sword. – Yours, etc,
CIARAN KIRRANE,
Galway.