On June 11 The Sunday Times carried two letters which are very different in tone and substance. One, that of Mr Joseph Vella, rightly notes Dan Brown's historical aberrations involving Roman Emperor Constantine. The other, Mr John Guillaumier's, seemingly eulogises The Da Vinci Code's fruits - its "second-biggest debut ever at the global box office" and the fact that "millions of Catholics have ignored the boycott of the movie by Vatican officals."

But history is history. No Dan Brown will ever change the facts it has registered. Saying that Roman Emperor Constantine (288?-337) "first recognised the divinity of Jesus" does not obliterate the Apostolic Creed's assertions on the divine nature of Christ. Nor does it wipe away the same teaching of the early Christian Church found in second and third century Fathers and ecclesiastical writers.

Nor will Mr Guillaumier's apparent satisfaction at The Da Vinci Code's success against the Vatican's suggestions in any solid way help those "millions of Catholics" in "their latent doubts about their Church and their religion". In his usual way of thinking and believing, Mr Guillaumier may run away with the idea that "The Da Vinci Code phenomenon has helped to bring out into the open 'the scepticism that hides in the heart of faith." But this absolutely does not mean that that scepticism really "hides in the heart of faith". True faith! It may hide in minds of individuals, but not "in the heart of faith".

Precisely so that scepticism might not attack minds and beliefs did the Vatican suggest boycotting The Da Vinci Code. The Vatican knows very well that, in spite of being fiction, book and film could produce great harm in minds and beliefs. Particularly in the case of those whose faith does not have very solid fondations. And, unfortunately, these could be many! As rightly evidenced from Mr Guillaumier's own affirmations!

Church and Vatican pray for such individuals. They even pray that no such scepticism may "hide in their heart". Naturally the outcome does not depend on the Church and the Vatican's prayers! How beautiful and to our point are those lines of John Henry Newman (1801-1890) in his hymn Lead, Kindly Light!