ROB Meggs (HAS, Dec 24) believes the Christmas message from Pope Benedict was the most depressing ever.

More likely it was the most challenging to the growth of selfseeking behaviour in some priests, and the natural human weakness in us all, from which we are called by the Church to love our neighbour and Almighty God.

Despite today’s materialism and hardships, are people, on the whole, not more caring than say 50 or 100 years ago and, if so, what are the indicators?

Tony Pelton, Catterick