THE correspondent signed "A working (if not perfect) Christian" (Apr 21) castigates Fr. Hailes for writing about the appalling situation on Spring Street, accuses him of knowing nothing about it, and yet at the same time demonstrates a lack of knowledge both of Fr. Hailes and the problem of vandalism.

Fr. Hailes described the bored youths causing the vandalism, and those who nearly blinded a local resident, as having "tiny minds". How else would your correspondent describe them as fine, upstanding citizens. I think not! Bored? Maybe. But also mindless and disrespectful.

Your correspondent hopes that the people responsible will come forward, if they have a conscience. That, I imagine, was the whole purpose of Fr. Hailes' letter. Your correspondent and many other people, now including myself, have said what we think. Why shouldn't he?

Fr. Hailes accuses no innocent person, only those who have committed the offences. And I, and many local residents, are pleased that we have the support of Fr. Hailes in trying to stop these vandals and thugs, because that is what they are. As to the meeting at the Mosses, Fr. Hailes made sure that Holy Trinity Church was represented by two members of its church council. I was one of them, and I have to say that it was the most frightening experience of my life with youths trying to intimidate the adults present.

Your correspondent accused Fr. Hailes and members of the church of doing nothing in the community. Again he/she could not be more wrong.

Fr. Hailes and the congregation are in constant touch with Councillor Connie Fitzgerald who has done, and is still doing, a lot for the area. They have campaigned almost continuously, making approaches to the local authority, its highways, street cleaning and lighting departments, the police, the area boards and our Member of Parliament. Fr. Hailes has also been in touch with the Elders of the local Mosques, who have been extremely helpful, even to the extent of patrolling outside Holy Trinity to ensure that interruptions to services do not take place. Fr. Hailes, it was said, has not been involved with the local school. The school is a church school and Fr. Hailes is chairman of the governors, spending hours and hours every week working on its behalf. Several members of the Holy Trinity congregation are also governors of the school and have the welfare of the children very much at heart.

Finally, your correspondent asks Fr. Hailes to "get off his high horse". If this correspondent had had to pay out thousands of pounds to put right damage done by the vandals, as Holy Trinity has done, he/she would be on a "high horse", and rightly so!

TRINITARIAN