26 FEBRUARY 2000, Page 28

From Mr David Watkins Sir: I was born a Catholic,

am a Catholic and am resolved to die a Catholic. I wish to defend Julie Burchill against my fejlow- Catholics Maria Niall and Walter Hooper.

Surely, to a serious Catholic, Ms Burchill's robust hostility is preferable to the 'respect' of soft-headed multicultural liberals like the Prince of Wales and smooth politicians like Tony Blair. Any honest and clear-thinking person who is not a Catholic must be anti-Catholic, just as he/she, if not a Muslim, must be Islamophobic'.

I do not despair of seeing Ms Burchill received into the Church. Stranger things have happened. For the Prince, Tony Blair, et al., I have little hope.

David Watkins

dwatldns10@hotmail.com