Janice Ryan (Letters, 28 September) claims that the Protestant Reformation had at its heart two issues: the rejection of papal authority and personal interpretation of Scripture. Surely a far more fundamental issue at the heart of the Reformation was the pressing need for reform of the Church.

The great reforming Council of Trent attended to such matters (among others) as the need for all dioceses to ensure that Scripture was explained, that bishops preached the faith, that bishops reside in their dioceses and priests in their parishes, that immoral clergy should be punished and incompetent clergy removed from office, and that murderers not be ordained. The council undertook the reform of indulgences, declared that the will and intention of those donating to the Church must be carried out, and set up seminaries for training for the priesthood. It reformed the religious life and the procedures governing marriage.