What a wonderful example to us all is Harvey Thomas who recently spent two hours with Brighton Bomber Patrick Magee to offer forgiveness (Argus, August 8).

As Thomas rightly said, forgiveness is essentially a matter between victim and perpetrator of evil and he did not condone the terrible act committed by Magee.

The path of forgiveness and reconciliation is also the pathway of suffering and can only be undertaken with the grace and power of God.

It is because Thomas is a committed Christian and follows the teaching of the Bible that he was able to do this.

The way forward in Northern Ireland is for both Catholic and Protestant to return to the teachings of Christ, learn what forgiveness really means, forget their past and resolve to make a fresh start with the help of the God they both claim to worship.

-The Rev John Webster, Gleton Avenue, Hove