SIR, - I REFER TO THE ARTICLE FROM KEVIN HEGARTY (SEPTEMBER 2ND), EDITOR OF CEIDE, IN WHICH HE SAYS THAT THE LOATHING FOR CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE MEDIA By SOME IRISH PRIESTS and PRELATES IS PALPABLE. I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THIS SHOULD BE THE CASE IN RELATION TO RTE, THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING STATION.JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY IN RTE SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED A LONG TIME AGO AND THE STATION NOW SEEMS TO SPEND CONSIDERABLE EFFORT ON ANTI-CATHOLIC PROPAGANDA. IN RECENT TIMES A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS WAS THE REPORTING OF THE FR SMYTH CASE IN THE NEWS ON JULY 21ST, 1997. IT WAS A MOST BIZARRE NEWS ITEM. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT AS PORNOGRAPHIC. THE WHOLE NEWS ITEM WAS DESIGNED AND EXECUTED TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE WHOLE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IRELAND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR FR SMYTH'S CRIMES.RTE'S VIEW OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS ONE OF A SPOILSPORT ATTEMPTING TO THWART THE "LEGITIMATE" AIMS OF "PROGRESSIVE" PEOPLE. CATHOLICS ARE PORTRAYED AS BACKWARD, BEING LABELLED AS "RIGHT-WING FUNDAMENTALISTS", WHO CLING TO AN OUTDATED PAST WHICH BEARS NO RELATIONSHIP TO THE TRUTH.CATHOLICS ARE ALSO PORTRAYED AS A MINORITY IN THIS COUNTRY, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE OFTEN TOLD BY RTE THAT THEY MAKE UP 95 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION. THIS IS DONE MOST CLEVERLY BY THE USE OF PANEL DISCUSSIONS. THE CATHOLIC VIEW IS USUALLY NON- EXISTENT OR REDUCED TO 25 PER CENT OF THE PANEL. IN THIS WAY THE TRUTH CAN BE HELD UP TO RIDICULE AND THE LIE PROMOTED AS TRUTH.RTE HAS NEVER APOLOGISED FOR OR MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO UNDO THE HARM IT IS DOING. YET CATHOLICS ARE EXPECTED TO PAY THEIR TV LICENCES AND KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT. - YOURS, ETC.,LUSK, CO DUBLIN