His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
Your Holiness,
This is my first communication to you. I hope you are in good health. I have a few suggestions to make.
1) The number of banns to be read before marriage is reduced to two. I wish it to be restored to three. The banns should be read during all masses on Sundays and not just one mass.
2) Sunday obligation should be for attending masses on Sunday only. Concession given for attending masses on Saturday evenings should be discontinued.
3) There shall be no marriage by proxy. Marriage shall not be kept secret once it takes place.
4) One territory, one rite, one jurisdiction shall be followed. At present where there are territories with two or more rites new rites shall not be allowed.
5) Night masses for Christmas, New Year and Easter shall not begin before midnight. Easter vigil shall not begin before 11.00 p.m. on Holy Saturday or later if the number of readings is less than nine.
6) In Breviary one day shall have one evening prayer. Presently Sundays and some Feast days have two evening prayers and Saturdays and some days do not have evening prayers. This is illogical.
7) There have been too many scandals involving priests. In USA priests had sex with boys. Time has come to have married clergy. If you do not desire do allow priests to marry, permanent deacons can be ordained priests.
8) Dress code for cardinals and bishops that existed before 1969 should be restored.
9) Your Holiness should have coronation with tiara.
10) No appointment of cardinals till the number comes down to 120 and then allowing all cardinals to vote. At present out of 120 cardinals eligible to vote 60 are from Europe. Latin America, especially Brazil, should have more cardinals.
11) Assuming again the title of “Patriarch of the West”. Giving up the title held for 15 centuries makes many of us sad and it does not serve any purpose. On the contrary it offends Orthodox Patriarchs.
That is all for now.
Yours respectfully,
Vincent Augustine D’Souza