SIR – As someone with quite a bit of experience in fostering young people’s interest and involvement in the Church, in my Anglo-Catholic days prior to my reception into the Catholic Church five years ago, perhaps I may be able to comment on your excellent article “Rites of passage” (Education Feature, February 19).
In my opinion, your writer, Fr David Elliott, got it exactly right in arguing that the Catholic liturgy (done well) responds to the need in young people to order their lives and faith in accordance with some clear parameters, and these very effectively attract youngsters in today’s increasingly secular society, in which there are so many competing demands on their time.
However, I would like to focus on just one activity (among several) which, in my experience as a head server, can succeed in retaining and developing the attention in young people in church – namely, serving at the altar. Starting from the age of about seven, I have found that innumerable junior servers are attracted by starting off their “serving careers” as boat-boys or girls, assisting the thurifer with the incense-boat during liturgical occasions.
More occasionally, such very young servers can act as bishop’s servers, when they visit the parish church, assisting these visiting ecclesiastical dignitaries with their crosier, mitre or the service book. After a few years, they naturally aspire to and become acolytes, crucifers and book-holders and, in due course, thurifers.
It is so important that these young people are trained, visible (though ideally unobtrusive, as every good server should be) and fulfil indispensable roles in church services, rather than being casually hidden in a family pew. I have always found that by expecting high standards the junior servers naturally “up their game”, to the benefit of Almighty God, the liturgy and themselves.
As so often, “dumbed-down” liturgies are not just an affront to God and His Church, an embarrassment to the congregation, but a direct and depressing way of putting off young people from worshipping and attending the parish church,
Yours faithfully,
Richard Eddy
Bristol
SIR – I had no idea that so many of the leaders of the Nazi regime in Germany came from Catholic backgrounds, and found Francis Phillips’s cover story (February 19) fascinating. I think what it shows is not so much that Hitler was a devil but that our spiritual enemy has the power to subvert, if possible, nominal Catholics for his cause. It has been said that lapsed Catholics are the worst, and most of the serious enemies of the Church throughout history have come from within, as St Paul warned frequently. Hilaire Belloc made a fine study of them in The Great Heresies.
Yours faithfully,
Martin Blake
By email
SIR – Reading the excellent article “Seduced by ‘the devil’ Hitler” brings to mind the responsibilities that go along with the privilege of being a Catholic. As a teacher, I always reminded the children that whenever they were in their uniforms they were ambassadors for their school, which would be judged by their behaviour. How much more is this true when relating this to how Catholics behave in the wider society. Individually, of course, we have Confession to turn to (thank God) when we sin – but of course our example remains for all to see, even though our sins have been forgiven.
Yours faithfully,
M Pettifor
By email
SIR – Despite the intention of legislators at the time, British abortion laws have resulted in de facto abortion on demand, albeit with some time limits. The fact that the British Pregnancy Advisory Service is calling for the removal of these time limits (Report, February 19) is incomprehensible to anyone who values the human rights of the unborn. While Pope Francis reminds us that we must show mercy to all those who make morally wrong decisions under duress, surely anyone who wants the rights of both mother and unborn protected needs to become more proactive in challenging the current abortion laws. Abortion when introduced for limited circumstances seems to invariably lead to its wider use, as people become desensitised to its horrors.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Browne
Dublin
SIR – Readers should be aware that Fr Ashley Beck’s claim that “You cannot be a faithful Catholic and a Eurosceptic” (Letter, February 5) is no more than a personal opinion, unsupported by authority of any kind. He even twists the words of St John Paul who called us to “leave behind the rivalries of history and create conditions of greater unity and cooperation between peoples”. This can perfectly well be achieved without remaining in the straitjacket of the EU. St John Paul, who was brought up under domination by the Soviet Union, certainly did not call for the abandonment of internal political independence in favour of still more dictation from the uncontrolled bureaucracy of Brussels. “Unto Caesar”, Fr Beck! Our elected Caesar, whoever he may be from time to time, is to be found in Britain, not in Brussels.
Yours faithfully,
John Jolliffe
Mells, Somerset
SIR – How sad of the BBC to want to tarnish the saintly St John Paul II’s image after his death (News focus, February 19). Why didn’t they bring out this programme while he was still around, thereby giving him the opportunity to reply? If they were looking for scandal, the BBC must have been very disappointed. In his lifetime, and more so during his illustrious pontificate, John Paul II was admired by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He had rock-star status wherever he went. Additionally, he was a bridge-builder who can certainly be credited with the ending of the Cold War. The pope, like any other human being, is quite entitled to maintain the close friendships he has formed from his early days and I can see nothing wrong in this.
Yours faithfully,
Mervyn Maciel
Sutton, Surrey
SIR – I can identify so much with Mary Kenny’s ire (February 19) at having “her” parking spot taken by a usurper. Being in a similar position I also covet “my” parking space which is not legally mine, and when it’s taken feel outrage and irrational anger surfacing. I am intrigued by Mary’s insight that “these are emotions that lurk within our deep unconscious”, where the roots of war and aggression are born. What a wonderful opportunity to show mercy and compassion.
Yours faithfully,
Betty O’Sullivan
By email
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