SIR – Sadly, Jack Robbins (Letter, April 22) has mistaken robust defences of priestly celibacy for having an “aggressive tone” and casting aspersions on married priests who have converted to the Catholic Church.
No one doubts that they are dedicated both to their families and to their priestly duties. Clearly, however, it is the doctrine of the Church that has attracted them, yet for many years there has been a body of Catholic opinion dedicated to “bringing the Church up to date” by changing various doctrines – failing that, changing the practice so that doctrine no longer matters. This is despite the fact that other Christian denominations already have married and female priests, the acceptance of divorce and remarriage, abortion, same-sex partnerships and so on, and such denominations are not increasing but in decline. And no wonder, since every relaxation of doctrine makes another more likely, until eventually there will be no difference between being inside the Church and being outside it.
True, Jesus did not command his disciples to embrace celibacy, but he saw himself as the bridegroom of the Church, and when he called them to “follow” him, he meant that they must do as he did – give their whole selves to the Church. The rewards, he promised, would be out of all proportion to the sacrifice. This is the example followed by the celibate priesthood.
Yours faithfully,
Ann Farmer (Mrs)
Woodford Green, Essex
SIR – The news that the Diocese of Wrexham is to close a third of the churches in its jurisdiction is very sad. But it is not doing too badly compared with some other dioceses. Here in Salford, a half of all parishes are to go. Can nothing be done?
Until the 1960s, the bishops of England and Wales used each year to entrust their dioceses to Our Blessed Lady. In the parishes, there were great May processions in honour of Our Blessed Lady and little girls would crown her statue. In the Lancashire parish where I grew up one had to be in church an hour beforehand to obtain a seat. Twice a week the rosary was recited in church, except in Lent when the Stations were said.
But then the people were told – quite falsely – that the Second Vatican Council had stated that devotion to Our Blessed Lady had to diminish. We are seeing the results.So why do not our bishops decide once again annually to entrust their dioceses to Our Blessed Lady? What is there to lose?
Yours faithfully,
Eric Hester
Bolton
SIR – It is good that, as Dan Hitchens has pointed out (News focus, April 22), the present Pope supports the Catholic doctrine of just war and is therefore in agreement with some 80 other popes, from Urban II to Innocent XI, and with the theology of Augustine and Aquinas. That doctrine is firmly within the Magisterium of the Church.
All peaceful alternatives must be tried first or else, for instance as in the case of expansionist Islam, be pointless. The question of drone strikes where terrorists use non-combatant civilians as protection for their deep bunkers does not alter the logic. Deep penetrative technology has been with us since 1944 and is now advanced. Air strikes will always be a side issue. The determination to win to good effect is a requirement of just war. That requires troops on the ground and in sufficient numbers.
This will now be required in the biblical lands to preserve Christianity and probably here also in Europe, before long.
Yours faithfully,
James Mattocks
Edinburgh
SIR – You report (April 15) that the Bishop of Shrewsbury plans to establish a Courage International chapter in his diocese. While a small, independently established group, Encourage, meets in London, the LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council is mandated to develop LGBT pastoral ministry and outreach in Westminster diocese and has no connection either with Encourage or Courage International. Neither should Courage International be confused with Courage UK, a group of Christians from mainly Evangelical backgrounds whose ministry has now been taken forward by the Two:23 Network.
Yours faithfully,
Martin Pendergast
By email
SIR – I was delighted that the Bishops of England and Wales have caught up with the custom at St Joseph’s, Gateshead, of praying for the Queen after Mass (Report, April 22). In our case, we sing the plainchant “Domine salvam fac reginam nostram Elizabeth …” after the Extraordinary Form Missa cantata every other Sunday. This long-neglected practice was reinstated some four months ago, and has been received with great appreciation by the people of the parish. It is a touching gesture that our bishops have decided to follow the lead of the Latin Mass community of Gateshead.
Yours faithfully,
Terry Middleton
Gateshead
SIR – In his “Science and faith” article of March 11, about the initial reception in this country of Humanae Vitae, Quentin de la Bédoyère asked the rhetorical question: “How did we lose the children?”
A facetious answer would be: “By using contraceptives!” A serious answer can be found in a CTS pamphlet published in 1970, called “Facing up to Humanae Vitae” by a Catholic Mother, where the unnamed lady writes: “The trouble with young people today is not that they don’t believe in anything, but that they have nothing left to believe in. They’ve been deprived of the Christian ideal. We are but animals if we have no ideal in mind; nothing to work at and aim for; nothing to make us stretch and reach out and progress and develop our full potential.”
Yours faithfully,
Stephen de la Bédoyère
London SW1
SIR – Mary Kenny’s suggestion (March 18) that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was deafness was intriguing. It seems much more likely it was epilepsy. The concise OED defines epilepsy as “a disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance”. His meeting with Jesus was certainly of this kind. His quick death was the final medicine!
Yours faithfully,
Ivan Stevenage
Thornton Heath, London
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