SIR – Ross Douthat describes “visions of an essentially Anglicanised Catholicism” as a pet project of liberal Catholics (Feature, January 15), which indeed it is.
Yet ironically, the fact that the Anglican Communion, which like the Catholic Church has seen unprecedented growth in Africa during recent decades, is now preparing to censure the US Episcopal Church for its acceptance of gay marriage – while the German Catholic bishops go unpunished for promoting dissent from moral teaching, and mocking the African faithful for their fidelity to Christ and adherence to tradition – is actually threatening to make that Anglican system of synodal, quasi-democratic governance seem rather appealing to conservative Catholics.
For in the Anglican Communion, the demographic reality that observance has rocketed in Africa, yet plummeted in the West, appears to be reflected in the stronger influence of conservative African bishops over what is still a very loose communion with a long tradition of doctrinal compromise. Were that the case in the more hierarchical Catholic Church, then it is hard to imagine the concept of Communion for the divorced and remarried even being spoken of today, let alone debated by a synod. The liberals should be careful what they wish for. As for conservatives, while we cannot in good faith endorse any move to partially democratise the Church, perhaps we can take comfort from the knowledge that, if this comes about, it could herald the final defeat of the “spirit of Vatican II” and the renewal of the Church based on tradition.
Yours faithfully,
Matt Showering
Bristol, Somerset
SIR – Increasing theological illiteracy in the matter of contraception, divorce, and the importance of getting married at all, against a background of decline in religious practice in the wider population, has led some Catholics to argue that the Church should “liberalise” its approach to these issues (Feature, January 15).
Ironically, while many Catholics simply drift away from a Church that they never knew in the first place, others join stricter religious sects for the same reason because, floundering on the shifting sands of “current thinking” in an irreligious world, they seek a religious rock. Unacquainted with the tenets and social teachings of the Church, they become Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists or Mormons, where stricter religious observance, far from being repellent, is a major attraction.
The reason for widespread theological illiteracy is the failure of the Church to teach the doctrine that Jesus entrusted to us. He gave the Church two commandments – “Do this in memory of me” and “Go make disciples of every nation”. None out of two is not good enough.
Yours faithfully,
Ann Farmer
Woodford Green, Essex
SIR – You report Mgr Charles Pope as warning that the popularity of the Traditional Mass may have “reached its peak” (Best of the blogosphere, January 15).
Mgr Pope observes that in the early 1980s, Traditional Masses were often packed to the doors, but that things are different now. This is perfectly true, and is not only due to the fact that fewer Latin Masses were on offer back then. In 1980, under the brief editorship of Christopher Monckton, the Universe conducted a survey of Catholics in England and Wales which showed that half would attend the Traditional Mass were it available. These days, only a small minority would understand the question.
Today, promoting the Traditional Mass is no longer a question of telling people that the form of the Mass they remember from a few years ago, and loved, is being celebrated somewhere. It is, rather, a question of encouraging people to try out Mass in a form they did not know existed. This means that Masses at peculiar and irregular times, at rotating venues, and on weekdays, are not going to grow.
What we have seen again and again is that where the Extraordinary Form is offered every week on a Sunday morning, even in places with no previous demonstrable demand for it, it quickly attracts a growing congregation of young people and families, and can play an important part in conversions and vocations to the priesthood.
Mgr Pope’s diocese in America is, sadly, notoriously hostile to such celebrations. Nearly all the dioceses of England and Wales, on the other hand, now have the Traditional Mass celebrated on Sunday mornings, and any readers who doubt the potential of the Extraordinary Form in the re-evangelising of England should visit one of these Masses and see for themselves.
Yours faithfully,
Joseph Shaw
Chairman of the Latin Mass Society, Woodstock, Oxfordshire
SIR – With reference to the otherwise excellent article on this subject by Professor Loughlin in your January 8 issue, is it not a little unfair to blame the EU as an institution for the loss of the moral and spiritual vision of the founding fathers of Europe?
The decline in moral values which has occurred in Europe and the Western world generally since the Second World War is surely to be attributed to the decline in religious faith in our increasingly secular societies; unfortunately, the EU can but reflect this situation – but it cannot be held responsible for it.
Yours faithfully,
David Quinn
Paris
SIR – Fr Mark Drew (Cover story, January 8) makes an interesting case that Pope Francis will leave “unresolved” the synod’s “ambiguous formula” concerning Holy Communion for the remarried. But I would dispute Fr Drew’s conclusion that such supposed ambiguity would “in effect, leave it to local bishops to choose the interpretation which suits them”. For that contradicts the unambiguous teaching of St John Paul II (Familiaris Consortio, 84) – as John Allen acknowledges in the Crux article which Fr Drew uses. This teaching is part of a long magisterial tradition, clearly rooted in Scripture, concerning the ecclesial nature of Holy Communion.
Yours faithfully,
Fr Hugh MacKenzie
Chaplain of St John and St Elizabeth’s Hospital,
London NW8
SIR – The Catholic Church has declared this year to be a Holy Year of Mercy. Would it not be merciful to keep church doors open? This would better reflect the love of God for our world, and show that our hearts are open to all people.
Yours faithfully,
Anita de Lacey
Burgess Hill, West Sussex
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