SIR – It seems to me that your two articles in the pre-Christmas edition (December 16) – revealing Portsmouth’s Bishop Philip Egan as your Catholic of the Year and including Fr James Bradley’s feature on the revival of Catholicism in Greenville, South Carolina – had distinct and illuminating similarities.
Although separated by the Atlantic Ocean, the character and energetic sense of mission of Bishop Egan and Fr Bradley’s account of the impressive rise of Catholic witness in a part of the United States have a lot in common and much to commend to the wider Catholic Church.
I have one declaration of interest to make: for a number of years I had the privilege of having the now Fr Bradley in my serving team in my former parish church. He was conscientious and reliable then – as I’m sure his reports are now.
As a priest in the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham here in England, Fr Bradley knows full well that nothing is achieved by surrendering basic Catholic truths and that the faithful laity will not be empowered or motivated by a clergy which has lost all confidence in the One Holy Apostolic Church’s claims. One only has to look at the Church of England to see that.
The obvious similarities are that both the bishop and these American churches have triumphed by being loyal to the traditional Catholic faith, by promoting dignified and reverential liturgies and by appealing to the sacrificial nature of the Church’s laity – and not “dumbing down” the Faith “once delivered to the saints”.
Surely there is a clear message to those prelates and ecclesiastical commentators who believe that the Catholic Church can only survive if we continually seek to undermine fundamental Catholic beliefs, reduce the Sacred Liturgy to a “parish bean-feast” and ignore the views and potential of the faithful in the pews.
Both the inspiring witness of Bishop Egan and the resurgence of the Catholic Church in South Carolina should serve as a clear sign to us and motivate all readers to re-dedicate their lives as the New Year begins.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Eddy
Bristol
SIR – Having read some interesting articles lately urging greater consultation with the laity by the Catholic bishops, I am delighted that this issue is being discussed.
We know that the Pope wants a more synodal Church. He wants the bishops to consult with the Church at large. He denounces clericalism as “a gross deformation” and states that by receiving the Holy Spirit in baptism we all have the right to be involved in the decision-making processes of the Church.
We can do this through parish councils. Canon law allows for and encourages them. Surely there are good arguments for parishioners being allowed to administer the parish along with the priest. Surely it is desirable that there is a strong and thriving consultative process in each parish and in each diocese.
I have great faith that by discussing things we will enlighten each other, and all participants will be enriched.
I think that the way we relate to each other in our parishes is crucial to the future wellbeing of the Catholic Church, and therefore I believe that there is a strong need for a national synod on “the parish” which would call for comments, suggestions and recommendations on how people view their parish and how they think parish life could be improved. It should not be restrictive, but should allow people to make suggestions on all aspects of parish life. I would like to urge people to write to their bishops calling for a national (or even diocesan) synod on the parish.
Yours faithfully,
Virginia Bell
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
SIR – It is not surprising that 23 Catholic “scholars” (Report, December 16) should compare the action of “the four cardinals” over Amoris Laetitia to Paul’s opposition, as he puts it in Galatians 2:11, (not “fraternal admonition”) to Peter at Antioch.
It would be strange, however, if they supported the cardinals. The issue at Antioch, we can see from Acts 15, was whether Christians were bound to obey Mosaic Law, and especially the law laid down at Genesis 17:10-14 that males must be circumcised. The great majority of Christians at the time, including Paul himself and all the Apostles, were Jews and considered themselves as such. It is not surprising that elderly Christian Jews, brought up to live by every provision of Mosaic Law, should consider this central provision essential, as it is still considered by Jews today.
No wonder, equally, that elderly Catholic priests, brought up to respect every utterance about sex by the Magisterium in the past 100 years, should consider fidelity to these essential to being a Catholic.
The difference between the two cases is that whereas Peter, in fear of the conservative circumcised (Galatians 2:12), was apparently in favour of making concessions but eventually agreed to abrogate the circumcision law at the Council of Jerusalem, today the Pope, by himself, is resisting pressure from the conservatives.
Yours faithfully,
William Charlton
West Woodburn, Northumberland
SIR – Your cover headline, “Bishop Philip Egan – Catholic of the Year” (December 16), prompts the question “What makes success?” Especially in a Church with falling congregations, empty confessionals, ignorance of the faith and a loss of the sense of sin.
Having been involved in Catholic education and most aspects of parish life over more than 40 years in five different parishes and in four different dioceses, I would suggest that the qualities required for the growth of a successful community are strong leadership and vision. This is knowing what you want, where you are going, taking people with you and challenging them to support you actively in promoting your mission.
Your article on Bishop Egan, “the cheerful shepherd”, shows clearly that the bishop knows where he wants to be and how he aims to get there. Consequently, it is encouraging to be in the Diocese of Portsmouth, a powerhouse of evangelisation, at this time. It is patently obvious that we need more Bishop Egans in the Church today.
Yours faithfully,
Peter Clarke
Ryde, Isle of Wight
SIR – Elizabeth Price (Letter, December 8) says that Cardinal Burke is harsh. Yet pointing to the absolute teaching of the Lord offers great opportunities for God’s saving grace.
Yours faithfully,
Fr Bryan Storey
St Paul the Apostle, Tintagel, Cornwall
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