A recent survey showed that about half of the population in England had no religious faith at all. Even many of those who claimed to be Christian did not pray, did not practise, nor keep Christian moral principles.
Even of those who claimed to be Catholic, very many did not practise, did not go to Mass and the sacraments, did not adhere to basic Christian morality.
None of this is really new to us. Such religious decline has been going on for a long time. It seems to be that it is about time we did seek to remedy the lack of faith in England; about time we reassess our efforts to spread the gospel, to spread the faith left to us by Jesus Himself.
What should we do about this? What can we do about this? There are at least two things we can do straight away. Firstly, we should pray for all our fellow citizens, at home, in towns and villages; all in our Diocese, indeed all in England. Secondly, we need to renew and restore the gift of faith, to our own children, our families and friends, Catholics who have lapsed, Catholics who want to strengthen their faith, and indeed for all those searching for the faith.
On prayer, I think we often underestimate the power of prayer. Indeed, I fear many regard being told to pray is just a soft option, or even not really an option at all, rather a passing the buck back to God. If every one of us prayed every day that all may receive the gift of the Faith and to practise that Faith; if indeed we prayed not only for our family but for everyone in the Diocese; if we prayed for all of England, then, yes, we might well see the return of Christianity in England.
Prayer, of course, is simply having a word with God. It can take the form of the familiar prayers, Our Father, Hail Mary, the Rosary, but it can also include your own personal prayers, your own chatter to Our Lord. And prayer is best said daily, not just now and then, or only on Sundays. It could be just a few words of intercession for the faith just before going to sleep every night.
Now, turning to education, to teaching the Faith. The very first teacher of the Faith to a child is that child’s parents. It is they who teach the child to pray; teach then the familiar prayers, Our Father and Hail Mary; prayers for Mummy and Daddy, for brothers and sisters, Uncles and Aunties. All that can be with a child from an early date and may well last not just as a child, but for the rest of their lives.
This teaching at home is supported and expanded throughout schooling; or should be, but is it always? Wherever possible we should choose a Catholic nursery school, a Catholic primary, and a Catholic secondary school. But even in our Catholic schools I suggest that there are many where the Faith, the “Catechism” as we used to say, could be much improved. If possible, it is best taught by a teacher specialising in teaching the Faith, the sacraments, the Mass, and it is highly desirable for there to be a Catholic priest as chaplain, if not daily then frequently, and always available to the pupils. At Catholic boarding schools such a chaplain is essential.
But for many Catholics it is not possible to find a suitable, available and acceptable Catholic school. In turning to a non-Catholic school the parent must endeavour to provide the Catholic teaching out of school hours; at home, in the parish, and not just occasionally but as a planned course of teaching.And, of course, provision may be found with our monks and nuns, although regrettably there are fewer today than there used to be.
There is another further field of teaching the Faith which is often neglected. There are very many Catholics who lost out at school or have lost their Faith, or perhaps never had the opportunity for a proper understanding of the Faith. For these we must increase our provision, not only for them, but for all those who seek the Faith: from total non-believers to lapsed Catholics. We need to do more in our parishes to cater for such men and women. Even more so in the future, if our prayers succeed—as they will—for all those throughout England turning again to the Faith. Here, of course, much of that help will fall upon Diocesan priests, but also, I hope, will come from an increase in the role of nuns and monks, and many more of the laity.
Pray every day, even if only a few words at the end of the day, and thereby seek the gift of the Faith for all of us. Years ago we did pray for England. Let us do so again. An English layman lives in Sanderstead, Surrey.
Photo: Early evening springtime light falling on Corton Denham, Somerset, England. (Photo credit: David_Crosbie; iStock by Getty Images.)
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