The EU abandoned Christian ideals long ago
SIR – In defence of the EU, Piers Paul Read remarks: “The laws passed in my lifetime that are truly inimical to Christian values, such as those on abortion, cloning, or same-sex marriage and adoption, were passed not in Brussels or Strasbourg but Westminster” (Charterhouse, July 8).But the EU has leaned on staunchly Catholic countries like Ireland, Poland and Malta to abandon strict anti-abortion laws, and new members must introduce “gender equality” and abortion as a pre-condition of entry to the progressive “club”.
True, our 1967 Abortion Act was passed before the UK’s entry into the EU, but – along with other “progressive” measures – it was orchestrated by Labour home secretary Roy Jenkins, arch-Europhile and elitist who, arguably, also delivered EU entry for the UK. Moreover, our Abortion Act proved to be a catalyst as restrictive abortion laws throughout Europe were knocked down.
The EU is a beautiful idea, but it is a terrible reality; in contrast, the Church is a terrible idea but a beautiful reality, for in the pursuit of prosperity and security the latter relies on self-sacrifice while the former relies on sacrificing the weakest on the altar of short-term economic gain. The EU may have begun with high Christian ideals but it discarded them long ago. If the EU has a religion, it is progressivism, and the fact that the would-be super-state is dying on its feet demonstrates that progressivism is of its nature regressive.
Yours faithfully,
Ann Farmer (Mrs)
Woodford Green, Essex
Pray for the young
SIR – Christopher Brooks’s letter (July 1) rightly draws attention to the falling number of priests. Similar difficulties also apply to the number of Religious.In 1994 there were 7,700 priests in England and Wales – now there are just under 3,000. The number entering the religious life has also fallen.
There are many and complex reasons for this; our wonderful faith is mocked and ridiculed by the secular world – even from within – and the image of a priest or Religious is distorted by the non-believers. Society is changing – led by anti-faith attitudes and a lowering of standards in many aspects of our lives, a lack of responsibility and an increasing hostility to traditional values.
Our young people have many pressures and some 80 per cent of Catholic young people leaving school stop attending church. What is being done to change this attitude?
But all is not lost. Despite these pressures, young people are bearers of great values and abilities which we must build upon in our schools, churches and homes.
Twenty-five years ago these facts were recognised by Poole Circle of the Catenian Association, which promulgated a “vocations initiative” to promote awareness, inform, encourage and pray. This initiative covers the British Isles. We all, from bishops to laity, have to evangelise. “Anything you ask the Father in my name He will grant you.”
The late Cardinal Hume said: “Priests and Religious are ordinary men and women doing an extraordinary ministry.”
Yours faithfully,
Colin Morrell
Poole, Dorset
Francis is fallible
SIR – Many non-Catholics believe that Catholics follow the Pope like a cult leader, hanging on his every word. This is not the case, as the gift of infallibility does not extend to his personal comments or anecdotes.Even on pastoral decisions, he is not protected from error: he can make duff episcopal appointments and make unwise decisions. Witness the pope who appointed Thomas Cranmer as Archbishop of Canterbury and another who celebrated the Paris massacre of Huguenots in 1572.
The Catholic Church does not agree with Martin Luther on justification by faith alone. The missing keyword being “alone”, as was the word “unjust” as the qualifying word in the Pope’s quotation from the Catechism about discrimination and gay people (Report, July 1).
Yet this cannot be intentional as the Pope speaks out most definitely against gay marriage and gay adoption. He is unequivocal on the danger of transgender issues.
However, every Christian is told in the New Testament that they will be judged for every word they utter. All of us must pray more and more for the Pope (Leading article, June 24). He is not above loving criticism; even St Paul withstood the first pope to his face.
Catholicism is ecclesiastical balance, proportion and beauty. The pope is the head, but that head is not like those cartoons in the popular press, where the head is grossly disproportionate to the body.
Meanwhile, our Blessed Lord sleeps not on the Barque of Peter.
Yours faithfully,
Robert Ian Williams
By email
Henry the Brexiteer?
SIR – Stuart Reid’s assessment of the referendum result (Charterhouse, July 1) contains two serious errors.1) “To work for reform from inside the EU” would be a waste of time when what is wanted is constructive action for the future. David Cameron tried this approach and look what it got him (peanuts), even at a time when the EU still wanted to induce us to remain in. Once actually locked in, we would have been in a tiny minority, in no position to defend our interests.
2) “Henry VIII was the first Eurosceptic.” Nonsense. Nothing remotely resembling the Europe of today existed at the time, so how could anyone be sceptical about it? Henry VIII simply broke away from the pope for refusing him a divorce.
The knee-jerk pessimism of the thwarted remainers is understandable in view of their previous exaggerated hopes. If they have any sense they will now plan how best to make a contribution to the complicated future, instead of bemoaning their own fate.
Yours faithfully,
John Jolliffe
Frome, Somerset
The force of love
SIR – Concerning Dr Deborah Jones’s letter of July 1, the immediate Voice of Conscience broadcasts to each of us that a procreative element is vital in sexual activity (confirmed in the encyclical Humanae Vitae in 1968).So God makes it obvious that, confused as we often are, there is no love otherwise. Only God can define and infuse the real unitive forces.
Yours faithfully,
Fr Bryan Storey
St Paul the Apostle, Tintagel, Cornwall
