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Thank You
We write to thank all involved for the totally unexpected, yet wonderful presentation of the Papal awards, recently made to us. Many people, Lourdes associates, Parishioners, Family, and friends, have worked quite a while to bring this about and we are very grateful. We are still on a “high” and will not come down to earth for a bit. We feel proud yet humble to have been selected for such an honour. Be assured of our prayers.
Cynthia & Peter O’Connor
Fleetwood

A Bit of a Do
As parishioners of Holy Family parish Blackpool, we were disappointed to see in “The Voice” that Simon Stewart thought Fr Val’s fortieth jubilee Mass, a bit chaotic. We thought the liturgy was inspired, the chosen scripture most appropriate and the singing raised the roof. The whole occasion was full of affection for Fr Val and was enjoyed by everyone. Perhaps we should excuse Fr Val’s occasional “senior moment” on such a special occasion after forty years of stalwart service to the Church
Janet Clewlow
Blackpool

A Word of appreciation
I have no doubt that many of your readers will have been moved and helped personally by that very brave article from Fr Tony Keefe (June Voice). Not living in Lancaster diocese I rely on others to bring me The Voice and I was delighted to get that particular issue. I have a very personal reason to be grateful to Fr. Keefe. Twenty three years ago we lost our eldest child who was then just thirteen years of age and studying at Upholland College with a view to one day becoming a priest. He died while playing football. Fr Keefe was a member of the teaching staff at that time and has continued to support us every year since our son’s death. He has turned up in shine or shower and driven the miles to knock on our door, usually round about the beginning of September just to say “hello” in his own unassuming way. In spite of his awful illness he has never missed a year. He is a shy man and will no doubt cringe if this letter is published. But it is a privilege to know him. May God bless him.
Margaret Calderbank
Chorley

Making Poverty History

I write this before the event to register my thanks to all the young people and others who will who will go to Edinburgh on our behalf. We signed the sashes and pledged our solidarity and were glad to do so. For all the millions of people who like myself were unable to be there, I say again, “Thank you.” I will be saying the same in my letter to Mr Blair.
June Barton (Mrs)
Longridge

Whilst it is highly commendable that the conference is taking place at all I do wonder if it is just a PR exercise that will be forgotten about in a few weeks time. I agree that the debt to Africa should be wiped out but it worries me what these nations will do with their billions now they will not have to use the cash to pay loans. Many African nations are governed by highly unstable regimes who are likely to want to use their newfound wealth to attack each other (and maybe attack us too!). We need to ensure that the money is spent wisely (maybe even have a charity here spend it wisely for them). The money is needed to improve the living conditions and welfare of the citizens of Africa and I am not sure the governments within Africa are willing to do that themselves.
John Wilson,
Preston.

With all respect to the thousands supporting the "Make Poverty History" campaign, I can't help reflecting that as usual on such occasions, the demand is for someone else to take action against poverty. Fair enough to the extent that only politicians can make the decisions required in this instance, but they are themselves constrained by what the public will accept, and can point out that however many took part in the campaign, many times more did not. I have a simple suggestion: raise VAT to 20%, the proceeds to be used exclusively by such organisations as are already helping the third-world poor to improve their own lot. Any ideas on how this proposal might be received?
Peter Wilson
Seascale, Cumbria

One thing alone matters
I have been reading recent letters in The Voice with a little concern. Questions such as “What are we for?” “Where are we going?” are answered for us in the catechism. Priests do not tell us about it and people cannot be bothered to read it. We have Catholics chasing the latest fashionable course, maybe reviewed in “The Tablet” whose team has already been warned by Pope Benedict!
During the last forty years, the patient has been overdosed with falseness, and is now fatally ill especially in the U.K. No amount of the drip-feed of Alpha or Eneagram will save the Body of Christ in this country! We have closed seminaries, clustered parishes, empty churches, schools that are ashamed of the True Faith, a leadership that is drunk with the twin spirits of modernism and Gnosticism.
We desperately need spiritual paramedics if the patient is to recover. Teach the Catechism in all the parishes and all the schools. The little ones should return to the question and answer Model parishes could be given to the Traditional Latin Mass Orders as is happening abroad, with flourishing parishes and abundant vocations, some colleges have waiting lists! The Bishops should take back the power from the army of advisors. They were given a command “feed the lambs, feed the sheep.” The Catholic Church by tradition is a Teaching church not a “what do you think church”. Go and TEACH all nations.
Pope Benedict tells us the Traditional Latin Mass is the churches treasure. Unless we have the humility to put the brakes on Renewal and admit we got it wrong, and take speedy steps of Restoration, the Roman Catholic Faith, may cease to exist on this Islands! No amount of trips to the infamous Marian Shrine, will jumpstart the heartbeat of the Catholic church in this country.
Jim Ahern
Preston

The Education Review
I read the review of the Diocesan Education services, in the hope of learning and understanding what it is all about. My initial reading left me with no understanding whatsoever. I was left with the impression it was an article to fill in a page of the July Voice. The Bishop’s remit was a classic case of verbiage which in plain English requests that Catholic Schools and Parishes adapt to present conditions promoting Catholic values. This must by its nature includes Gospel values.
The next paragraph is self explanatory that the review would ask for honest opinions from the interested parties “why endeavour to consult widely in a climate of openness”? This is unnecessary verbiage. The focus of the review asked three questions. However on reaching the three key questions they actually boil down to one question - How can the service improve now and in the future. I cannot speak for the questionnaire sent to the schools, but the questionnaire made available to the parishes was short on quality and space for reasoned replies. It could be argued that a fuller response could be made by letter.
I note the steering group tried to analyze the results of the questionnaire accurately. Is it really necessary to suggest it would do this in any other way and honestly? After all we the parishioners must assume the integrity of the steering group. We the parishioners naturally support our schools and parishes, whether the education services deserve our thanks is still open to question, until a full publication of the review is available.
What on earth does the first recommendation of the steering group mean in plain simple English, away from the gobbledegook of the Civil Social Services. My interpretation is that a plan has already been made, within the limited amount of money and people (priests and parishioners) available to ensure that education will continue as a Catholic entity.
That we should work more closely together to promote the Catholic Church is surely self-evident. I wonder whether the review has really understood that in some Catholic High Schools any pupil going to church is considered a softy. Until this attitude is reversed by placing the Catechism of the Catholic Church on to the same level of teaching importance as Maths and English in the curriculum. I do not hold out much hope for the future.
F.R Logan
Preston.

Editor’s note: Readers are advised that the article by Fr Ruscillo in the July issue to which the writer refers was NOT the Education Review itself, but an article about it.