CONTACTING THE VOICE

By Mail:	Editor, (Rev V Farrell), Holy Family Church, Links Road, Blackpool, FY1 2RU
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LAST DATES: For August, July 11th.
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Disappointed
I have recently returned from holiday and only now have had the opportunity to read ''The voice.” I was very disappointed with the papers’ coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II. The content of the paper was much more like I had read in the National press of the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Keeping in mind all his major achievements in his lifetime which, even the secular press highlighted, The Voice seemed to choose a narrow and negative approach. We in the Church would expect the Diocesan Paper to be encouraging, uplifting and supportive to the reader.
Pat McKinney (Mrs)
Morecambe

The state we’re in
Confidential Reviews are of no use to the people of God. Financial affairs, reviews, crises and the action to be taken should be clearly published with explanations for all parishioners to read so that there is understanding - it is our affair!
The Laity have a right to know and a duty to respond. This seems to be denied to them; indeed if matters are kept secret or confidential, these rights and duties are usurped. It needs to be noted that the Diocese is the laity, not the "authorities". They are only a part of it! If our authorities feel that the laity are not interested, they should realise that this is a condition bred by the authorities themselves and if they carry on in the current vein the condition will continue to be self-fulfilling. Page 10 of the May issue has a headline - Agreement reached at the Council of Priest, which goes onto report: A) Sick and Retired Priests Fund reduced by 5% - from 9% to 4%. This is a decrease of some 54%, not 5%; although it is 5 percentage points. B) School Building Fund reduction of 4%, from 14% to 10%. This is a decrease of some 28% not 4%; although it is 4 percentage points. This is a case in point of grave misinformation. How is one to interpret therefore the requirement reported that all Commissions and Agencies of the Diocese reduce their expenditure by 25%? Is this to be read as by 25 percentage points or the truth of the matter, by an actual 25%? It is time that those in authority in this Diocese allowed complete openness of all the Financial and other affairs. Then, and only then, can the laity be expected to take a serious interest and be responsive. There is a mass of unused talent amongst the well-educated laity of Lancaster Diocese. This needs to be recognised, barriers broken down and little empires destroyed. Only through openness and trust can this huge resource be tapped and the right priorities given to all our affairs especially to the evangelisation of our communities by the living and the preaching the Gospel. It does indeed appear to be the case that some of the crowd on the mount are as yet, in a huddle, whilst most are left busily scratching their heads and Jesus - as yet - can only look on and watch!
Wilfred Gill
Arnside

Call for clarification
I thank you for your editorial in the May 2005 Voice for the following reasons: Reminding us that the Gospel is to be the context for all our life as the family of the diocese (especially Mt5 1ff (the Sermon on the Mount) The primacy of mission / evangelisation. The necessity of change for healthy spiritual growth – not just for our own benefit but so as to benefit those we engage with and the absolutely vital role that the laity have in the Mission of the Church. Nevertheless, I think you should clarify a number of things.
1. The context of your reference to Pope St. Pius X's 1906 quotation.
2. Whether you think that the following statements are entirely fair and constructive: the financial decisions of the Trustees not having “one vestige of the Gospel” about them, the diocese lacking a “coherent agenda,” and the “holy smoke of our cosy devotions.”
I would also be interested to know whether you think it is time we began a concerted and wide-ranging dialogue on issues raised by yourself and others in the diocese – not simply a “fourth review” but at all levels of diocesan life. I would hope and I am sure you would agree that such a dialogue needs to occur in the spirit of the Sermon on the amount.
Rev Peter Burns
Barrow in Furness

Grasping the nettle
Congratulations to our Bishop for grasping the nettle and making a start to remove the frightful overspend in our diocese. The annual diocesan reports, clearly showing massive overspends, have given me serious concern for years. From my previous management experience there is no chance of the 25% cut in expenditure taking place. Maybe 5% if you are lucky or just maybe 10%, but I feel sure the Bishop’s advisors will be announcing further initiatives. In the mean time I can only offer my prayers for a speedy solution.
Francis Flood
Finance Committee Chairman
St. Joseph’s Seascale

Better Approach
The May editorial, and the huge response in June, were very encouraging. I much prefer the attitude of the lady atheist, than the dogmatic, programmed approach of John Beaumont. He needs to realise that authority in the Church and authority in the state, are very different concepts, or should be.
The Shepherd cannot possibly teach his flock through the Church, if that Church insists on obstructing his efforts through its insistence on conservative structures, centralism and domination, instead of service and love.
Vincent Bell
Chorley

The Real Agenda
I want to congratulate the editor. I have just read the June 2005 issue of The Voice and note the number of letters printed. When I read The Voice over 5 years back, no letters were printed. Now we have the real voice of the church, that of the Holy Spirit. Don’t panic advises Fr. John Foulkes in his ‘Closer Than You Think’ piece on recent developments in our diocese. ‘Stand Up and Be Counted.’ His powerful contribution sets the agenda for us. We must be apostles of Jesus Christ.
Derek Longmire,
Kendal.

The Real Church
If all church buildings were destroyed, if all diocesan offices closed, and if all parishes became bankrupt, there would still be Church. At its deepest and simplest level Church is about the presence of the risen Christ in the community of believers. Meeting and coming to know Christ personally lies at the heart of Church. Sharing our personal faith stories and building up communities is how we should really be spending our times and energy. Many aspects of Church that we have known in this country may be slowly dying. What we need to pray for and accept is the deep renewal that the Holy Spirit brings. Without the Holy Spirit these are just dry bones. In the words of Pope John XIII, we need to constantly ask for the Holy Spirit to come again “as by a new Pentecost.”
Fr Tony Ashcroft
Fulwood, Preston

St Winefride’s
I was sorry to read in the June edition of The Voice that the committee members that have cared for St. Winefride’s over the years, have retired. I’ll never forget the love and kindness they gave my brother (Fr Tom Gardner) and how welcome we were whenever we visited him. That committee did wonderful work, not just in raising funds but also in proving such good friends to all the retired priests who lived there since it all began twenty years ago. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
Mary Traynor,
Preston

NOTE: The annual Mass in honour of the local martyr, Blessed Edward Bamber will be celebrated St. Winfride’s on Thursday July 7th at 7.00 p.m. with refreshments afterwards

Lessons of a lifetime
In early May we remembered the war in Europe and the great celebrations that followed. From liberated Europe came the appalling truth of the concentration camps. Among tales of great heroism to emerge was that of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan who offered himself in place on another prisoner had been selected for execution. Along with his fellow victims, Fr Kolbe was flung into a cell and left to die of starvation and dehydration. But when they came to clear the corpses, Fr Kolbe was found to be alive and was killed by lethal injection. According to tradition, St Francis had promised that no Franciscan would die of starvation.
Sixty years on, in April of this year, a bill was passed in our parliament, which we are told has many good points. But whatever these good points may be this bill legalises the killing of helpless by a method of killing used in those camps. Amendments were promised but members were not allowed a free vote though some did go against the party line. And a government minister dares to tell us that this bill “celebrates life.” Perhaps it’s really all about money. May God forgive us.
D. Smith
Warton, Carnforth