CONTACTING THE VOICE

By Mail:	Editor, (Rev V Farrell), Holy Family Church, Links Road, Blackpool, FY1 2RU
Fax:	01253 590018
Telephone:	01253 351258
Email:	Editorial – voicechain@aol.com Letters – voicechain@aol.com
LAST DATES: For July, June 6th, for August, July 11th.

THE STATE WE’RE IN

Whose job is it, anyway?
I am still reeling from the May editorial. It resonates strongly with many of my own thoughts about where we are going as the Church. We seem to have lost the plot and no longer seem to know that we are about mission, or how to go about it. In my own experience when you talk about 'mission' a lot of people don't know what you are talking about, and in mitigation I have to say that it is not always their fault. The model of the Church that still prevails in many places is that of St. Pius X or to put it another way 'pray, pay and obey'. Sometimes one can get the impression that there is only one job in the parish, which is that of the priest The people are there simply to help him to do his job. A massive job of evangelisation and catechesis is needed. If nothing else, I hope your editorial has the effect of making people sit up and really ask themselves the question you pose 'what are we here for?'
Bernard O’Connor,
Workington

The Leadership Question
The hobbyhorse you trot out in your editorial does not move easily. You seem to call for charismatic leadership. The structure of the Church is sacramental. By Baptism we share the relationship of Christ to his Father. By Order a man shares the relationship of Christ to his people – leading them to appreciate what it means to be human when elevated to live on the level of God. Pope Benedict in his inaugural homily said: "There is the desert of God's darkness, the emptiness of souls no longer aware of their dignity or the goal of human life... The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert..." This is the framework for genuine charisms, distinct from flair and technique, to be discerned and encouraged. The Voice has a part to play.
*You are smarting because apparently snubbed by the Trustees. I can linger over a copy of The Times or The Tablet and find nothing memorable. The same may occasionally be true of The Voice - whilst acknowledging that you have made it attractive. I could see an advantage in suspending publication during July and August with freedom from pressure of gathering copy and time to re-focus. From the Trustees' point of view ordinary expenditure must be contained within ordinary income. Your appeal, if successful, will cover '05 - 'o6? Subsequently? Since people have only a finite amount to contribute to good causes - what other good causes will suffer? In hoc non laudo! We need a fourth review like a hole in the head.
Tom Dakin (Very Rev Canon)
St Nicholas Owen Presbytery
Thornton Cleveleys

• Our initiative in trying to raise sufficient funds to cover the 25% shortfall in grants from the diocese has in fact been praised by the Trustees. Further, unless Canon Dakin knows something we do not, we understand the 25% cut to be for one year only. ED.

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

Need to be trusted
My voluntary work for schools' buildings relies heavily on the expertise and commitment of the advisers in our Education Service. The requirement to cut 25% from the Service's budget must be a matter of great concern. Since the bulk of its expenditure is on salaries, any cut will inevitably impact on services to and in support of our schools. I recognise that there is a financial problem and that the Trustees must look at ways of saving money and increasing income, but since this is our church and predominantly our money, shouldn't we have known earlier, been consulted, been asked to take on our responsibilities? We may all need to pay more to support what we need and want, but we can only do that if we are trusted, listened to and asked to take on our responsibility.
Peter McCarthy
Blackpool

Good Housewife wanted
Thank you editor for the frankness in your editorial and which moves the financial issues from the secular to the evangelical. Canon Law insists that each parish has a Finance Committee. I would like to think that they are the ones who should have been involved from the beginning with the priests. When oh when are we going to stop preaching and educating the laity in collaborative ministry when not even lip service is paid to it in practice? Can we have a Council of Laity, and a good accountant - or at least a good housewife?
C.A.Ivinson,
The Flass, Wasdale.
caivinson@aol.com

What does God want?
How cheered I was by the May Editorial "Wasteland". As a practising Anglican who was called into the Catholic Church many years ago, I still find the amateurishness of our leadership, hard to deal with. How can there be a guarantee that "no parishes will close", when buildings eat money? Let’s take a radical look at who we are - a people of God, not of buildings, vestments, and favourite hymns. I would hate my cosy world to be disturbed - but, dare I ask what God wants? We must think, as the editorial pointed out, of the millions thirsting to hear God’s word.
Ann Miller
Ingol, Preston

Double Whammy
I would like to correct the figure given for Education costs in your table of Central Diocesan Expenditure (page 10, May issue of The Voice). The cost to Diocesan funds was not £561,239, it was actually £421,681. In terms of the 25% cuts, even this figure is misleading as the Finance Committee are asking for the cost to the Diocese for the Education Service next year to be £283.000 – a double whammy because the 25 cut is on top of staff reductions due to retirements. It is important for these figures to be accurate so that readers know the true picture. While appreciating the need for good financial management, I'm sure many will agree that the level of these cuts is draconian. It will be difficult to sustain a full Diocesan Education Service under these circumstances and to respond to the positive recommendations in the Education Review which is shortly to be published.
Fr Peter Verity
Preston

First things first
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it" [John 15:7], words from the gospel read on Wednesday of the fifth week of Easter. It was sad to see so much about finance in The Voice for May. I am loth to join in, but the above words struck me so strongly, as they were read at Mass the following Wednesday, that I felt I should write to say just three things. Firstly of all to say, another brave editorial - I hope that it gets some attention. Secondly to wonder why the Finance Office costs so much to run [is it so expensive to render to Caesar?] Thirdly and most importantly, to ask whether if we priests and people, really lived by the above gospel passage would there still be all this screaming for money? Or would things sort themselves out like the feeding of the five thousand after the apostles were so worried that they had not enough to feed the crowd?
Barbara Radway,
Poulton le Fylde

Genuine Partnership
The May editorial is the most important I have read in a very long time. There are a few debatable points, but the overall message is inspiring. It is to be hoped it will be the cause of much heart-searching.
It seems that lay participation is quite a hazy concept in the Church. Asking selected lay people for expert advice and making rather imprecise general appeals for 'lay involvement' still leaves us with a totally clerical show when it comes to decision making. This is ingrained into our social history, traditions, parish structures and anything else you can think of. Ministries and “jobs” at Mass such as cleaning the church organising social events and so on, are all essential work and deserve much praise. But testing basic assumptions in genuine partnership seems a long way off. Simply adopting pious language when talking about the way we do things does not mean the Holy Spirit will bail us out when we make mistakes. The thought provoking and imaginative Editorial in this month's Voice should provide a wake up call for all concerned.
Don Bennett
Poulton le Fylde

Pope Benedict’s words
I must write to congratulate you on speaking out for the silent majority in the Diocese. Many of us feel that there should be an open and transparent decision making process in place in the Diocese Whilst I agree that finances are important, I believe that our priorities are wrong. First and foremost we must trust in the Spirit and continue to go out and spread the Good News. If we do not spread the Gospel then we wither and die.
In his 1997 memoir 'Milestones' Josef Ratzinger spoke of the bravery of his father in speaking out against authority and the consequent persecution that he and his family suffered. In this account, I feel that the Holy Father has highlighted one important element of humanity - the ability not only to think independently, but also to act independently. Vatican 2 opened so many doors and encouraged us to discuss all issues. However without those who are willing to dissent from received wisdom we would not have had any discussion and consequently not made the great advances in the Church which we have seen in the last fifty years. Again thank you for speaking out.
Terri Bridge
Blackpool

God First
Thank you for your editorial in the May issue. You are quite right to highlight our need to engage with “mission.” That has to be our number one priority. As I once heard a priest say, “If we get things right with God, everything else will fall into place.”
Tom Butler (Rev)
Deacon at St. Anthony’s Preston

Your editorial in the May edition of the Voice was timely. It is impossible to understand why the laity has no voice or involvement in the Diocese at a time when this has never been more crucial. A note in the parish bulletin last Sunday informed us that the Bishop was urging the clergy to review Mass times and the number of Masses as the number of clergy is declining and we had to be aware of the needs of all. This has been an ongoing theme for many years but the hierarchy still persists in stating that no parishes will be closed, or redundant and expensive buildings sold, when we clearly need radical action and thought. The laity have an enormous amount to offer both spiritually and practically but the clergy in this Diocese have no desire to involve us. We are only involved when something is required, normally money. The well of goodwill is running dry - I sincerely hope there are members of the hierarchy who read your editorial.
Stephen Robinson
Penwortham

Out of context
Several statements in the editorial give cause for concern. You refer disapprovingly to a statement of Pope St. Pius X, where he instructs the people to follow their pastors "like a docile flock." But, you have taken the pope’s words out of context.* The quotation is from the encyclical “Vehementer Nos,” issued as a response to the attack on the Church by the then French government. Before the passage quoted, the pope referred to the fact that the bishops have full powers of ruling, teaching, and judging within the Church. He stated that these powers could not be usurped by the state. His reference to the correct attitude of the faithful has to be seen in this context. Leaving this aside, however, what could possibly be wrong in adopting an attitude of docility to the solemn teaching of the Church? When the Good Shepherd teaches his flock through his Church, then docility on the part of the flock is surely the correct Catholic response.

DEPRIVED OF A VOICE

Disappointed
I was very disappointed to note that the inclusion of The Cleator Pilgrimage on 29th May was not in the article; especially when you agreed to put it in. This is one of the only avenues for us to advertise this event. Therefore, I would appreciate if you would include the event in as many church bulletins as possible in order for us to hopefully have a good turn out.
Stephen Scott
West Cumbria

Disappointed
It was very disappointing that, in its May edition, "The Voice" did not give even a mention, let alone the clarion call that was warranted, to the "Right to Life" walk across Morecambe Bay. The paper appeared at an ideal time, two weekends before the walk was to take place. Had readers been invited to take part, or to sponsor, it could have made such a difference. It appears that many people around the diocese did not know about the walk, despite the parishes having been notified well in advance. And yet it took place right in the heart of our diocese, and was led by Archbishop Kelly, bom and bred in Morecambe. Over 150 people did take part, from our diocese and from Liverpool and elsewhere; and some parliamentary candidates gave up a day's campaigning to walk. So it will be very fruitful. But it should have produced an even better result, and much more money is needed. If anyone thinks "I wish I'd known", they can still donate to "Right to Life", PO Box 26264, London W3 9WF. If you do, thank you.
Fr Bob Horn,
Christ the King Presbytery
Blackpool

Disappointed
As one of the team involved in organising the lectures on “Faith in the modern world” at Lancaster cathedral, I was very disappointed to see that they were not advertised in The Voice, as had been agreed. Fr Jaki is one of the most distinguished speakers we are likely to get in Lancaster and it is a great pity that some people might miss him because of this. I do hope that you area able to advertise the remainder of the series in your next issue.
E.M.Atkins
Kirkby Lonsdale
NOTE: Regrettably omissions such as these do occur from time to time and we do apologise. However, as regular readers will know, we do have a weekly news update called The Buzz. This goes out midweek by email to anyone requesting it, currently just over 300. Each of the events mentioned above WAS prominently advertised in The Buzz. Indeed we know of people who attended Fr Jaki’s talk precisely because they had read about it in The Buzz. Make sure you are Buzzed every week. Simply email voicechain@aol.com saying Buzz me please.ED.

Only Connect
Much of April’s astute editorial struck a chord. How blessed are those who have received the gift of faith? It is undoubtedly true that those with faith can 'stir others to belief,' by living out their faith through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. For me that is a clear message of the New Testament.
Because of the human condition people are generally eclectic, dogma is not their strong point. They generally have no cohesive or integrated belief to guide their decisions in life. Instead they gather bits of advice from various sources with limited criteria for judging their value or coherence. In school, many become familiar with Kerygmatic proclamations such as “Jesus is Lord,” “the Son of God,” “he died to save us from our sins," etc. Bet these do not impact on their day to day existence unless, as your editorial said, they see it “'in pictures.” Those with faith can play a key role in this great process of evangelisation, making God's good news known, loved and more importantly lived. Yes it really is that simple. Reflect for a moment on the well-known words of Dorothy Law Nolte.

Water For Africa.
I write this note to you from Lusaka, Zambia. It seems an age since mutual friends of Fr. Paul Swarbrick outlined the problems of water deficiencies within the Chivuna area to me in the summer of 2002.
This is my third visit related to the project, during which I hope to commence the construction programme. As you are aware, my previous visits have been spent in undertaking the required logistics, survey, design and hydro-geological work necessary for such an undertaking.
The most difficult part by far and might I say time consuming has been obtaining the required major funding to permit such a project to proceed. However, I am pleased to inform you that this is now in place, hence my return to Zambia. I am presently negotiating mobilisation of the ‘Contractor’ who I appointed to the Project, for him to be on site by late April early June 2005. Yes! Nothing only the traffic moves speedily here, patience really is a virtue since bureaucracy is endemic in every facet of life. I hope to be well on with the construction in time for the August 2005 ‘Centenary’ of the founding by The Order of Jesus ‘The Jesuits’ as they are known, of the Chikuni Mission in August 1905, now the Diocese of Monze of which Chivuna is a Parish.