SIR – On returning to the Philippines after 10 years in England, after a particularly exasperating day dealing with corrupt bureaucrats who applied glacial efficiency with anyone who would not pay a bribe, I lost my temper. It was clear that nothing had changed, just new paint on the walls and softer chairs for the clerks (our overlords) in the government office.
A few years and plenty of episodes later, we turned to prayer. For several months before our last elections we prayed each morning for change and a good president. It was clear to us that the establishment candidates had nothing whatsoever to offer
the country.
President Duterte (Week in Review, August 19) was a last-minute entry. He could see not only what the problems affecting the people were, but also what needed to be done in order to succeed in tackling them, where others had lacked any real resolve.
Many of the elite in the Church oppose him as his manner is less cordial than they are used to, and he was quick to challenge them to reform their hypocrisy, offering to provide a list of clerics with mistresses and offspring; even in the Church the problems are well known but there is an unwillingness to change.
Duterte seems to have had a rather unfair press so far, in my opinion. I think he is the best chance the country has had in living memory, as he never sought power but rather took up the gauntlet because he knew he must, not because he wanted to. That is a mark of authentic leadership. I think history will view Duterte as a man who walked with destiny and gave his country the opportunity to change.
Yours faithfully,
Stephen Clark
By email
SIR – Melissa Kite (Notebook, September 2) is surely right to remind us that it is wrong to patronise those with whom we disagree or to suggest that they are not intelligent. However, I think in relation to varying Catholic responses to the EU referendum campaign her article misses the point.
As far as Catholics are concerned, the concerns many of us had (and still have) about Leave voters was not to do with their intelligence but far more important things, such as a basic understanding of Christian teachings such as charity. One obvious example: evidence suggests that the Leave campaign won largely because of its focus on immigration. This focus was completely at odds with the teachings of the Catholic Church. The low point was reached with the notorious poster unveiled by Nigel Farage in early June.
The Holy Father, in line with Catholic social teaching, has repeatedly called on Catholics in the whole of Europe to do more to support refugees. The authentic Christian response to the place immigration played in the referendum debate was (and is): “How in this country can we receive more refugees and support them?” The Leave campaign was not saying this, quite the reverse. (I am not, by the way, defending the Remain campaign’s inadequate response on this issue.)
The problem with Catholic Leave campaigners and voters was (with some exceptions) that they didn’t apply the insights of our moral tradition to back up their case (to argue, for example, that leaving the EU might enable us to give hospitality to a greater number of refugees). Instead, people thought (and still think) that our teaching was basically irrelevant to the debate. This enabled many Catholics to ignore the selfishness and outright racism of the campaigners they supported.
You don’t need to be intelligent or intellectual to recognise this: it is simply about faithfulness to the Gospel and the Church’s moral teachings.
Yours faithfully,
Fr Ashley Beck
Senior Lecturer in Pastoral Ministry, St Mary’s University, Twickenham, Middlesex
SIR – The Ordinariate is grateful for Damian Thompson’s past and continuing support (Cover story, August 26). While we share, to a great extent, his vision for the future of the Ordinariate, he may be unaware of the progress that has already been made towards this vision.
The original structure of the Ordinariate sprang into being almost overnight when 900 laity and 60 priests were received into the Catholic Church at Easter 2011. The location of the groups and priests was defined simply by those who chose to accept Benedict XVI’s offer rather than by any strategic design.
The need to find accommodation and remuneration for clergy was urgent, and what was found, with the help of the local bishops, was not always ideal. Some groups flourished from the start, others struggled, and it was always clear there would need to be a reorganisation.
Following a detailed survey and report, a group met to plan the next stage of the Ordinariate in Britain. The medium-term goals include strategically identifying those centres which can support a full Ordinariate life, seeking more parishes to be put under Ordinariate care and fostering pioneer priests to bring the Ordinariate to new areas.
Progress is already being made towards all these aims. Ordinariate priests are being redeployed, priests have been moved to diocesan parishes more appropriate for their Ordinariate groups, new parishes have been manned by Ordinariate clergy and the Torbay group has bought its own church building. More and more groups are regularly using the Divine Worship Missal, which we continue to encourage.
We realise that we still have a way to go, but believe that by working with and alongside the dioceses we can achieve our goal of a strong Ordinariate presence across the country.
Yours faithfully,
Fr Simon Chinery
Communications officer, Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
By email
SIR – It is a pity that Fr Ed Tomlinson did not give you the full story of the great work he has done in providing a more worthy place of worship at Pembury.
Archbishop Peter Smith, in consultation with his fellow trustees and the diocesan finance committee, made available to Fr Ed a diocesan grant of £30,000 to help fund the construction of a new hall at Pembury and thus free up the “unlovely community hall” for a more suitable setting for Mass.
Most of the remainder of the cost of the new hall was financed by long-term loans from supportive parishes in the diocese. Those attending Mass at Pembury have also been extremely supportive and generous.
Yours faithfully,
Canon John Weatherill
Episcopal Vicar for Finance, Archdiocese of Southwark
By email
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