SWORD REVIVAL PACKS ANNUAL

MEETING
By a Sim', Reporter The Newman International Centre's premises in London proved too small for the Ninth Annual General Meeting of the Sword of the Spirit on Saturday last which was attended by over two hundred members reflecting the recent renewed interest in the movement, 'Present were a record number of members from outside the London area; some 60 came from the North and Midlands, a result of the growth of the cell and group movement there. Preston, Eccles, Bootle, Widnes, Carlisle, were among those represented. Two members had travelled from Scotland.
The two big, certain tasks of the Sword in the coming year, said Mr. A. C. F. Beaks, the newly-elected chairman, would he to continue to campaign on the question of human rights in Eastern Europe and support in every way possible the bishops' solution of the schools problem. Mr. Beales outlined at some length the history and aims of the Sword' of the Spirit, the need for which, he said, had been created by the onset of the totalitarian impact on the free mind.
On a resolution of the Executive Committee it was decided to amend the Constitution to include among the means by which its aims may be realised " the formation of groups and cells for training of members."
A resolution, proposed by Mr. Austin Smith, of Eccles, who typifies the Sword Members, trained by Mgr. Beauchamp during the war, and who have been responsible for a great deal of the movement's recent local activity, urged that the " intensive training courses should be planned and carried out in all parts of the country."
Mr. Peter McDonald, also of Eccles, said that their members had interviewed local M.P.s and candidates and the influence of those interviews was already to be detected in some of the speeches they were now making. The present expansion of the movement was noted in a resolution from Leeds which urged the setting up of diocesan, regional or district bodies for the co-ordination of acti
vities of groups and cells, in order to put the present revival on a secure footing.
The result of the ballot for the Executive Committee was as follows: Chairman, Mr. A. C. F. Scales, Hon. Sec., Miss Mary Garson, Hon, Treasurer, Mr. Roche. Committee members, Miss M. Bunt, Mr. Michael Derrick, Sir Henry Digby-Beste, Lt.Col. C. E. G. Hope, Mr. Douglas Hyde, Fr. H. Keldany.
Mrs. Beales. the former Hon. Sec.. had not let her name go forward for re-election as her husband had stood for the Chairmanship, but, along with Col. Stevens, she was elected by the meeting on to the Council.