THE LAY APOSTOLATE

A Diocesan Exhortation
To the subject of the apostolate of the laity the Bishop of Brentwood devotes the main part of his Lenten pastoral. His Lordship says that large numbers of Catholics in the diocese may possibly not even have heard of the joint pastoral letter which was read last year, and he impresses upon the Brentwood clergy the duty of bringing that pastoral, in detail, to the notice of the people.
" For the moment," Mgr. Doubleday writes, " we would stress this Lent as last for the consideration of clergy and people alike the statement of the joint pastoral' The lay apostles will acquire a sound knowledge of Christian principles which they will endeavour to apply to the problems of everyday life.' If Catholic Action in this diocese is to be the success we hope for, we must recognise the duty that lies with us, some to impart, others to receive adequate instruction in Catholic doctrine and principles.
" For many years the Confraternity of Christian doctrine has been established in this diocese. It has been under the direction of the Religious Inspectors and its progress has been reported upon by them to the Bishop. The report usually confines itself to stating whether in conformity with a decree of the First Provincial Council of Westminster a Sunday school has been opened in a district, and if so, the number of scholars that attend.
" We are now asking our Chief Inspector to appoint one of his assistants to supervise the confraternity and its work. It will be for parish priests to apply to him for particulars as to the erection of confraternities in their parishes, and for him to advise and report with regard to the teaching given in Sunday schools and in day schools to scholars who are attending Council schools.
After-School Care " While we recognise the excellence of the Catholic teaching given in our Catholic schools," the Bishop continues, " and rejoice that we now have the opportunity of continuing it in primary schools until the scholar is fifteen years of age, we are not at all satisfied that sufficient attention is being paid to its development during the probationary period of fourteen to eighteen when school-life is over.
" Would it not be possible for clergy and teachers to form an after-care committee in connection with every school, to endeavour to keep in touch with every
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boy and girl who leaves a Catholic school, and encourage all past scholars to revisit the school regularly and look upon it as a second home'?
" It is our view that personal individual interest by Catholic men and women, not necessarily of a higher class in life, in boys and girls who leave our schools, is the best safeguard for the retention and natural development of the principles and prac tices acquired in school years, We again repeat that the whole future of Catholic religion in this country depends upon our schools, not only primary but secondary as well. The school is the priest's workshop."
(Irish Pastorals—page 15).