" was amazed that in this fifth year of war the monks at Ampleforth could do so much for their 230 guests," says a reader who attended last week's first summer school of the University ' Catholic Federation held in the Yorkshire Abbey. He had been impressed by the hospitality shown, and by the facilities allowed to visitors to take full part in the church services.
All who 'attended took to their week's work in real earnest, and are already looking forward to a much bigger meeting to be arranged next summer—and it is hoped in happier days—at Oxford.
The subject of the school was " The Christian Tradition," which was discussed from various points of view, including Education, History, Science, Medicine, Sqcial Science and Law. It opened with Pontifical High Mass sung by the Abbot of Ampleforth, in the presence of the Bishop of Middlesbrough.
Said the Abbot as he welcomed the visitors: " I congratulate you all on having feminine fire and masculine moderation, feminine hituition and masculine logic."
Points from the speeches included three suggestions by Miss Barbara Ward, who had dealt fully with the menace of materialism. She felt there was a need for:
(1) More popular Catholic works of history to put the materialist conception in its proper place; (2) More attention by psychologists and psychiatrists to the development of Christian Psychology. since each age tends to be converted by what interests,it most; (3) The realisation that the most effective argument for the Christian life is to see it lived. "To convert others we must first convert ourselves."
Dom Valentine P. Nevill, 0.S.B., Headmaster of Ampleforth, remarked: " There is the danger of causing spiritual indigestion by insisting on too much formalism in religion, and boys should not be encouraged to live
merely in religious feelings and ti mentality. The emphasis should be
on Mass and the Sacraments."
Mr. R. A. Twomey, M.A., B.Sc, was particularly interesting in the plans he gave for the " Newman Certificate," consisting of four subjects, viz., (1) New Testament, Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine; (2) Catholic Social and International Principles: (3) The Life of Newman and one of his works; (4) Special subject to be chosen by candidate.
The speeches are to be printed and made available to the general public.