LENTEN PRAYER MAY CONTINUE
I have yet to meet the Catholic A who likes Lent. For most of us there is a feeling of guilt if we do nothing about it and a sense of depression if our resolutions are earnest and to the point. This gloom is often due to a negative outlook which sees Lent as a time when we must give something up. Those escape it who attempt a more positive resolution by adding to their prayers. A friend told me recently that he always spent IS minutes in a city Church on tile way home from work. He had done this for 23 years. The practice began as a Lenten resolution and had become a constant joy. Another told me how she started reciting the Office of Our Lady daily as a Lenten penance and had now maintained the practice for years. In these days when fasting and almsdeeds are so difficult, we do not err it we concentrate on prayer.
FILM SHOWS 'FAST week in Birmingham T met " Mr. W. N. _Hoskin. the energetic apostle of the Catholic film
shows, whose first experiments
were mentioned in this column years ago, Mr. Hoskin now has a van for his equipment and he is hooked for every Sunday of the year. He goes round to youth clubs and to Parish halts to show his programmes and finds that he get a most encouraging response. After working all day in an office, he is ready at any moment to give a show. He has many films and film strips of his own and also hires well-known films like -Isle of Sinners," "Keys of the Kingdom" and " King of Kings." It was interesting to hear of the great success of this famous old silent film of Our .Lord's life and death. Mr. Hoskin finds that a silent film Iii the Passion is doubly popular and successful ; the audience can Sit in peace, watch the scenes and say its own private prayers. Those in the Midlands who are interested should write to W. N. Hoskins, 18 Duchess Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham 16.
FILM GROUP
VROM London comes news of a similar apostolate run by a body which calls itself the Apostolica Film Group. The members of this group give their time without charge and the expenses for a full programme are very slight.
The founder of the group, Mr. Brennan, is a Dublin man. now arts master in a well-known London school. He and his friends, many of them schoolmasters, feel that religion can best be taught and made interesting by the use of visual aids. They have a beautiful set of films. most of them, I think, made by the Salesian Fathers in Italy and can give an hour's programme on the Passion or on the Holy Mass. Very soon they hope to have a film on the ceremonies of Holy Week which should have a very wide parochial appeal. 1 hose interested should write to the secretary, Apostolica Film Group. 66 Elms Road, Clapham Park, SW 4.
MARRIAGE
THE advanced training day of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council brought more than ltal people on a filthy wet day to St. Mary's Convent, Fitzjohn's Avenue. The average age of the audience. viewed from the platform, might be set at 23. On the platform with Pr. O'Leary were three doctors who chipped in during a vigorous and refreshing discussion. The two sessions lasted three hours and without a dull moment. As an outsider I found myself very much impressed with the enthusiasm of so many young Catholics who wanted an answer to the Family Planning Clinics. was also much touched by the kindness and competence of the panel of experts and indignant that so little has been done in past years to help them in the spread of their vital apostolate. When one thinks of all the many organisations, shrines, pilgrimages, schools and all the money collected for so many different causes. it seemed unfortunate that so little was being done to finance the central office of the Catholic 'Marriage Advisory Council and the branches which should exist in every town. At any rate there can be no doubt about the interest of many young lay. people in a problem which is very much their concern.
TAILPIECE
A N American told the stars or ' the person who in confession said to the pastor: "I have eaten meat on Friday."
"Was it a mistake?" asked the priest.
"No Father," said the penitent. " sausages."