Page 2, 22nd July 1949

22nd July 1949

Page 2

Page 2, 22nd July 1949 — POINTS FROM LETTERS
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POINTS FROM LETTERS

The German Diaspora May I refer to Mr. J. Gicrtych's letter in your issue of July 8. The figure of 12 million persons of German origin forced from their homes in the East to find a new home in the present frontiers of Germany is given by Mr. J. I. Norris of the War Relief Service of the National Catholic Welfare Conference in U.S.A. I would apologise for any looseness of statement that might have implied they all came front Poland.
The figures of those who disappeared on the way are estimates made in the one case by an American Committee quoted by a speaker at the Evangelical Conference held at Bielefeld in 1948, and in the other in a contribution made by the evangelical Dr. C. D. von Trotha to the proceedings of the Amsterdam "Oecumenical" Conference, 1948. There are no exact figures except for small groups: but of one Catholic group of 733,000 it appears that one-third cannot now be traced.
In the absence of exact figures, 1 viould suggest that the conditions of an enforced journey are such as to make the perhaps some dozens ' -Mr. Gicrtych's estimate of those who owed their death to their expulsion, appear definitely improbable. A migration which increases the population of many German provinces by figures up to 33 per cent could not take place quite as smoothly as Mr. Gicrtych believes. -C. E. ROBIN. 29 Wadhurst Road, Birmingham, 17.
The Term " Anglican"
do not think that your correspondent need be worried about the use of the word " Anglican " to describe those who are members of
t he Established Church. That Church was neither Lutheran nor Calvinistic; it had a distinctively " national" character and the term " Anglican " was first used for that reason. It was clear that neither Anglian nor English would suit the case for Catholics are not prepared to call the Anglicans the English Church. The Catholic Church in England. we hold, has a prescriptive right still to be called the religion of
our country. Of course when an Anglo-Catholic party developed in the Anglican Church it became convenient for them to refer back to the "Ecclesiana Anglicana " in support of their continuity theory; but that is only a theory, the theory of a party. and the meaning of Anglicanism is still clear to the world at large. There is no need to unsettle II.
At the same time I feel quite sure that this is an age when all Christians must be thankful for their points of agreement and in many ways, without surrender of principle, we must work together. At least we have a common enemy -a godless materialism, that need not here be further specified. So let us all stick to the positive side of things, let us try to love and respect each other, avoid hard words, and close our ranks before the onslaught of AntiChrist-C. G. MORTIMER, 2 White Buildings, Lee-on-Solent.
Protestant Churches in Spain
Whether or not it be true that Protestants in Spain are only allowed to build places of worship provided that they do not look like a church, it seems to me as an entire outsider, that contemplating the really monstrous ugliness, the almost blasphemous caricatures of Christian churches that dissenting bodies so notoriously and profusely erect in this country, there would be every excuse for the prohibition of anything of the kind by any Government anywhere. I write, as you know neither as a Catholic nor a Christian, in spite of the anonymous correspondent who regularly and abusively accuses me after you have done me the honour of publishing any letter of mine of being a Papist propagan di st.-K AIKHOSISU SHAM:Rif SORABJ1, Ellem Cote, East Street, Cork Castle, Wareham, Dorset.
Archbishop Beran
Margery Eden's suggestions concerning Archbishop Reran are
commendable but limited. Individual protests are immeasurably superior to corporate telegrams and petitions. If only eyery active Catholic would make a five-minute effort and overwhelm the Cabinet, Foreign Ministers, Board of Trade, local M.P.s and Party secretaries. with calls for action, the effect would be more noticeable. To take things a
step . further. prepare postcards, stamped and addressed, band them to apathetic Catholics and all professing Christians, so that only a personal address and signature are required of them. To ensure the protest, witness the signature, collect and post the card.-P. J. LYNCH, Widnes.
Non-Latin Rites
In common with many other British Catholics. I have had the privilege during the last few months of assisting at Mass in non-Latin rites, celebrated for the benefit of the European Volunteer Workers now living in the neighbourhaad. While doing so, it has occurred to me that, ostensibly at least, these people take a far more active share in the Drama of the Mass than do we Catholics of England.
While, obviously. true devotion is not necessarily demonstrated by singing or chanting aloud, the fervent singing of these Catholics throughout the Sacred Liturgy seems a striking contrast to the passive attendance at a Latin rite Low Mass by an English congregation, frequently without missals or prayer-hooks of any kind.-(Miss) Issien Correia (aged 16 years), 35 Wynne Street, Bolton, Lanes.
Position of the Sanctuary May I thank most cordially all the kind people who answered my recent query concerning the position of the sanctuary. There was a spate of letters and much helpful information and interest was derived from them. Needless to say, the information was sought because the church I hope to build later on will have to have its sanctuary facing west. -Nelms PRIEST.
Query I should be very grateful if any of your readers could suggest where I might he able to obtain copies of English Vespers--with the pointing of the Psalms indicated. Half a dozen copies would be sufficient for our small choir here in Pwllheli.M. Keerry, 32 King's Head Street, PwIlheli, Caerns., N, Wales. St. Thomas More's Picture
An eyewitness of St. Thomas More's martyrdom describes his emaciated face and long beard.
Yes, the engraving is rather " hitty-missy," the reasons being (a) lack of skill, (b) enlargement for the
purposes of reproduction. It was done about nine years ago. THE ENGRAVER.
May I suggest to Ivor Hael that HolheM has shown us what St. Thomas More looked like when he was at home in his family circle. Mr. J. Bolton's lovely engraving I feel is meant to depict St. Thomas More in the last days of his earthly life. Having seen the bleak stone cells in which he and St. John Fisher spent their last days on earth, I imagine both these great Saints suffered much from loss of sleep and from weariness in their cells; and St. Thomas, I feel, would not have worried about such a trivial matter as shaving: his bodily discomfort must have been severe. MARTIN B. WHITWORTH, 14 Fordington Lane, Ealing, W.5.
Basil Aldridge
In my recent letter to you I referred to Basil Aldridge (Oblate, 0.S.B.) as an American. This, I find, is an error. The author of The Spirit of St. Benedict is English and is resident in England. The book referred to was printed by St. John's Abbey Press, Collegeville. U.S.A. I apologise to yourself and to the author for any inconvenience caused by my mistake. Mae BROOKS, St. Mary's Gate, Arundel. Sussex.
Catholic Apathy in Docks and Elsewhere
The apathy of Catholic dockers and other participators in unofficial strikes, so rightly deplored by Bob Mellish recently seems to me just one more symptom of the general passiveness which is so well illustrated by our "dumb spectator" congregations at Mass. Catholics, as a body, are not used to taking part articulately even in major matters immediately touching their Faith. The great majority of the congregation never read a prayer book-let alone a Catholic paper or pamphlet on current matters vital to their Faith.
Why should we expect this .body of dumb spectators to spring to life when they (misled and exploited as they may be) think their own bread and butter interests are at stake, or their much-prized labour solidarity?
Among many others, I have protasted before in your columns against the dreary moribund nature of our public worship-which does so little to express the Faith that is in, or should be in, us. But I do earnestly believe that this is not unrelated to the limpness of our people in public life. CONS1ANCE HOLT, 465 Russell Court, London, W.C.I.
" Descendant of St. Thomas a Becket" Don't you think your head-line writer's obvious slip about a " descendant of St. Thomas a Becket is rather an unfortunate one in a country like England? It reminds me of two French girls I once met who told me with pride: " We are a leetle descended from some of St. Thomas of Canterbury." Only in your case the same meaning is buried more deeply under perfectly good English !-K. M. B.
Mussolini and the Church Having made the statement, " when I covered the destructions and persecutions of religious life by Mussolini," in her article in THE. CATHOLIC HERALD of July 15, will Elisabeth Castonier give details (if she can) of the alleged " persecutions and destructions of religious life" by Mussolini? r have always understood that during the regime of Mussolini the Lateran Concordat was signed with goodwill upon both sides. MICHAEL E. G. HUNFLEY, Hon. Sec., 1.a Societe degli Amici D'Italia, 3 St. Peters, Bethersden, Nr. Ashford, Kent.
English Missal I disagree with Mr. Downey when he says it is " utterly ridiculous" to have the English and Latin in the same Missal. I ant sure there are many people who follow the Priest with the Latin in their Missals, but who nevertheless, also like to read in English some of the prayers, Epistles and Gospels. It is also good front time to time, to read the Mass in-English to help in following and understanding more clearly what the Priest is saying.-Deses J. COLLIN, B.80 Bath Hill Court, Bournemouth.
Religious Vocations
I have been rather disturbed of late by some advertisements in con• nection with the above. Several times I have seen mention of " pleasant surroundings," but I think the limit was reached by the advertisement for an Extern Sister, in which she mentions " good food" and " homely quarters." -A. T. C.
[Should they advertise bad food
and every discomfort ? Darrow C..'.'




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