The new leader meets his clergy

I HEAR that Archbishop
Heenan made a very favourable impression on the clergy Of his new Archdiocese when he met them en masse last week. It is no secret that his appointment had caused some misgivings in the clergy ranks. The new Archbishop immediately disarmed his critics by admitting that he had made mistakes in the past. He added at once that Ile was quite sure that he would make them in the future. But the general opinion seemed to be that what is needed now is a leader who is prepared to risk mistakes and that the biggest mistake would be to do nothing.
1 learn that Archbishop Heenan encouraged his priests to ensure a Nuptial Mass for every Catholic wedding, even if the ceremony was fixed for the afternoon or evening General permission for evening Masses was also given.
On mixed marriages, he wants flowers and music to be provided: an innovation which 1 expect will be very welcome to non-Catholics.
Glowing terms IAN the public at large. the new Archbishop.has already made a very marked impression. 1 can vouch particularly for Fleet Street. where journalists are speaking in glowing terms of his approachability and understanding. The tribute from the normally caustic-penned Cassandra in Monday's Daily Mirror and the obvious warmth of the journalists who interviewed him on television on Sunday evening were proofs of this. Archbishop Heenan is clearly not afraid of the press and the television screen. He is determined to use them to further his work. It is this directness of approach, as well as his sincerity and charm, which have endeared him to a profession not noted for easy capitulation.
Prince for breakfast OT everyone can boast of having breakfast with an Indian prince during their summer holidays. But that is just what Mr. Leo Sharratt and Miss Maureen Need did during a. 15,000-mile trip through thirteen countries to a remote mountainous area of North-East Pakistan.
Mr. Sharratt. aged 29, an art teacher at St. Aidian's, Sunderland, and Miss Need, aged 30, a State Registered Nurse. both of Durham, were two of the members of • a five-strong British TudorShohi expedition which left the U.K. for the Himalayas in June.
Their journey involved a crossing of the 600-mile wide Lut Desert,
in Persia. and a 90-mile trek through the Himalayan foothills with 40 pound loads on their backs. Mr. Sharratt told me this week that the Himalayas were "impressive beyond our wildest dreams".
On their return home this week, they could talk of little else hut their breakfast with Prince Sirejudin, of Nagar. in the shadow or the huge Himalayan peaks. They sat down to breakfast in his garden. and ate a five-course meal consisting of bunches of grapes, chicken wings and legs, savoury omelettes, chapatis, and wild honey, Not bad, compared with B & 13 in the average English boarding house.
Happy families OCTOBER sees publication of the first issue of a new monthly magazine devoted to Christian family living. Called "Marriage". it is produced by the Helicon Press, of Dublin. Eire.
The editor is Fr. Thames Waldron. Hc will be assisted, amongst others, by Fr. Maurice O'Leary, S.T.L.. Chairman of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, who will be familiar to readers of the CATH0L1C HERALD as a contributor of articles and reviews on the subject of marriage.
"Marriage" costs 2s, per copy. or 28s. for -a year's subscription. The first issue has 64 pages. and introduces what are to he regular features of the magazine, includin4 a problems page, where readers questions will be answered. and a commentary on current news and opinions called "Family hront".
No way in HOW many crippled or disabled persons arc unable to go to Church simply because of the sheer physical impossibility of negotiating steps, gratings, doors, etc? This question is being brought home to the many churchgoers who never think of it by a display, in Coventry Cathedral, which is open until October 4.
The theme of the display is SUFI-11111%i up in a six-foot high photograph, showing a man in a wheelchair, and a woman on crutches, at the foot of the steps of a church, watching the able bodied mount them in a blur of movement. This photogreph is headed with the words "No way in": The exhibition is the result of collaboration between the cathedral authorities and the Central Council for the Disabled, which is Sponsoring "Help the Disabled Week" from October 6 to 12.
Formerly know as the Central Council for the Care of Cripples ta name rejected on the grounds that it sounds too negative). the Council has so far held four of these annual weeks, which were begun when a survey indicated that the general public was not sufficiently aware Of the many problems which face the handicapped. Special events planned for this year's week include church services for the disabled, craft exhibitions. window displays, and open days at occupational therapy centres and clubs. In Birmingham, there is an exhibition of housing specially designed for the disabled. As a result of the week, it is hoped that members of the general public will come forward to help with the work of the Council, a body which is needless to say, non-profit-making. Even a friendly visit is more than many lonely people, who are disabled, can look forward to at present.
His last rounds
VR. JOSE-LUIS CARRF.NO,
S.D.F1.. writes in from his post at the Don Bosco Seminary, at Canlubang. in Laguna. the Philippines. to appeal for books for the new Salesian seminary, which is lust beginning out there.
In spite of the fact that the Philippines have nsorc than twice as many Catholics as the whole of continental Asia, there are only half as many priests as India has to minister to theist.
Himself a missionary in India for thirty years, Fr. Carreno says that he is happy to the his last rounds of ammunition in the Philippines. because, he says. "1 know of no field of the apostolate as challenging as this". I hope that some. at least. -of our readers, will help Fr. Carrera) to make his. last rounds of ammunition effective.
60 years a Brother TODAY (Friday) marks the sixtieth year in the Irish Christian Brothers of Brother Michael Carthage Wall. Last August. he completed 45 consecutive years of service in England (over half of them in Liverpool), and now, at the age of seventy-six. he lives in retirement at Prior Park. Bath. where he still does a little teaching. Born in Ireland. he entered religion in October. 1903. and later gained his B.Sc. at the National University of Ireland. His firit teaching appointment was at St. Edward's College, Liverpool (formerly the Catholic Institute).
After a period at St. Brendan's, Bristol, he was sent to Stoke-onTrent, in 1932. to found a new college, dedicated to St. Joseph. He was the college's first superior, and was subsequently deputy headmaster at St. Boniface's, Plymouth and St. Edward's. Liverpool, where he became Superior in 1943.
Elected Superior of the English Province in 1953, he was forced to resign five years later by bad health.
Spaciousness THE Church of St. Thomas More. at Swiss Cottage, Hampstead, celebrated its Silver Jubilee last week-end, This little church has an interesting history. In the spring of 1938 Cardinal }Tinsley obtained the freehold of the property belonging to Mr. Philip de Laszlo, the celebrated portrait painter.
The nrooerty was considerable. consisting of El large house, garages, grounds and—the studio. The Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross were invited to purchase the house and to make their first foundation in England. They accepted and the first four sisters took up residence the same year
After considerable reconstruc• tion the studio became the parish church and was dedicated to Si Thomas More. The first Mass was said by Cardinal Hinsley on September 29, 1938
Extensive alterations were made after the war; the church was extended to give a seating capacity for 500 people and a fine marble altar was installed as well as a marble Sanctuary and altar rails In spite of being a long. low building, the church gives the impression of spaciousness. To mark the occasion of the Jubilee. an exhibition was organised in the parish hall. behind the church. This was well set out and illustrated the history and development of the parish. Interesting material had been loaned. and also on display was one of the church's greatest treasures—a set of vestments worn by St. Pius X in the year 1907, which was given to the church by an anonymous donor in 1954.
Nottingham
IHAVE been asked to correct a mistake which I made, recently. in Whitefriars Chronicle. when I said that the Newman Association's Ectucatinn Conference was to he held in Norwich from October 25 to 27. It is. of course, in Nottingham that the Conference is to take place. My apologies to all concerned.