Catholic Herald Reporter
rrHE Sword of the Spirit—the Catholic society "for those who see that Britain is no longer an island"—is now working or in touch with 61 Christian arid secular bodies serving international needs, and is represented on many of their committees.
These bodies range from the United Nations Association to War on Want, Freedom from Hunger Campaign, Voluntary Services Overseas, and the Anglican Free Church Conference of British Missionary Societies. This appears from the Sword's 2Ist anniversary report, published this week. It spotlights the Sword's new potential for channelling personnel volunteering for work in developing countries, now that government aid for paying their fares is available. This applies, moreover. to young graduates wishing to work in a specifically Catholic framework. Catholic Overseas Appointments, run by the Sword and the Newman at 239 High Holborn, London, in its first six months arranged 30 salaried appointments, mainly for teaching posts in Africa. The Sword is represented on the Lockwood Committee—the government co-ordinating organ for stimulating interest in overseas service.
Appalled by the lack of knowledge, in this country, of the new European developments. in which many leading Catholics are playing a vital rtile on the continent, the Sword is working hard to get the facts into the schools. It has already given special courses in 170 schools, mostly for sixth formers, and now hopes to extend its work to the secondary schools.
Leadership courses in Africa, seminars at home, interviews with overseas volunteers, attendance at committee meetings . . the work never stops. The whole story is in the report available to non-memhers at The Sword of the Spirit, 162a, Strand, London, W,C.2