Vital principles for Pastoral Congress

THERE is a confusion about the projected National Catholic Pastoral Congress. It is called "Pastoral". a Congress for the pastores, the shepherds of the flock of Christ.
Yet the laity. the sheep of the clock, are summoned to it in great numbers to take an active part. Are the sheep to discuss and comment upon the shepherds? or is there to be a general mix-up, with invincible ignorance clogging and confusing the spiritual and professional competence of the clergy on a national scale? Surely such dangerous absurdity should not be permitted.
But on the constructive side, since the laity, particularly parents, already have from God their own vital responsibilities which are basic to the pastoral is it not clear that the Congress will only be saved from fiasco if they are confined to these?
That is, to what distinctly comes within their own area of eompetence? Would not such a division of labour serve to genuinely useful purpose? The present great dangers to the Church arise not from direct attack upon it. but from the ferocious assault on life itself and on morality.
Like many Catholic parents, I doubt if there is a single moral principle which is not .nowadays the target of vicious ridicule. or any foulness which is not being foisted, often forced, on our people, mostly the young.
Of the abortion slaughter going on daily in our English hospitals, Catholics need no reminder.
Against this tide of evil the Catholic laity at a National Congress could bring a telling counter-attack by concentrating on the four vital principles which operate any civilised country. These are the integrity of the procreative function, and the sanctity of life in the womb; the sovereignty of the natural moral law over all men whether Christian or not; the education of the young in natural virtue as well as in the principles of religion; and the duty, binding upon all, of fostering genuine Christian patriotism which is the guardian, in the natural order, of the three foregoing. It is also a cardinal principle of Catholic social doctrine.
For the protection of these four principles to the limit of our ability, we are answerable to God. They form the only milieu upon which and within which the Pastoral work of the Church can operate,
Harold N1cCrone 'Northants PAUL ROGERS' Lifestyle "Problems in store for Pastoral Congress", March 21, runs "with luck (the Pastoral Congress) will address itself to the wider social environment in which we will he living in the I 980s..."
Surely it's not a matter of "luck"?
Christ Our Lord said that where two or three gather together in His Name He will be there among them and so, assuredly. He %sill be there among the 2,0(X1 peispie who will gather in His name in Liverpool in a few .weeks' time.
As our Archbishops and Bishops wrote in their Joint Pastoral Letter, read last Sunday, the Congress will work "in a spirit of faith and an atmosphere of prayer".
Surely this is the true perspective of Liverpool? And if we are concerned about what the Congress will say (and even if we're not!), let us commend it to the care of the Lord. in our prayer between now and May.
As regards the "wider social environment". the agenda for the Congress indicates that it will indeed be much concerned with this — peace, defence, disarmament. human rights and social justice at home and abroad, and many other areas of concern are all there.
I very much hope, though, that people will not feel tempted to judge the success, usefulness and achievement of the NPC just on the basis of whether or not they approve of what it says.
Rather, its "success" will depend on the extent to which we, individually and collectively, review our relationship with the Lord and renew our commitment to Him and His service.
I again echo the Joint Pastoral Letter: "The gathering at Liverpool is no more than a staging-point. Its effect will he limited unless its task is shared and appreciated in every parish. But it is God's work . .. We must repent our failings and lay ourselves open to the Spiritof God to lead us where He wills".
Elizabeth Mothersill London NW4
WITH six other delegates from the county (and deanery) of Cornwall I seek reassurance, so far not vouschafed us from even the highest quarters, that our small voice may contribute effectively to the National Pastoral Congress and that we may be able to return to our mostly rural and very scattered community with some good new for them.
The organisation of the Congress which has resulted in our diocesan team of 35 delegates being splintered across 35 topics (not all of which have featured in our report) leads us to fear otherwise. Do any other delegates feel the same way?
Cornwall Fr Peter Welsh Co-ordinator for Cornwall and delegate