The Catholic bishops want £8.4 million to fund their 'initiatives'
Don't give it to them
The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has drawn up an £8.4 million shopping list of 'initiatives' that it wants wealthy donors to pay for. My advice to millionaires: politely decline, and give the money instead to better Catholic causes, such as the Westminster Cathedral appeal or the terrific charity Aid to the Church in Need.
Why? Because the Bishops' Conference has not carried out its promise to reform itself, making do instead with a bit of tinkering. So its 'Faith in the Future' programme still prominently features quasi-political projects such as 'promoting environmental justice' (£210,000), while the same old crowd are in charge of the bureaucracy.
The demand for £245,000 for 'formation of liturgical ministry' sounds innocent enough - but my experience is that the only thing that does more damage to parish worship than a liturgical minister is a trained liturgical minister (i.e., a Tablet reader who has been given a diocesan licence to boss around ordinary Catholics).
The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has drawn up an £8.4 million shopping list of 'initiatives' that it wants wealthy donors to pay for. My advice to millionaires: politely decline, and give the money instead to better Catholic causes, such as the Westminster Cathedral appeal or the terrific charity Aid to the Church in Need.
Why? Because the Bishops' Conference has not carried out its promise to reform itself, making do instead with a bit of tinkering. So its 'Faith in the Future' programme still prominently features quasi-political projects such as 'promoting environmental justice' (£210,000), while the same old crowd are in charge of the bureaucracy.
The demand for £245,000 for 'formation of liturgical ministry' sounds innocent enough - but my experience is that the only thing that does more damage to parish worship than a liturgical minister is a trained liturgical minister (i.e., a Tablet reader who has been given a diocesan licence to boss around ordinary Catholics).
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