LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Christian Units• and Division
sin.—in accord with your excelknt aiticle on The Spirit of Christmas, may 1 offer some comment on your paragraph, Holy Year Reflections? If we are to seek what unites rather than what divides, we must do what we can to understand one another. Their fellow-countrymen will be helped to understand Catholics if they know that they never claim to be personally " better than other Christians." They do claim to possess truths which are unhappily not shared by other Christians. To compro- mise on these would be neither charitable nor Christian. May not such unhesitating allegiance to what is believed to be the truth evoke in our modern world respect rather than depression ?
As Christians, we shall surely desire that Christmas may become again in Britain a Christian festival in more than " a limited sense." Unless it does so, we stand to lose even those values of kindliness which remain. But if Christianity is to return to multitudes who arc "sheep having no shepherd," the fully Christian education of children is of vital import- ance. It may be held of such importance as to dwarf all other issues— even election issues. In this matter the Catholic is asking for what " he has not already got "— a fair distribution of public moneys to which he contributes his share, in order that poor Catholic parents may be able to have their children educated in schools where they can live their full, religious life. If this case has any claim to be fair, why should it be set aside as " inadmissible: or the attempt to put it before a democratic elec- torate be regarded " with some anxiety," at least by the Christian elements of that electorate ? If we can all agree about the prevention of cruelty to children, should not all Christians agree about the bringing of children [The whole issue, of course, lies in the words " fair " and " fully Christian."—ED., Spectator.]
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