back back to Letters previous previous story  |  next story next

Women bishops, and the holes in the Gruyère

From the Secretary General of the General Synod
Sir, — In the matter of cheese, readers whose consciences have been troubled by Canon Dr Frances Ward’s apparent discovery of episcopal error and consequent blemish in the Legislative Drafting Group’s report (Letters, 23 May) may be grateful for some reassurance.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary describes Gruyère as “Swiss pale cows’-milk cheese with many cavities”.
WILLIAM FITTALL
Church House
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3NZ

From Mr Graham J. Leech
Sir, — The Revd Peter and Mrs Sear (Letters, 16 May) are concerned that it may be necessary to make a round trip of 25 miles in order to “experience the ministry of a woman priest”. Since they presumably regard the ministry of a female priest as fundamentally no different from that of males, this is a little hard to understand, other than on the basis that one might choose to travel to a neighbouring parish, to hear an outstanding preacher, for example.

Perhaps they should instead spare a thought for those thousands of the faithful who, unable in conscience to accept the validity of women’s ordination, have for the past 17 years been forced to travel 25 miles or more each Sunday in order to receive the sacraments from a male priest.
GRAHAM J. LEECH
Huggins Cottage, Back Lane
East Clandon, Surrey GU4 7SD


back back to Letters up back to top previous previous story  |  next story next


© Church Times 2006 - All rights reserved

Website by Baigent