I attended 'The Progressive Pope' event at the Cheltenham Festival at which your literary Editor, one of the panellists, made the point that Pope Francis's revolution lay in his willingness to listen to the laity, chat to ordinary people in the canteen and generally let light into the Vatican, which should receive petitions and be less dictatorial.
Surely this represents a paradox with the celibate hierarchy meeting to discuss The Family.
Mary McAleese, The former President of Ireland, said I have one question for these Cardinals 'which one of you has ever changed a nappy?'
To this one might add experienced marital infidelity, drunken husbands, nagging wives, wayward children, trouble at school, miserable financial shortage, unplanned pregnancies, juggling child care with work and the daily struggle of family life. One of the panellists said that by being parish priests the clergy understand all this through the confessional etc.
This is rather like saying one knew all about the horrors of the Somme by talking to one of the survivors.
These comfortable elderly men have the unconscious arrogance to discuss and make decisions on matters, which affect the vast majority, of which they have no direct experience, by having a jolly time in Rome at our expense.
Tony Chambers, London SE1
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