I was pleased to read Christopher Lamb’s article (“Lessons in survival”, 19 July) on the putative alliance between Heythrop College and St Mary’s University, Twickenham, but sad that he completely missed the potential in such a proposal by focusing only on Heythrop’s financial struggles. A brief review of St Mary’s accounts reveals it to be in robust financial health. Last year the university generated surplus, and in addition owns major sites within easy reach of Heathrow without recourse to mortgage or encumbering security. In the last Research Assessment Exercise its theology department compared favourably to Heythrop’s. A Jesuit-led faculty of theology and religious studies linked to – or in collaboration with – St Mary’s wou