Archbishop Malcolm McMahon (The Tablet interview, 20/27 December) says that “while you cannot change doctrine, you can alter how it is applied”. Although I have been hearing about doctrine for about 75 years, I cannot ever recall being told that doctrine is something you apply. Surely, it is something to be believed? However, if this idea becomes generally accepted, especially by Pope Francis, then we are certainly into an era of effective doctrine reapplication. In fact, we may as