I find it surprising that Mike Craven (“Southwark: a very wrong reading”, 19 March) has difficulty with a Catholic archbishop standing up for Catholic teaching. I would not have expected anything else.

I also find it surprising that a Catholic school head and governors should invite a speaker who was clearly antipathetic to Catholic teaching. Did they really think that there would be no repercussions? Was the local parish priest aware of the invitation and, if so, did it have his blessing? If so, I would like to be a fly on the wall listening to the conversation between him and his archbishop.

Do Catholic schools not have a responsibility to promote Catholic teaching rather than taking a neutral view on morals and letting the pupils decide for themselves? If the latter, then they will be Catholic in name only, and not in substance.

John Fryer
New Mills, Derbyshire