Heythrop and the hierarchy
Thank you for opening up public discussion of the threatened closure of the Jesuit flagship in London, Heythrop College (“Heythrop–Roehampton merger thrown into doubt”, News From Britain and Ireland, 2 July).

I am puzzled. Until very recently, Heythrop and Roehampton University were both entirely happy with the proposed partnership (rather than “merger”) between them. Heythrop had a viable future. Now suddenly everything has changed. Why? Your report refers to Cardinal Nichols, president of the bishops’ conference, as a “stakeholder” in Heythrop. Of course the Jesuits would seek the approval of the local hierarchy and the cardinal would give his weighty opinion. That would demand a full response, but surely should not be seen as a veto? As Chancellor of St Mary’s University in Twickenham, Cardinal Nichols would obviously be aware of a potential conflict of interest if he were to appear to be intervening in favour of St Mary’s against what some might see as a rival charitable institution.

Your report states that conflict over the Bellarmine Institute which Heythrop runs “has proved to be the sticking point”. Why should there be a problem? The Bellarmine, which trains primarily seminarians and Jesuit scholastics and awards pontifical degrees, need not go with the parent college to Roehampton. Instead, it could become a collaborative entity in association with other institutions. One of these could be St Mary’s University itself, which would gain expertise and resources beyond its own means. Yet some of the signatories of the staff letter (9 July) tell me that every offer of an alternative model for the Bellarmine has been rejected.