I wonder how many readers were struck by the contrasting ideas expressed in your two reports on the same page of difficulties faced by the Brentwood and Southwark dioceses (News From Britain and Ireland, 3 September)?

In “Diocese faces £4.5m shortfall for clergy support”, when he explained the case for a Clergy Support Fund, Canon John Weatherill of Southwark rightly asked, “what is the diocese if not its people?” in relation to finance for the support of sick and retired priests.