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On Saturday 3^rd November Fr Eric Manley-Harris the Parish Priest of the Catholic Parish of Long Crendon organised a Catholic Men’s Breakfast to which he invited Dom Aidan Bellenger OSB, the Abbot of Downside to give a talk on:  “The vocation of Catholic Men in our Contemporary Secular Society”.

The Breakfast was held on a beautiful sunny morning at the Church House in Long Crendon and was attended by more than forty Catholic men with representatives from parishes in Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Haddenham, Bedgrove, Long Crendon, Berkhamsted and the local Catenian Association. After enjoying a traditional English Breakfast the audience sat enthralled for more than an hour while Abbot Aidan set forth his vision of the way in which the laity can help to spread the message of the Gospel in a society in which many people have lost sight of Christianity.

His talk was followed by a lively question and answer session in which the difficulties being faced by the Catholic laity in the teaching and medical professions was emphasised as the audience included prominent Catholic men from these professions. The Abbot highlighted the importance of Catholics being prepared to discuss matters involving sex, politics and religion, but acknowledged that there was a need for the laity who are well-educated in secular matters to become better educated in matters of Faith and Doctrine so that they are able to defend their beliefs.

The response to the invitations to this meeting showed that there is a lively interest in Catholic men gathering together to discuss their Faith and it is hoped that this will act as an inspiration to other parishes within the Diocese and be the first of many such meetings.

Michael Pitt-Payne

3^rd November 2007