THE BOLTON Evening News has, over the last few months, published many articles and letters with which I have disagreed. But one which has forced me to write back is the letter written by James H Gornall in response to that of Neil Warburton.

Despite claiming not to be religious, Mr Gornall sees fit to state, completely erroneously, that the Catholic Church has changed its values regarding contraception and abortion. This is totally untrue. The Catholic Church has remained steadfast in its opposition to the murder of tiny babies by deliberate abortion and has not ceased speaking out against this act of inhumanity.

At the same time, the Church's attitude towards contraception has also remained constant, despite the fact that many Catholics may be using some form of contraception. This is up to their individual conscience, and their free will which lets them decide how to live their lives. The fact that people do something does not make it right!

All this does not mean that the Catholic Church is against the values of kindness, love and compassion. Quite the reverse! The Church asks us to strive towards the ideal world in which children are conceived through the love of their parents, and are then welcomed into a warm, loving family home with two parents who will look after them until they become independent adults.

The parents in this world would show compassion towards their own and other people's children. They would be unselfish in their decision to put the needs of their children before their own needs.

Of course, we do not live in an ideal world, and we often fall short of perfection, and this is where we need the help of our vicars and priests, as well as possibly needing the help of social workers.

Neil Warburton does not say that social workers should not exist. He says that a priest should be more than a social worker. He should be seen to be a man of God.

It is interesting to note that Mr Gornall writes 'even the Catholic Church itself', implying that he considers the Catholic Church to be the mainstay of Christianity!

Mrs C A Wilson.

Milford Road,

Great Lever,

Bolton.