By a Staff Reporter
Ask the average Catholic to define the aims of the Sword of the Spirit and the answer will pro. bably be: " I don't really know. You tell me. I know it's something about Christian co-operation but that's about all I do know."
I said as much to one of the active and acting members the other day— Mother O'Leary-who organises a series of lectures in connection with the Sword in the Convent of the Sacred Heart at Hammersmith.
" Yes," she said, " I suppose people are a hit vague about it. But then we British always are. And yet there is nothing vague about a sword, is there? And there is nothing vague about the Sword of the Spirit either. Christian co-operation is only one of its aims, and now that the first fogs of that aim
have been cleared away and the Catholic position reasserted, people might concentiate on the other aspect of the movement, which, in one sentence, is to deepen our Catholic life in every way."
LECTURES TO IIELP STUDY If is with this idea in view that the Sword arranges courses of lectures to which anyone may go. The course which is being held at Hammersmith convent began last October with an address by Mr. Frank Sliced on " The Approach to Sociology." Fr. J. Bolland, S.J., talked 'about " Fundamentals of Christian Ethics," Mr. Richard O'Sullivan, K.C., discussed the " Christian Concept of the Law," and Dom Bernard McElligott, 0,S.B., took for his subject " The Christmas Liturgy.' Dom Bernard is to give three further lectures on January 17, 24 and 31, and February 7 on " Formation in Christ." Mother O'Leary said that perhaps the titles were a trifle formal to attract the average person. " I do want the lectures to be better known," she said. " Those who have come so far—and numbers have varied from five upwards —have really been enthralled. But we want many more to come."
Forthcoming lectures include three by Dr. Lactitia Fairfield on " The Social Services and Catholic Life." Fr. Edward Quin, Mother O'Leary (who will talk about " The Catholic Church and Education "—a subject on which she is expert), and Robert Speaight (discussing three Catholic English poets) are other names on the list for the new session.
Lectures are held an Sundays at 3.30 p.m. and Thursdays at 6 p.m., and further particulars may be had from Mother O'Leary at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Hammersmith.