‘Not Equipped For Reunion’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31087, 16 June 1966, Page 7

‘Not Equipped For Reunion’

People were not equipped for the “Apostolate of Conversation” which was necessary today now that “the honeymoon was over” in the movement for church reunion, Dr. F. J. Sheed, the Catholic publisher, said in Christchurch yesterday.

The essence of what uas happening in the moves towards reunion of the Catholic and Protestant churches was that the honeymoon which followed the inspiration and work of Pope John was over, and there was now a settling down to “married life” where conversation was an essential if the relationship was to be happy. No longer were people meeting merely as fellow citizens but as fellow Christians and it was necessary that they “speak out their faith” as they would speak out on politics or other subjects. Not knowing enough about their religions and an inability to listen willingly to one another were two things which were stopping the per-son-to-person conversation, Dr. Sheed said.

Never speak for victory when discussing religion. Dr. Sheed advised. This would result in the other person “getting his back up” and also would result in one “cheating” because of being on the defensive. Another rule to be followed was, “Never soft-pedal, but say completely and with absolute fullness what one thought. Describing himself as a layman with a profound Interest In theology, Dr. Sheed said that he and his wife

formed the publishing firm of Sheed and Ward after six years’ experience of speaking on street corners for the Catholic Evidence Guild. Both he and his wife, known professionally as Maisie Ward, have had 45 years speaking on street corners and in public parks throughout the world. The guild trained speakers to talk about God and the ways that people’s needs could be met inside religion. The material used was often not

specifically Roman Catholic, and the speakers realised that in many cases they were speaking to people who were not interested in religion. The answering of questions took up most of the speakers’ time. Many of these were in fun, but there always had to be an effort made to interest the whole crowd and not just the questioner through the answer. Asked if many did Guild work, Dr. Sheed said no be-

cause it was not comfortable, and was looked upon as undignified. There were about 20 speakers in England at a time.He and his wife had written 30 books and had also

done a number of translations. He was a speaker not a writer, and dictated the chapters of his books like speeches, Dr. Sheed said. “Serious publishers,” as compared with publishers of fiction were having a better time now than in the past, Dr. Sheed said. While television had taken a whole market away from the novelist—except those who described sexual things which were not yet shown on television—the sudden feeling of insufficiency and not being in control of the world at the moment was turning people to reading more books of a serious nature. He had now given the Landon house of the publishing firm to his daughter, Rosemary, and her husband, Neil Middleton.

Although it was originally planned that his wife would also visit Christchurch, she became ill for the first time in 38 years in Sydney and is in hospital.

Dr. Sheed will speak at the Horticultural Hall tonight and will also visit Auckland before flying back to rejoin his wife in Sydney early next week.