Sacred and profane

There is something about Holy Week that seems utterly baffling to those unfamiliar with Christianity. Why would Christians be so proud of the crucifix, the symbol of a defeated, slain Christ? Then there’s the sacrifice of Lent, the solemnity of Good Friday and the joy of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. All are difficult to explain to the generations that never learnt Bible stories at school.

And over the years, Christians in Britain have learnt to stop trying to explain. In the face of an increasingly confident and aggressively secular society, churchgoing, especially among Anglicans, is becoming something one doesn’t talk about.

Roman Catholics have more reason than most to keep a low profile at present. The Roman Church is yet again embroiled in the most appalling controversies: from Munich to Wisconsin, the stories about child abuse proliferate. Not far behind this scandal lies a general question about the role of the Catholic Church in society.