From the Revd J.-F.
Friendship
Sir, - I agree with
Prebendary William Scott's desire (Books, 7
June) to "persuade the Church of England to embrace a feast of
the Sacred Heart". Such a feast was included in Celebrating
Common Prayer on the Friday after Trinity Sunday, under the
title "The Divine Compassion of Christ"; but this was not taken up
by the compilers of Common Worship.
The inclusion in
CCP was due to the place of the Society of the Divine
Compassion in the development of the Society of St Francis and the
devotional writings of Fr James Adderley SDC. Giving appropriate
attention to the Divine Compassion of Christ compliments and
balances that attention given to seeking to live by the Divine
Will: the mind needs to be embraced by the heart so that both may
be offered to God.
The Church needs this yearly
celebration of the Sacred Heart within its liturgy to root us in
God's compassionate love for all.
JOHN-FRANCIS
FRIENDSHIP
22 The Old Fire Station
Eaglesfield Road, London SE18 3BT
