“Ridiculous”: the Catholic Church of England and Wales does not mince words in commenting on the new directives adopted by the authorities for religious education in the country of Norfolk in eastern England. These prescribe that no mention should be made of the fact that the bread and wine represent the body and blood of Christ. This is to prevent children from getting the idea that Christians are cannibals. It is further proposed that the term “Holy Spirit” be used instead of “Holy Ghost”, so as not to put off children by giving them the idea of a ‘third person’ that arouses fear within the Trinity. The directives have also been condemned by the teachers’ union as “modernism gone mad”. The term “Old Testament” has also been consigned to the dustbin because pupils could derive the mistaken idea from it that the Testament no longer has any importance. According to a spokesperson of the Catholic Church of England and Wales, the decision of the religious education authorities of Norfolk is really ridiculous. “As Catholics we are convinced that the bread and wine consecrated during Mass are the body and blood of Jesus Christ and it’s a conviction that has endured for two thousand years”, declared the spokesperson.
