That cathedral charge!

Apparently, in spite of the various letters appearing in The Times differing from his views, Carmel Micallef of Zebbug (August 23) has not yet persuaded himself that a church, far from being a museum, is solely a house of prayer.

We do not go to churches to admire art, but only to enter into a special union with God - a union particularly helped not only by God's special presence, but also by the environment surrounding you. This is as it should be, totally different from that of the world outside.

People going to church to pray are never asked to pay. Not only, but their presence is always encouraged and appreciated. Indeed, churches fork out good money so that the faithful may willingly and happily find therein consolation and their spiritual requirements are met.

Art in churches is there to help achieve a spirit of prayer. It is definitely not there to make us stop for quite some time before it, chatting with our friends and discussing with them its merits or defects, sometimes also disturbing services that are going on!

If you consider the church as a museum and enter it as such, then there is no reason why you should not pay as you do on entering a museum. If not with the aim to help the authorities concerned "make money", certainly that you may contribute to the maintenance of the place. This, I assure my friend, is no small thing, particularly in present times.

Mr Micallef has mentioned "donations". I wonder to what extent he would be prepared to help in ways different from those involving the five or 10 cents churchgoers normally drop into the Sunday scoopor sassla. Some visitors entering church as a museum expect to make no contribution at all.

The Gozo Cathedral would appreciate any "substantial" donation Mr Micallef's bounty and generosity would be ready to offer. Let me assure him such donations will be diligently availed of for maintenance.