....Cont.

Dear Poirot,

I know a so called academic who has a Uni house residency - but you know what she aspires to? Someone like the Columnist from Sex and the City with all the shoes. Is that academia?

By the way, I know you draw, so have I, and have recently been drawing nudes again, but you like drawing cathedrals. There may be our difference. But as artists, we all have a need to express, don't we? Also, if you like superficiality, Paris may be it. But of course the face of it was beautiful. Was there a couple of years ago.

Dear Constance,

The only time I've drawn nudes was in art class. Yes, I like to draw cathedrals and architecture in general, but not always the monumental buildings. I like to draw old buildings - particularly the rustic types in rural France and Britain.
I also draw the odd portrait. You might be interested to know that I drew one of Pope John Paul II (for my Catholic friend) - and enjoyed drawing it very much.
In my town (small city) they are currently constructing a new Catholic cathedral to replace one that was severely damaged five years ago by a tornado. It's been interesting to watch it go up, and it is now dominating the skyline above the town.

I'm sorry Constance. Discussions like this really frustrate me and, as far as I can tell, achieve no real purpose. You started out well, defending our faith. But, as the goading continued, you gained no ground and instead started resorting to irrational arguments and nitpicking - perhaps in response to perceived attacks on you. I'm sure you do a lot of legwork as well as talking in defence of Catholicism. I think the honour and face of our religion can be redeemed only through that 'behind the scenes', silent goodness - by loving and supporting one another, not by engaging in arguments that just give opportunities for those who despise us, our faith or our Church as an institution to attack, drag out the same old skeletons and keep us mired in discussion instead of doing the work that we as Catholics are bound by our faith to do.

I often find myself erring in the same way, but put a concerted effort into avoiding such issues. I and most of the Catholics I know prefer to do God's work rather than fight His verbal battles for him. In my opinion, that's the way to go.