FOR so long the church has neglected the issue of animal welfare, standing aside as if it were none of its business at all.

Cruel sports and practices go on and little has been said about them or their corrupting influence on human behaviour. It surely isn't a question of animals or people, but animals and people.

What goes on in Spain - the unspeakable agonies of the bullfight, the wounding by darts and slaying of innocent bulls in the name of religious festivals - is never spoken of in Catholic circles, church or media. The belief that all creatures are destined for the good of the human race has been the core of justifying cruelty.

Most of all, the indifference of people who have the power to stop the countless abuses of animals yet do nothing, is immoral and irreverent.

SHEILA BRENNAN (Mrs), Bombay Street, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.