Hartlebury are three of a number of castles owned by the Church of England.

It is reported that Hartlebury, with nearly every bishop's residence in the land, may be sold.

The excuse given is: "It is part of church effort to counter criticisms that bishops are living in luxury while clergy struggle to make ends meet."

Put another way, clergy living beyond their means are envious of the bishops.

The truth is the that the Church is in deep financial trouble, the Worcester Diocese having a cash shortfall of thousands.

The fault lies with the liberal hierarchy who sees the church as nothing more than a business.

They went into the world and were swallowed by it. They would not accept that a church that adapts the spirit of the age will be a widow in the next.

Due to its insistence on the Ordination of Women and homosexuals, hundreds of thousands of priests and laity crossed the line to Rome or the Orthodox, taking their cash with them.

In the Worcester Diocese, a few months ago, a congregation left the authority of the diocese, taking their money, possibly, £20,000 a year with them.

No diocese or business can afford such a loss. Multiply this with those who went to Rome or Orthodox and it runs into millions of pounds every year.

The church has to realise it is neither a business nor a democracy. It is a Theocracy.

Realise and accept this and it may yet avoid becoming a widow.

If it does not it will not be long until it sells it's silverware and Worcester Cathedral becomes a motor show room or worse - a Mosque.

THE REV D G GRIFFIN,

Newland,

Malvern,

Worcestershire.