The homeless may have tested his patience but don’t knock Father Ray Blake

Upon actually reading them, however, I was disturbed with the way this man was being portrayed. The story even made a sidebar in The Times and was featured in last Friday’s edition of BBC South East Today.

I am an irregular (traditionally referred to as a “lapsed” Catholic) churchgoer but have, when I do so, attended mass at St Mary Magdalen’s Church in Brighton, where Fr Blake preaches.

I can well remember when a homeless person caused a scene because he was refused access on the not-unreasonable grounds that, during his last appearance, he had stolen candlesticks.

The mention of the person who would, literally, disrupt a mass to go cap in hand around the congregation should explain how even a priest could become so exasperated as to describe him as a “b*****d”.

The very fact that it has, on occasions, been tolerated says a lot not only for Fr Blake but his congregation. Would such behaviour be allowed in an establishment run by other religions? Somehow, I think not.

Nor would the media be so keen to vilify the spiritual leader of any such establishment or take said person’s comments out of context. Outrage would, quite rightly, ensue.

Tommy Coyne, Powis Grove, Brighton

Your article on Fr Blake leads the reader to conclude that here we find an uncharitable priest “blasting” the homeless. This could not be further from the truth. It grieves me to see a good man now pilloried on a national scale.

Fr Blake’s message is the gospel teaching that if we are to really follow Christ we have to leave behind all our selfish comforts. We must “die to self”.

Fr Blake showed in graphic terms that work with the homeless – which is nasty, smelly, and at times chaotic and maddening – forces him to live that challenging gospel teaching every day. He is not “blasting” the homeless and saying they should change, but highlighting what a struggle it is for him or any of us to conform ourselves to Christ.

It is hard to love the guy who regularly vomits on our doorstep but Jesus loves him and so, therefore, must we.

James Anderson, Islington, London

We had already read the Fr Blake’s blog post and read it again after your story to confirm what he really meant. This is that the poor and disadvantaged can sometimes be very difficult, unpleasant and hard to help but that he and his parishioners still do so.

They do it on a daily basis, as cheerfully as they can, filling in the gaps left by the rest of society.

Those without experience of providing this help do not realise what demanding, gritty and unpleasant tasks it involves.

He mentions clearing up vomit, discarded drug equipment and broken bottles. Sometimes people can be grateful, and helpers can feel rewarded, but very often this is far from the case.

Fr Blake was being realistic and I feel what he said was taken out of context.

G and M Hughes, Connaught Avenue, Shoreham

I had to laugh at your story about Fr Blake when he said he believes God is testing his holiness on the poor, and when he described some street drinkers as “messy” and “lying” and another as an “irritating little b*****d.”

Well, Father, it’s not just the poor and homeless who lie – politicians and big businesses have been doing this to all of us for years.

Millions of people’s lives around the world have been made a misery by people who lie and cheat because of their ruthless ambitions for money and power. The wealthy can, and have, created more of a negative impact on the world than the poor among us. Please, Father, cut them some slack. It’s not the end of the world, I hope.

Ian Hunt, Pavilion Road, Worthing Well done Fr Blake for speaking your mind and saying a lot of things I agree with.

If you work in, or have to walk up and down, Western Road in Brighton or Hove, you’ll see how bad it is.

Mr A Gumbrill, Chapel Mews, Hove