PHOTO: CNS/VATICAN

Pope Francis greets Marie van der Zyl and Michael Wegier from the Board of Deputies of British Jews at the Vatican last week 28

COLUMN

Melanie McDonagh’s Notebook ‘Francis’ address to the Raphael scholars was brilliant; the Pope isn’t a Jesuit for nothing’ / 7

REGULARS Word from the Cloisters 15 Puzzles 15 Letters 16 The Living Spirit 17

CONTENTS 26 FEBRUARY 2022 // VOL 276 NO. 9441

FEATURES

4 / At the age of defiance Fears and misconceptions of ageing have held women back

for generations / BY KAYA OAKES

6 / Hate the sin, not the sinner A Christian lawyer known for taking on unpopular causes is often excoriated for

defending those accused of horrendous crimes / BY ANDREW MCCOOEY

8 / The Tablet Interview: Arthur Roche The archbishop at the centre of the storm over the suppression of the old rite explains why the Church must return to liturgical unity / BY CHRISTOPHER LAMB

10 / Learning to be free Lent is almost upon us. Serious illness can be a lesson in how we can serve this

apprenticeship in the freedom of the children of God / BY TIMOTHY RADCLIFFE

12 / Rock, paper, scissors Divisions on the Left and on the Right of Emmanuel Macron may augur the end of

France’s traditional political party system / BY PATRICK MARNHAM

14 / The funny side of faith P.J. O’Rourke, the great American political satirist, was kindhearted in private and

steeped in a Catholic sensibility drawn from his Irish roots / BY MARK LAWSON

NEWS

24 / The Church in the World / News briefing 25 / Campaign launched to expose abusers

27 / View from Rome 28 / News from Britain and Ireland / News briefing

29 / Historic Devon church is saved

COVER: ALAMY, RENE SEDNEY

ARTS / PAGE 18 Radio The Archbishop Interviews D.J. TAYLOR Theatre The Chairs; The Forest MARK LAWSON Exhibition Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature LAURA GASCOIGNE Cinema The Duke ISABELLE GREY

BOOKS / PAGE 21

Reviewers choose their inspirational reading for Lent Fiona Sampson The Stasi Poetry Circle: The Creative Writing Class that Tried to Win the Cold War PHILIP OLTERMANN Chris Nancollas Speed reading: childhood memoirs Anne Chisholm In search of Mary Seacole HELEN RAPPAPORT James Moran Violeta ISABEL ALLENDE

26 FEBRUARY 2022 | THE TABLET | 3