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Kent's arguments have angered many conservative British Catholics, who have protested to Archbishop Heim. He responded with a May 4 letter that was soon leaked to the press. Writing on his own and not at the Vatican's instruction, Heim stated that he favors multilateral and verifiable disarmament, and regards unilateral disarmament proposals as "mistaken." He also quoted Pope John Paul's qualified acceptance of nuclear deterrence if nations worked for disarmament. "Unilateralists are carrying out a one-sided campaign," Heim wrote, "and it is clear which side it benefits most." He continued, "Whether those doing so are consciously sharing the Soviet aggressiveness and ideology or belong to the well-known useful idiots or, again, are blinkered idealists would have to be judged in individual cases, even in that of Bruce Kent."
Caught in the middle of the dispute is Kent's religious superior, George Basil Cardinal Hume, the Archbishop of Westminster. He gave Kent permission to run the C.N.D., al though its activities have clearly had a political impact; Kent's position could be construed to be against the wishes of the Pope, who has warned Catholic clergy to avoid direct involvement in politics. In mid-April, Hume listed the reasons he agreed to let Kent run C.N.D.: 1) disarmament is a moral issue and Kent considered it to be a ministry; 2) the C.N.D., in the Cardinal's view, is more educational than political; 3) Kent did not claim to be an official church spokesman. "Should the political aspects of C.N.D. develop further and become predominant in its work," Hume wrote, "it would be difficult for a priest to hold responsible office" and a lay leader would be more suitable. He added that "recent developments" had caused him "serious misgivings" and that he was monitoring the problem.
Hume, however, clearly felt that Heim's attack on Kent went too far. The Cardinal made a point of appearing publicly with the monsignor and expressed his personal regard for the priest's integrity. The Cardinal's office also declared, "We are reaffirming the church's permission to allow Monsignor Kent to continue his work with C.N.D." At week's end it appeared that the Pro-Nuncio's attack had succeeded not so much in clarifying church teaching as in provoking Hume to back the monsignor's antinuclear ministry, at least until the elections are over. — By Richard N. Ostling. Reported by Arthur White/London