Pope Francis’s recent encyclical on the environment is very much to be welcomed.

For 2000 years the Catholic Church has denied animals their right to our sense of justice and morality. While stating that cruelty is a sin, the Church has turned a blind eye to all cruelties.

The General Election letter sent to Catholics in England and Wales from our bishops, highlighting issues for voters, did not have one word to say about animals.

The website of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has many committees, offices and departments, but not one word to say about animals.

It’s time the Catholic Church gave proper guidance on what is cruel, and condemned it.

My online petition asking the Bishops’ Conference to set up a committee ‘on matters of responsibility and justice towards our fellow creatures’ would, if successful, bring animals into the official province of the Catholic Church. No longer could they be ignored.

Virginia Bell (via email)