Sir - On learning that Tony Blair told the BBC he avoided talking about his religious views while in office for fear of being ridiculed (forthcoming episode of The Blair Years), I was drawn to thinking that there is a silent majority for whom their faith is a way of life but they feel uncomfortable discussing it.

While Mr Blair had unique and complex reasons for feeling unable to mention his faith, speculation on his conversion to Catholicism has been widely reported, and in the summer he presented Pope Benedict XVI with portraits of Cardinal John Henry Newman. Having converted to Catholicism in 1845, Newman endured ostracism by friends and colleagues for leaving the Anglican priesthood. Thankfully, those days have gone, as I discovered following my own conversion from Anglican ordained ministry to Catholicism several years ago.

Now, as Head Master of The Oratory School founded by Newman, I find that his principles apply as much in multi-faith Britain as they did when he founded the school in 1859, guiding us to live our faith through a duty to develop our talents and to apply them as a positive contribution to society.

Clive Dytor, Head Master, The Oratory School, South Oxfordshire