nzray wrote: "no one else in the Marlow family can understand their feelings on the subject"

Well, Madam Orly can, but she's not always available. Her religous beliefs aren't totally sketched out, but I know a bit about French Catholicism (my mother's side of the family). I suspect that Madam Orly's religion is very personal, and quietly pious - she has her favourite saints (vide Lawrie in End of Term looking at her rosary, etc. and she isn't in much awe of priests, and perhaps even bishops. A discussion between Patrick and Madam Orly would be very interesting.