Apostolic Journey to the UK

Post-It:: As certain special notes on the Pope Benedict xvi in the UK I need to stick a Post-It to search back to the memories.

E.g.

Post-It 

1. Bellahoustan Homily summary by St. Andrews professor.

2. Heather – Newman Beatification Homily

3. Vatican Collected UK Homilies
Apostolic Journey to the United Kingdom
(16-19 September 2010)

Meanwhile many of the Links are in (below):

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Journey to the UK: September 17, 2010

This is an ongoing roundup of news, commentary and articles. It will be continuously updated throughout the day as content is made available.

What Happened Today? 

London

• 08:00 - Private Celebration of Mass in the Chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature in Wimbledon (London Borough of Merton)
• 10:00 - Meeting with the world of Catholic Education in the Chapel and Sports Arena of St Mary’s University in Twickenham (London Borough of Richmond): Greeting and Address of the Holy Father | Video
• 11:30 - Meeting with Religious Leaders in the Waldegrave Drawing Room of St Mary’s University College in Twickenham (London Borough of Richmond): Address of the Holy Father |Video
• 16:00 - Courtesy Visit to the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace (London Borough of Lambeth): Address of the Holy Father | Video
• 17:10 - Meeting with representatives of civil society, academic, cultural and entrepreneurial world, diplomatic corps and religious leaders at Westminster Hall (City of Westminster): Address of the Holy Father | Video
• 18:15 - Ecumenical Celebration at Westminster Abbey (City of Westminster): Address of the Holy Father

A school girl holds a decorated crucifix and a Papal flag as she watches Pope Benedict XVI at The Big Assembly gathering at St Mary's University College. Source: Getty Images

Addresses of the Holy Father / Others

• Meeting with the world of Catholic Education in the Chapel and Sports Arena of St Mary’s University College in Twickenham (London Borough of Richmond, 17 September 2010)
  • Bishop McMahon welcomes the Pope to the Big Assembly - Full Text
• Meeting with Religious Leaders in the Waldegrave Drawing Room of St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham (London Borough of Richmond, 17 September 2010)
  • Archbishop Kelly welcomes the Pope to the Interreligious Gathering – Full Text
• Fraternal Visit to the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace (London Borough of Richmond, 17 September 2010)
  • Archbishop of Canterbury’s speech – Full Text
  • Joint statement on meeting between Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury
• Meeting with representatives of civil society, academic, cultural and entrepreneurial world, diplomatic corps and religious leaders at Westminster Hall (City of Westminster, 17 September 2010)
• Ecumenical Celebration at Westminster Abbey (City of Westminster, 17 September 2010)
  • Archbishop of Canterbury’s Evening Prayer Address – Full Text
  
  
  
  The pope visited about 4,000 school pupils and young people at St Mary's University College, Twickenham. Source: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

Coverage of the Day's Events

• Five arrested in alleged terror plot (The Guardian):

  Scotland Yard arrested five street cleaners today over an alleged terrorist threat to the pope.

  The men were arrested by armed officers in central London at 5.45am on the second day of the pope's visit.

  Sources say the men are believed to be Muslim and that some of them are Algerian. ... They were taken to a nearby police station, where they will be interviewed by detectives.

  An assessment of the intelligence judged it to be so severe that police needed to disrupt the alleged plot immediately.

  The Vatican said the arrest of terrorist suspects would not affect Pope Benedict XVI's schedule of events and hat the pope remained "calm" and happy with the visit (Catholic News Service).
  UPDATE: Police release 'Pope threat' men without charge BBC News reports that, having found "no credible threat", all six suspects have been released. (9/19/10)
• Pope Benedict XVI's UK visit: Day two Photo Gallery (from The Guardian)
• Pope urges children to grow in holiness at first papal event in England (Catholic Herald)
• Pope urges states to respect freedom of religion (Catholic Herald)
• Holy Father addresses 'question' of existence Following the recent claim by U.K. physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking that the universe “created itself from nothing,” the Holy Father spoke about “the most important question” of existence in an address to interfaith leaders. (Catholic News Agency)
• Pope to Anglicans: Proclaim Uniqueness of Christ Greets Anglican Leader, Maps Guidelines for Dialogue. (Zenit)
• Pope: reason and faith need one another (Catholic Herald) "In one of the major speeches of his Pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI today spoke to the assembled members of civil society about the proper place of religious belief within political process."
• The Pope in Parliament and Westminster Abbey: a day that shook the foundations of Britain's Protestant myth Damian Thompson. Telegraph:

  ... if you want evidence of the self-confidence of our Catholic national identity, look no further than Westminster Abbey and Westminster Hall. For at least the first 500 years of its existence – we can’t be sure when it was founded – the Abbey was obedient to Benedict’s predecessors. So for the Pope to enter it today was an affirmation of its own “foundational act”. Not for nothing did he point out in his address that the church was dedicated to St Peter. Even Catholics who would never be so crude as to say “the Abbey belongs to us, not to you” sensed that history was being re-balanced in some way. They realised that the Pope had as much right to sit in that sanctuary as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

• Pope Benedict XVI worked a minor miracle while on his state visit to Britain by getting Tony and Cherie Blair to kiss and make up with Gordon Brown Daily Mail
• The Pope publicly shook hands with a woman priest for the first time last night as he joined the Archbishop of Canterbury in an ecumenical service at Westminster Abbey crows Heidi Blake (The Telegraph). (From which we can conclude that, despite differences in convictions, the Holy Father is not above extending the hand of friendship).

The Achbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams supports the arm of Pope Benedict XVI as he leaves after addressing a meeting of Anglican and Roman Catholic Diocesan bishops of England, Scotland and Wales at Lambeth Palace . Source: Getty Images

Blogging the Papal Visit

• Papal Visit 2010 live blog: Central London (Catholic Herald)
• Papal Visit 2010 live blog: St Mary’s, Twickenham (Catholic Herald)
• Papal Visit 2010 live blog: Central London (Catholic Herald)
• Pope visits Britain: day two live (The Guardian)
• What Boris said to the Pope and the Pope said to Boris The Holy Father met the Mayor of London last night. (Stuart Reid, Catholic Herald)
• Pope's visit: Blimey. What to say to the Pope? A good joke ought to clinch it. . . Waiting to meet Benedict XVI, Boris Johnson feels his sense of humour rising to the occasion. (Telegraph)
• “Benedict goes to Westminster” Fr. John Zuhlsdorf:

  The phrase that comes to mind is "Nixon goes to China".

  Day 2 Benedict’s trip has blown John Paul II’s trip out of the water. I don’t mean that John Paul’s trip wasn’t important or that the crowds weren’t as big. But we have to consider who the players are, and what is taking place and where. What John Paul did was great, but what he did, didn’t matter as much as what Benedict is doing. John Paul’s effort was a continuation of what Paul VI and John XXIII had done. Benedict builds on that, but his project is something quite different. ...

• Phil Lawler couldn't help but notice Pope Benedict's personal invitation to the Anglican bishops(Catholic Culture):

  when he spoke to a group of Anglican (and Catholic) bishops, and offered Cardinal Newman as a model for ecumenical actions, the Pope was making his point clearly enough. Any Anglican prelate who takes that suggestion seriously, and models his actions after those of Cardinal Newman, will very soon run up against an immovable fact. Cardinal Newman became a Catholic. If you want to follow him, you'll have to follow him to Rome.

  The Pope stressed that Cardinal Newman made his move gently, politely, without breaking friendships, without recriminations, without renouncing his heritage—the same way other Anglicans might take the step today, under the provisions ofAnglicanorum Coetibus.

The pope arrives to attend a service of prayer at St Mary's University College chapel in Twickenham. Source: Toby Melville. Reuters

Other Articles of The Day

• Martyrs and messy divorces: 500 years of Anglo-papal antagonism (Paul Willis, CNN):

  When the pope gets up to speak in London's historic Westminster Hall today we might forgive him a few nerves.

  In agreeing to visit Britain he has, as some observers have noted, entered the lions' den.

• Benedict in Britain: We get it, we've got it, let's share it - an assessment of the first two days by John Allen Jr. (National Catholic Reporter)
• Luke Coppen: "The pope's trip to Britain is worth the money" (Special to CNN)
• Embarrassment for Commons Speaker as wife uses Twitter to join attacks on Pope hours before Benedict goes to Parliament (Daily Mail) 

Faith communities look back on the Pope's visit

Faith communities look back on the Pope's visit

By Joe Wilson BBC Radio Lancashire

Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury celebrate evening prayer at Westminster Abbey

Lancashire's faith communities have been assessing the impact of the Pope's visit to the UK and it seems the four day visit has been met within faith circles with almost universal approval.
It is hard to over-emphasize the importance of this visit to the Roman Catholic community. It was the spiritual highlight, not just of the year, but possibly of their lifetime.
To see the direct descendant of St. Peter, the worldwide leader of their church, on British soil delivering his message of peace and togetherness was a moment which may never be repeated.
For me, the visit began a week before the papal plane known as "Shepherd One" touched down at Edinburgh airport shortly after ten on Thursday morning.
Yes, there had been meetings and discussions about how BBC Radio Lancashire would fit into the width and scope of the extensive BBC coverage but no matter how well prepared and briefed I was, there was still something pleasantly surprising about the intensity of support to be found in the Catholic congregations.
Massive crowd
I began to get a true sense of the emotional importance of the visit to Catholics as I met some of the younger pilgrims who were destined to be part of a massive crowd at Hyde Park for a prayer vigil at which the Pope was due to be the chief celebrant.
"It's a great opportunity as a Catholic young person to hear from the leader of our faith," 22-year-old Sarah Kane from Preston told me. "To get his guidance and to hear what he has to say about how we live and how we can live."
I met others too, like Sean McMahon from Lancaster who had seen the Pope before at a World Youth Day event in Cologne. He told me: "Being surrounded by a million young people from all over the world, from all different walks of life, all different backgrounds, all different cultures, it's an experience you hold close in your heart. It makes you realise how universal the church is."
The historic nature of the visit is well documented. Pope Benedict XVI was embarking on the first ever state visit by a pontiff.
It was a four day occasion, beginning on Thursday morning in Edinburgh, taking in Glasgow, Twickenham, London and eventually concluding in the West Midlands on Sunday afternoon.
As we woke on the Thursday morning to the first glimpses on television of an expectant Edinburgh it did not bode well. "I've seen bigger crowds for the January sales!" said BBC reporter Kay Adams looking down a modestly, some would say thinly, populated Princes Street.

"It was awesome." Anne Marie Coppock

It was minutes before the Pope arrived. This was the first morning of day one and the omens were that this would be long four days.
At the airport, the Duke of Edinburgh waited to offer the state's official hand. Prince Phillip was wrapped in a heavy coat to ward off the chill of a Scottish autumn, but for many it was the harsh winds of controversy that greeted the Pope.
Homosexuality
A poll suggested many Catholics were worried about his leadership. There were still many worries about the church's response to child abuse allegations amongst the clergy. The church's attitude to homosexuality, its insistence on celibacy amongst the clergy and the lack of lead roles for women within the church were all roundly criticised.
The Pope was flying into the face of his critics and as the days wore on, almost against all odds; his supporters claim he appeared to dilute the potency of his detractors.
Somehow as the four days progressed, bit by bit, the Pope's visit transformed from the worry of embarrassment that reaction would be tepid, to the glow of the eventual warmth given off by the obvious love so many felt for him.
In fact within hours, Kay Adams was reporting that Edinburgh had found its voice and there was a jubilant mood amongst the now 125,000 crowd.
Most of Lancashire's Catholic pilgrims travelled south to events in Birmingham and London.
The stamina of those travellers was immense. Parties left from throughout our three diocese. They boarded four coaches in Burnley at two o'clock in the morning to get to Birmingham's Cofton Park for the beatification of Cardinal John Newman.

"It was overwhelming." Sarah Kane

They had a lie-in, in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. It was only a three o'clock start for them!
In Lancaster, a double decker bus set off on the Friday evening to transport 72 pilgrims through the night to be in Westminster and then Hyde Park for mid-morning on Saturday.
Bumpy discomfort
Were the travelling hours of lost sleep and bumpy discomfort worth it?
When we spoke to Cafod's Anne Marie Coppock on our Sunday morning programme she appeared to be still floating on a cloud somewhere over Hyde Park.
It was there that Anne Marie had spent the previous evening with the Pope and 80,000 pilgrims at a prayer vigil which was set off by hundreds of candles against the London night sky.
"It was really, really wonderful. We were just surrounded by so many different people. Young people, elderly people, more young people than elderly people, people of all nationalities. It was awesome."
On the previous day, Anne Marie had been in the congregation at Westminster Abbey where she was impressed by the heritage of the building and the ecumenical multi-faith congregation of those worshipping alongside the pontiff.
"The history of our country has flowed through the abbey for so many years. To see our Pope, who is our faith leader, entering into the Westminster Abbey was just wonderful."
Anne Marie was also impressed by the Anglican greetings for the Catholic leader. "The welcome by the Archbishop of Canterbury gave a sense of unity. We were stood next to an Anglican vicar who was called Moira. She introduced herself and the sense of togetherness was wonderful."
The Anglican Bishop of Blackburn, the Right Reverend Nicholas Reade, was also in the congregation. He had met the the Pope hours earlier at Lambeth Palace. "It was just incredible. I just had to pinch myself. Here was I, over 60 years old and I thought back to when I was child and how the thought of the Pope being in Britain was unthinkable.
Yet, there he was meeting Anglican bishops alongside Roman Catholic bishops. It was quite sensational."

"I think there was a much more positive response than many people expected. " Sean McMahon

More open
Sarah Kane from Preston was part of the party of young people who had travelled to London with the Lancaster Diocese. Sarah told me: "It was amazing. The atmosphere and the excitement of meeting people from all over the country and to celebrate mass with them was wonderful. It was overwhelming.
"Outside Westminster Cathedral, no one knew what the atmosphere would be like and when the Pope emerged it was a profound moment."
Sean McMahon from Lancaster said: "I think there was a much more positive response than many people expected. The way the Pope interacted with the young people at Hyde Park and Westminster Cathedral was fantastic for the young Catholics of the UK."
For millions of Catholics the visit was profound. Yes, there were protests and some would agree the shadow of despicable crimes of abuse committed by a minute percentage of priests needs addressing in a bolder and more open way.
In truth, the visit was always shadowed by, what some would see as, the ineffectual response to these terrible events.
Though many would also point to the undisputed fact that an official visit of this scale would have been unthinkable 50 years ago.
The impact of the whole four days, they would say, grew from the minute the Pope landed in Edinburgh.
What followed was a welcome and spiritual experience that drew massive crowds. They were spiritually fulfilled by the religious masses and heartened by the human masses that grew in number as they cheered from the pavements and ran alongside the iconic Popemobile as it travelled through the English and Scottish capital cities.
Perhaps most productive of all was the living proof of how far the faiths and Christian denominations have come. How they can now talk to and understand each other. How they celebrate their commonalities and respect their differences.
The Pope's supporters will also sight the warmth of greeting expressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as the pontiff arrived at Lambeth Palace. There in the afternoon autumnal sun, conscious of the watching world, two of the most important faith leaders on the planet greeted each other in the way of old friends.
That moment was the whole point of the four days summed up in four seconds, as to the joy of millions of Christians, the Pope met the Archbishop and they embraced with arms that encircled the world.
Joe presents the faith programme on BBC Radio Lancashire from 6am each Sunday.

Beatification of John Henry Newman

25 Sunday 2010        Homily – Abbot Mark (Beatification of John Henry Newman)           11.00 am In the gospel today (Lk 16.1-13) we are shown the parable of the Unjust Steward who continued to look after his own needs when his dishonest actions were brought to light.  Scripture scholars give some interesting explanations as to why Jesus praises his behaviour when he seems to continue acting unjustly.  The point Jesus is making is that we should learn to use our natural abilities to resolve our problems whatever they are.  And he did say elsewhere, that we should be as cunning as snakes though remain as simple as doves. But today I want to speak about two other men who have used their talents to good effect not just for their own ends but for the glory of God.   Pope Benedict begins the final day of his visit to the UK.  In spite of so much negative reaction to his visit and against himself, there has been a great groundswell of appreciation of him and of what he has to say.  His is surely a timely message of how to respond to negative feelings and opinions that dog the path of anyone who tries to do something positive.   Like Pope Benedict, if we know or believe something to be the correct thing to do, we should not hold back but reasonably and carefully act for the good of others.  The Pope has steadfastly preached the good news in season and out.  He has had to deal with the dreadful cases of clerical sex abuse, the problems of ethical controversies worldwide, how to promote a just and compassionate society at home and the proper way to deal justly with the poorer countries of the world, as well as meeting their immediate basic needs. His words have not always been favourably welcomed.  But by faithfully sticking to his informed understanding of the problems facing the church and the world, he has managed to bring the general public round to listen to what he has to say.  There won’t be many instant conversions to his way of thinking but, hopefully, there will be a readiness to listen to what he has to say.  People need the time and opportunity if their lives are to grow into the truth.  The Holy Father himself will need time to respond to any open dialogue that may well come about after these few days and many meetings in Britain.  But there will always be contrary opinions in any debate.  All that we can try to do is to investigate a matter as thoroughly as we can, make the right decision as we see it and act on it in a way that respects the opinions of others.  That way has the hallmark of goodness and holiness about it.   This morning Pope Benedict has been carrying out the main task that he came to do while in Britain: the Beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman.  The pope has been a long-time admirer of Newman and his writings.  Not-surprisingly, Newman epitomises much of what Pope Benedict is trying to convey in his homilies and messages during this visit.  Everyone, not just Catholics and other Christians, he says, needs to listen to the truths Christ shows us in the gospel if we want to become fully human and helpful to others in society.  We all need to be receptive to the truth wherever it may be found.  Newman himself was such a seeker *Cardinal Newman’s whole life was governed by his search for truth and holiness.  In every event and circumstance he asked himself the simple but complex question: is this particular thing true?  Is it real?  Does it lead to holiness?  And if it is true, then it must be acted upon.  Newman sought the truth wherever it led and whatever the cost.  He suffered when he felt compelled to leave the Church of England and join the Catholic Church, and later he suffered within the Catholic Church when his views became unwelcomed.  Conscience was the guiding light which he saw as the primary, God-given, way to seek and find the truth.  Obedience to conscience was the supreme rule of life and one in which he found assurance and reliance on God’s mercy.  Though he was always loyal to his friends and commitments he would propose a toast to conscience first before allegiance to any other authority.   *Holiness for Newman was the sign of life in the Church.  It was the true test of her credibility.  The miracle of Newman is the moral miracle of his influence for good in the Church.  By his teaching and example he has transformed the lives of countless men and women, strengthened their faith, renewed their hope and deepened their love for others. Newman is not being beatified today because he was perfect.  Like all of us, he had his faults.  It is because he didn’t let  these get in the way of his search for truth, that he is being held up to us for our imitation. *John Henry Newman now enjoys the “safe lodging and holy rest” he earnestly prayed for.  May he intercede for us and help us to pray as he once did in these memorable words, “May Christ support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done!  Then in his mercy may he give us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at last!” * Paragraph adapted from Blessed John Henry Newman, Fr Colm McKeating, Far East, Sept/Oct 2010, p.7)

20 September 2010 

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Pontiff's visit 'did Birmingham proud'

Organizers of the Pope's historic visit to Birmingham say it was a great success.

Father Richard Duffield said the Pope blessed the Oratory's cat during his visit

Pope Benedict XVI lead Mass at Cofton Park on Sunday at the culmination of his four-day UK state visit.

More than 50,000 people at the event witnessed the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

Councillor Martin Mullaney, of Birmingham City Council, said putting on such a large event had "done the city proud".

Peter Jennings, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, said: "The whole visit itself has been a huge boost for everybody It's given new confidence to the Catholic Church and also to our relations with the Church of England and other churches."

Oratory cat

About 2,000 officers from West Midlands Police and other forces were on duty for one of the area's biggest security operations.

The Popemobile travelled from Cofton Park, near Longbridge, along Hagley Road, Edgbaston, to the Oratory, which was founded by Cardinal Newman.

Father Richard Duffield, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory, said the Pope met a group of parishioners there and also thanked workers at the Oratory.

He added the Pontiff had also given a blessing to the Oratory's cat.

Papal Chair

Thank you, Andy,

The talk does not stop as we share the wonder of the Visit.

The presence of Benedict 16 is still with us.

The art in the Papal Chair from school is lasting memory with the pupils and us all.

Domald

----- Forwarded Message ----From: Andy _ _ _To: Donald  _ _ _ _Sent: Sun, 19 September, 2010 14:08:32Subject: Papal Visit

Hi Fr Donald

What a tremendous blessing which the past four days have been for the Catholic Church in Great Britain.  

For me it was a tremendous joy, privilege and blessing to be part of  such a great choir participating in the liturgical celebration of the Papal Mass at Bellahouston Park on Thursday.  

The crowds were awesome.  I

t was like a carnival atmosphere prior to the start of Mass, but when asked for a period of silence prior to the start of Mass there was a tremendous silence over such a great crowd, estimated at 70,000.

 

The Papal Chair

I attach a photograph of a chair.  This chair was made for the Papal visit by a group of school children from Anne Marie's school.  It was situated in the Papal Sacristy and a booklet containing the background and development of the chair was presented to the Holy Father and each of the Scottish Bishops.  Again a great honour and privilege for the school children.

 

Hope to see you all soon.

 

God bless

Andy & Anne Marie

 

Pontiff's four-day trip

Thank you, Fr. Patrick.

D.

 

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: father patrick ___
Sent: Tue, 21 September, 2010 15:26:50
Subject: heart to heart

20-September-2010 -- ZENIT.org News Agency

UK Trip Coordinator: Pope Was Here as a Father

Says Pontiff Spoke to Hearts, From the Heart

LONDON, SEPT. 20, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The coordinator of Benedict XVI's state visit to the United Kingdom says the Pope "was here for all of us, as a father."

Monsignor Andrew Summersgill gave this evaluation to Vatican Radio in speaking about the Pontiff's four-day trip to Scotland and England, which concluded Sunday.

He also emphasized the "great consistency" of the papal message: "In all places he spoke of the importance of reason and faith: He spoke to civil society of the function of religion in public life, during the liturgies he taught us the faith and he showed his faith to young people and to the elderly."

The coordinator of the visit said that what impressed him most was "the welcome the Holy Father received, both by Catholics as well as other Christians, those belonging to other religions and those who only went to see him as he went through the city."

Do what he says

Referring to the motto of the visit, "Heart Speaks Unto Heart," the monsignor reflected that "the Pope spoke to the heart, but above all he spoke from the heart."

"The Pope gave himself to us from his heart, and he did so in his words and in his conduct," Monsignor Summersgill affirmed.

The coordinator also said the fruits are already "at every level."

"The Holy Father has invited us to address some challenges, above all to keep going, taking with us everything he has said to us in these days," he said. "I see this desire also in the people who participated, who were present and who feel the duty to do what he has told us."  

patrick

"Benedict bounce"

Thank you, Father,

The coverage on B16 is copious. 

A pick from selections is helpful. 

Donald

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: father patrick _ _ _
Sent: Tue, 21 September, 2010 15:21:02
Subject: BOLD AND triumphant

20-September-2010 -- ZENIT.org News Agency Share | Benedict XVI in UK: Bold and Triumphant Government and Vatican Hail Success of State Visit By Edward Pentin LONDON, SEPT. 20, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI's four-day state visit to Britain defied doomsayers and the negative publicity that preceded it, bringing out an estimated 500,000 people in Scotland and England as well as countless others who heard his messages in the media and on the Internet. Both the government and the Vatican were delighted with how well it went. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said it was a "wonderful visit" and, above all, a "spiritual success." The numbers of cheering supporters were far greater than any protest groups (200,000 on the streets of London on Saturday compared to around 5,000 protesters who took part in a march that day), but the Vatican doesn't judge success by numbers. Father Lombardi said the Pope felt it was a success because "many, many people listened with profound interest to what he had to say." The British press, some of which has been extremely hostile to the visit, gave a virtually unanimous verdict that it could not have gone better for the Church. The Daily Mail described the visit as "triumphant," adding that "by last night, the protesters appeared defeated, with celebrity objectors virtually silent and demonstrations against the visit few and muted." Benedict XVI began his trip by telling Queen Elizabeth II of his concerns over "aggressive forms of secularism," but he ended it on a message of hope: Britons, he said, have a "deep thirst" for the message of Christianity, even if the country has become a "highly secularized environment." He constantly warned of the excesses of secularism and the perils of "atheist extremism," yet reminded the country of its deep Christian roots from which so much good has been achieved by its people in the course of history. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron noted in his farewell address that the messages Benedict had delivered to the country had made it "sit up and think." He gave strong assurances that faith "has been and always will be" part of the fabric of British society. Won over An important factor in the visit's success was the chance for British people to see what the Pope is really like, as opposed to his media-concocted image. They were won over by his shyness, deep humility, and child-like innocence -- just as many in the Vatican predicted they would be. But they were also impressed by his courage and his willingness to speak his mind. "This was a much more successful visit than the Roman Catholic hierarchy could have dared to hope," wrote English commentator Stepehen Glover. "The Pope spoke to the soul of our country, affirming the eternal moral verities which our own political and religious leaders normally prefer to avoid. In essence, he has been asking us to examine what kind of country we want this to be." And perhaps more than on any other papal visit, he comprehensively addressed the sexual abuse scandal, first referring to his "shock" and "sadness" that priests had abused children, then voicing his "deep sorrow" over the "unspeakable crime" of pedophilia by clergy, and finally meeting five Britons who had suffered such abuse. He also called for better safety measures for children in schools and urged the Church in Britain, which over the past decade has handled the scandal well, to share its expertise. This was a truly historic visit designed to help bring reconciliation between Church and state and between Catholics and Anglicans. Half of all the nation's Parliamentarians turned out for the Pope's speech in Westminster Hall, where St. Thomas More, the patron saint of politicians, was tried and condemned in 1535. The Holy Father expressed his concern at the "marginalization" of religion in society, reminding them that religion is not a problem for legislators to solve, but a "vital contributor" to the national conversation. New chapter With the Church of England, the exchanges were remarkably friendly, despite relations having reached their lowest ebb in recent times. The Pope also reached out to interreligious leaders, and engaged teachers and young people, urging the latter not to follow a celebrity culture but to enter into relationship with God and pursue holiness. He also spoke from the heart to elderly people, stressing the importance of life from conception until natural death and telling them that ever longer lives offer an opportunity to remember in prayer those "whom we have cherished in this life." The Pope called Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman, the 19th-century theologian whom the Pope came to England to beatify, a "great son of England," recalling how he showed his priestly compassion to the poor, sick and imprisoned. The visit was also a historic first, which above all signified a new chapter for the Church in this historically Protestant country, one in which a line had finally been drawn under the sectarian and bloody disputes of the past. How much this visit will affect the country in the long term remains the subject of debate. Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, the archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, has spoken of a "Benedict bounce" and a hoped-for growth in vocations. But for the Catholic lay faithful and Britons who value the Church's teaching and Christian principles -- evidently many more than the media tends to convey -- the Holy Father's visit was a much needed and very welcome "shot in the arm" after years of encroaching secularist intolerance.

patrick

Papal Visit Personal Account

Thank you, Father,

for your vivid response to the 'papal presence' even in solitude.

D.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: A C - - -
Sent: Tue, 21 September, 2010 15:46:05
Subject: the Pope in the UK

Hi all,

I don't go in for blogging or twittering or facebooking etc

but some of you have asked me if I went to see the Pope.

No. But............. here is a personalised account of his visit:

The Pope's visit to the UK, (Edinburg, Glasgow, London and Birmingham) 

has turned out to be a huge success despite the Jeremiahs who predicted dismal failure with embarrassment, humiliation and worse, for him.

The national papers have all used superlatives today to describe it and are non-plussed at the spontaneously rapturous welcome he received everywhere.

One said we expected a Rottweiler and we got a gentle grandfather.

The vociferous opposition by 'People against the Pope' turned out to be a mere blip despite their demonstration being much larger than even they had expected,  -- 5k, while 300k lined the London streets to cheer him!!! 

Their spurious argumentations were little less than barely concealed hatred. 

Poor people, with spiritual cancers eating them away.

For me the 4 days were a papal telethon (television marathon), as I spent about 7 hours each day, on 3 TV channels, following the Pope's every step and listening to his every word (with difficulty, due to accented speech andtoo fast delivery).

The words of others were very good too, especially the Chief Rabbi's.

There were quite a few emotional highs for me, especially in London where I ministered 24 years ago. I was based at the Cathedral for 2 years and said Mass very often at the altar where the Pope said his, also in the chapel of the Home for the Elderly that he visited and I dined in the reception room in which he held court. I had even been inside the Apostolic Nunciature where he slept. So many old memories came flooding back. I noticed in the congregation people from that time, like Pat O'Donoghue, the retired bishop of Lancaster (& Cumbria) who was sub-administrator of the cathedral at the time. While the Pope was at the (Anglican) Westminster Abbey, I thought of the time I preached in the adjacent St Margaret's chapel. Even the many references in Birmingham, to the new Blessed, Cardinal Newman, and his founding of University College Dublin, did it for me, for I was a student there for 3 years.

I also realised that I have been missing the majesty of liturgical celebration.

The music at the Cathedral and the Abbey was magical and the singing heavenly.

To me, the liturgies were a baptised compilation of theatre, opera and military pageantry, all in one sacred spectacle, dimming Broadway and the West End into insignificant childsplay. I used to sit at the back of the cathedral during celebrations just to enjoy the music and singing; somehow I've survived all these years without it.

The Pope's visit was like a Retreat for me, more than. Conscious of my hermit's ministry, I fasted the whole week (and lost 11 pounds) for the success of the visit, especially that it would not rain, for there were many open-air events which would be disastrous shambles in the rain. Even for non-events, like the Pope going from A to B in his popemobile with the streets lined with cheering people, rain would have been a calamity.

It rained here where I live. But it never rained where the Pope was, even though on Sunday morning for a short while it threatened to. Allah Bu Akbar. God is Good. Thanks be to HIM.

The organisation, with complicated logistics, was superb. There were no hitches,--just a few minor errors that can be overlooked. I was disappointed though that there was not more Gregorian Chant.

We have had a papal visit once in 30 years or so and we are very excited and overwhelmed. We forget that this year alone,the Pope is making 5 such visits to foreign countries. This visit to the UK was his 17th since becoming Pope in 2005.

For an 83 year old man his stamina is remarkable;  this visit was 'chock-a-block' with events and speeches, as I suppose it is with all his other visits.

During these 4 days, there were 6 people arrested for 3 days then released, suspected of planning an attack on the Pope. My cynical mind suggests to me that it was  planned  and 'staged' by the Government to give validity to the very controversial millions of £s spent on security for the 4 days.

I feel certain that, as a result of the great enthusiasm and positivity engendered by the Pope's visit, people of Faith, Christian and others, will feel less apologetic towards the secularists and atheists, about their believing in God and in spiritual values. And I suspect that many lapsed Catholics will return to church-going at least, and that some atheists and non-believers will secretly experience conversion. So may it be: Amen. 

Love & Blessings

ajc