Papal Visit Thougts

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Latest news

Papal Visit – Thoughts from a Laywoman I was glued to the TV for four days. As the papal programme in Britain worked through it felt like reality was being redefined! The main news channels were dominated by pictures of Pope Benedict’s sweet smile, yellow and white flags, discussion about the role of Christianity in society, and all with familiar hymns playing in the background. Read More ... Ellen Teague - Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 11:59 pm

Papal Visit: at care home Pope recalls last years of John Paul II Before the Hyde Park Prayer Vigil on Saturday, the Holy Father travelled to St Peter's old people's home in Lambeth. The institution, which houses seventy-six elderly people including nine priests and religious, is run by the Little Sisters of the Poor.  Read More ...Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 11:16 pm

New Shrine for Our Lady of the Taper On Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI blessed the statue of Our Lady of the Taper from the National Shrine of Wales in Cardigan and, just 24 hours later the statue has been re-located to a side chapel in the main Church. Read More ...Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 10:45 pm

‘It’s a great day to be Catholic’ So says Mike Stanley of CJM Music who alongside Jo Boyce, their six piece band and a 40-strong choir opened the Cardinal Newman Beatification celebrations at Cofton Park, Birmingham on Sunday.  Using some of Newman’s prayers and other devotional writings along with a mixture of contemporary styled music including two new musical settings of Newman’s poetry, Read More ...Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 10:31 pm

Bishop Crispian Hollis reflects on Papal Visit We have been witnessing remarkable events during the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.  I was privileged to be present for the meeting with Archbishop Rowan Williams and his fellow Anglican Bishops at Lambeth. It was a meeting of particular warmth and welcome. Read More ...Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 10:15 pm

Cathedral stewards help Papal Visit run smoothly When Pope Benedict  XV1 visited Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, the security was very strict and much of the stewarding was carried out by members of the Catholic Police Guild as well as the Catenian Association.  Their job was to check the credentials of the 1,739 invited pilgrims before allowing them to enter the Cathedral. Read More ...Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 9:16 pm

Cardinal O'Brien thanks Pope for being 'Honorary Scot' In his farewell address to Pope Benedict XVI delivered at Oscott College in Birmingham yesterday, Cardinal Keith O'Brien the President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland thanked the pope for agreeing to be 'an honorary Scot for the day'.  As Britain's senior Catholic, Cardinal O'Brien addressed his farewell remarks to the pope at the end of his four day visit to Scotland Read More ...Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 8:58 pm

Kevin goes to see Pope Benedict I was very happy when we got on the train to go to Bellahouston Park. The Police Officers gave us directions when we got there and made sure we had our green wrist bands on. My Mum and my brother were carrying two cool bags with food and drinks and me and my two sisters were carrying our pilgrim packs and Mass books. Read More ... Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 10:09 am

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Saint of the day: 21st September

Saint Matthew

Apostle and evangelist, St Matthew was called Levi by St Mark and St Luke. He was a Jewish tax collector for the Romans working and living in Capernum before he was called by Jesus.

St Matthew wrote first of all for his fellow Jews, longing to show them how Jesus had fulfilled their deepest hopes. He brought a message of a Saviour who would never desert his followers. The last words of Matthew's Gospel, quotes Jesus' command that his followers must baptise disciples from all mankind before he promises: "I am with you always, to the end of the world."

Though Matthew was writing for his own people, he alone tells of the first non-Jews to worship Jesus: the three Magi who followed a star that lead them to the stable at Bethlehem.

It was Matthew who set down the words at the Sermon on the Mount. Of the Parables that Matthew tells us, which we know from no one else, one stands out especially: the story of the sheep and the goats. The parable ends with the message that whatever we do to the least of our brethren we do to Jesus.

No one knows when or how St Matthew died. Tradition says he was martyred in Ethiopia.

With acknowledgment to ICN

Papal Visit Album

Princes Street and Edinburgh Castle

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: 
To: Donald ...
Sent: Thu, 16 September, 2010 20:56:54
Subject: Re: [Blog] Papal Visit Homily

Dear Fr. Donald,

Thank you so much for forwarding The Holy Father's homily....

what a wonderful day, myself and Gillie were in Princes St. with Gillie's two wee girls from 9.15 and it was such a joy, the pageant which little Robyn (nearly three) really enjoyed, but she kept asking where's our Pope, when he did appear we were fortunate to get a Blessing from him, I thought Robyn's hand was going to fly off she was waving vigorously, and since then she is waving the flag all around the house chanting we love the Pope, what a wonderful day, I hope it reaches out to most people the way it has reached out to little Robyn, indeed a day we call all say "we are proud to be Christians"  

Infant blessed at the window of the Pope-mobile
on the Princes Street Edinburgh

God Bless Father Donald, it is our weekend at Nunraw so we will all see you over the weekend

God bless and thank you

Helen ... 

% % % % % % % % % % % % % % .

Thank you, Helen.
There are so many pictures for the Album.
D.

Papal Visit - Home Rome

20 September 2010 Last updated at 12:07

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Pope's visit is deemed to challenge stereotypes

By David WilleyBBC News, Rome

The Pope praised Britain's 'instinct for moderation'

After all the fears expressed before the Pope left Rome of a possible debacle - street protests and a poor turnout - there was a tangible sense of relief, even of euphoria, among Pope Benedict's entourage during the return flight to Rome from Birmingham.

As the Pope and his cardinals dined in their chartered Alitalia Airbus (on pate de foie gras, pasta with egg plant, cold meats, cheese and wild fruit tart) the Vatican entourage were enthusiastic about the results of the four-day trip.

Their excitement was echoed by Prime Minister David Cameron in an unexpected accolade as he bade farewell to the Pope at the airport.

Mr Cameron said the Pope had challenged the whole country "to sit up and think" about the relative roles of religion and politics.

Does Mr Cameron's vision of a British "Big Society" coincide with the social teaching of the Roman Catholic Church? Surprisingly, there seem to be many points in common.

'Wonderful' visit

The Pope had talked about "the development of a healthy pluralistic society". He expressed his admiration for Britain's "instinct for moderation" which found an echo in the prime minister's vision of a country that is "deeply but quietly compassionate".

Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope's official spokesman, described the visit as "wonderful".

The big crowds that gathered along The Mall in central London on Saturday afternoon to greet Pope Benedict on his way to the Hyde Park prayer vigil had been impressive, by any royal standards.

But it was not the size of the crowds that impressed the Pope so much as the fact that so many people were listening to his speeches, most of which were broadcast live on TV. They understood with their hearts and minds, Father Lombardi said.

The Pope beatified Cardinal John Henry Newman, a prolific theologian, during his UK visit

Although the visit overall may have lacked the panache of a British royal event, the Pope's tour developed a momentum of its own from the moment he was welcomed by the Queen in her Edinburgh palace of Holyroodhouse, with all its memories of the unfortunate Catholic monarch Mary Queen of Scots.

In Rome, we are used to seeing the Pope kissing and blessing babies held up to him as he tours around the crowds during general audiences.

But in the eyes of British people he was certainly humanised by the media during his visit, even being photographed patting a police sniffer dog as he lined up for a souvenir photograph with a small group of the 2,000 policemen and women who have been in charge of his security.

A pope who had previously been regarded as someone rather cold, professorial, aloof and authoritarian; had suddenly been perceived as a rather kindly and gentle grandfather figure.

Throughout the trip, I was a member of the Vatican Accredited Media Personnel (because of the acronym that appeared on our press passes, we quickly became known as the Vamp) which accompanied Pope Benedict.

Italian journalists travelling with the Vamp seemed surprised at the orderly way in which the 10,000 street demonstrators against the papal visit had marched in London on Saturday "without a whiff of tear gas being shed".

'Sheer magic'

But Marco Politi, a veteran Vatican reporter, noted that although the Pope commiserated with five carefully selected British victims of clerical sexual abuse in the chapel at the Nunciature in Twickenham, some victims had refused the Vatican offer to meet the Pontiff as they had actually been abused on church premises.

The Pope's triumph was really his speech to leaders of civil society at Westminster. One political mover and shaker told me afterwards his performance had been "sheer magic".

Within the space of two hours Pope Benedict penetrated the heart of the Anglican Establishment. In Lambeth Palace, Westminster Hall and the Abbey, he delivered a rather flattering tribute to what he found attractive about British culture and traditions.

I watched it all from a sort of BBC transparent bubble - a TV studio which had been hoisted on a crane high onto the roof of the Methodist Central Hall, giving us unprecedented views of the great West Door of the Coronation Abbey and the London landscape.

I reflected that travelling around Britain inside the papal bubble does give one a unique bird's eye view of contemporary British society.

How much the Pope actually observed for himself as he travelled from Edinburgh to Glasgow and on to London and Birmingham I do not know, but this journey did also cause me to "sit up and think" about how stereotyped the view of the Vatican from afar can become.

ICN Independent Catholic News

The Papal Visit gives us endless memorable images. incidents, speeches, interviews, centered on Pope Benedict XVI.

The service of ICN, Independent Catholic News,  is a very helpful resource, and provides a useful archive of the unforgettable experience of the UK welcome of the Pope.  
 
With acknowledgment to ICN, and appreciation of this continuing this LINK.

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From: Independent Catholic News
To: nunrawdonald@yahoo.com
Sent: Mon, 20 September, 2010 6:23:54
Subject: ICN News - 20 September 2010 - The Martyrs of Korea
Monday, September 20, 2010 6:23 AM BST  

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Latest news 

Reform group protests over BBC report Last Sunday the BBC carried a report filmed in a north London church during and after Mass,  in which a woman (ostensibly a parishioner) claiming to come from  campaigning group Catholic Voices for Reform, was interviewed discussing a number of church issues. The group has issued the following letter of complaint. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 6:06 pm

Papal Visit (xvi) Reflections on Pope at Westminster Abbey  I was privileged to receive a ticket to attend the Service of Evening Prayer on Friday lead by Pope Benedict and the Archbishop of Canterbury.  What an emotional and affecting event. However, the two key words which sum it up must be, relaxed and respectful. Read More ...Judy Dixey - Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 5:40 pm

Papal Visit: (xv) Beatification of John Henry Newman Pope Benedict XVI left the apostolic nunciature in London this morning and, at 8.30am, boarded a helicopter which took him to Birmingham for the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman. John Henry Newman, one of the great Christian intellectuals of the nineteenth century, was born in London in 1801. H Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 5:30 pm

Papal Visit (xiv) Hyde Park Vigil Carrying banners, placards and flags, around 80,000 parishioners of all ages,  came to Hyde Park yesterday afternoon, for the Prayer Vigil with Pope Benedict. An estimated 20,000 more gathered to watch from the roads around the park. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 5:16 pm

Papal Visit (xiii): Pope meets abuse victims; adresses safeguarding professionals  Before the Hyde Park Vigil on Saturday, in the Apostolic Nunciature in London Pope Benedict met a group of people who had been sexually abused by members of the clergy. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 1:54 pm

Papal Visit (xii) Pope's greeting to young people at Westminster Cathedral Only 2,500 could were able to attend the Papal Mass at Westminster Cathedral yesterday. Another couple of thousand crammed into the Piazza to watch the Mass on screens. Many more waited in Victoria Street for a glimpse of the Holy Father. After the Mass the Pope came out onto the steps of the Cathedral and spoke with a few young people. He also gave the following short address. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 1:35 pm

Papal Visit (xi) Pope Benedict in Hyde Park - homily text "This is an evening of joy, of immense spiritual joy for all of us. We are gathered here in prayer vigil to prepare for tomorrow's Mass, during which a great son of this nation, Cardinal John Henry Newman, will be declared Blessed. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 1:00 am

Papal Visit (x) text - Pope Benedict at Westminster Cathedral Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday morning. The text of his homily follows. We will be carrying a full report on ICN tomorrow. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 12:53 am

Papal Visit (ix) UK government and Holy See discuss shared goals "Her Majesty's Government hosted a dinner on 17 September for the Holy See delegation accompanying Pope Benedict XVI on his official visit to the UK, headed by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. The UK side was headed by William Hague, the Foreign Secretary. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 12:23 am

Papal Visit (viii) Ecumenical Vespers at Westminster Abbey At 7pm on Friday, the Pope arrived at Westminster Abbey where he took part in an ecumenical celebration of Vespers. Accompanied by Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, and Catholic Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster,  Pope Benedict was received by John Hall, dean of the abbey, who introduced him to the chapter. Read More ...Posted: Sunday, September 19, 2010 12:08 am

Papal Visit (vii) Pope Benedict visits Archbishop Rowan Williams On Friday afternoon, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI visited His Grace Archbishop Rowan Williams at the Archbishop's London home, Lambeth Palace. Together they addressed a meeting of Anglican and Roman Catholic Diocesan Bishops from England, Scotland and Wales in the Great Hall of the Archbishop's Library. Read More ...Posted: Saturday, September 18, 2010 11:25 pm

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Saint of the day: 20th September

The Martyrs of Korea

Christianity first came to Korea through books, sent from China. The first Koreans were baptised in Peking in 1784. Ten years later, a Chinese priest visiting Korea found 4,000 Christians. He stayed with them until he was killed in 1801. For the next 30 years, the community did not have a priest.

In 1837, Pope Pius VII sent Bishop Laurence Imbert with two priests from the Paris Missionary Society to China. Christianity was punishable by death at that time, so they worked in secrecy and lived in incredibly poor conditions. But the growing numbers of Christians could not remain hidden forever. Violent persecutions began and the three priests allowed themselves to be arrested to avert a riot. They were beheaded at Seoul on 21 September 1839. Later 78 Koreans were martyred.

In 1846 the first Korean priest, Andrew Kim, died for his faith. The entire group was canonised in 1984.  

Precious Blood

Saturday, 18 September 2010

The Pope and The Precious Blood

• Today at Westminster Cathedral the Holy Father directed the concelebrants and the congregation to the large hanging crucifix above the altar. 
• This was the Votive Mass of The Precious Blood of Christ, and the Holy Father spoke movingly about Christ the High priest and His solidarity with all those who suffer. 
• In this context the Pope highlighted the suffering of victims of sexual abuse and spoke of the continuing need to safeguard our children. 
• The Church herself is suffering because of the "sins" of abusers and others, and this suffering is also taken into the Sacrifice of Christ. In a special way, the Sacrifice of the Eucharist will embrace all those who have been hurt and are hurting, as well as all the sick and incapacitated. 
• The Eucharist is healing because of Christ's Death and Resurrection - He is the "High Priest of the good things to come". 
• We should have great hope for the future because of Christ. 
• The Precious Blood is a sign of that self-giving love which brings ultimate meaning to our lives and promises healing and protection for all who will come to Him.
• 
  

Posted by Fr John Abberton at http://yorkshireshepherd.blogspot.com/

With thanks . . .

Papal Visit Scotland

Thank you, Fr. Patrick.

for your Email.

It is interesting that News crosses the oceans for instant communication.

From Canada you will be will is for the Papal Visit at Bellahoustan, Glasgow. 
(Donald)

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Sent: Wed, 15 September, 2010 15:04:03
Subject: Writer blasts secular Britain's anti-catholicism

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Writer blasts secular Britain’s anti-Catholicism in run-up to papal visit

Leo McKinstry and Pope Benedict XVI

Related articles:

• St. Sechnall of Ireland
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• The American Workplace: Economic Policy, Moral Dimensions
• Come, Holy Spirit

• London, England, Sep 15, 2010 / 08:19 am (CNA).- Belfast-born author and journalist Leo McKinstry has said an anti-Catholic mood before the papal visit to the U.K. is comparable to the sectarianism of Northern Ireland. He blamed the antagonism upon the “politically correct spirit of our age” which emphasizes moral relativism and self-gratification. 
• McKinstry, a conservative who has written several books, announced his own impending conversion to Catholicism in The Daily Mail on Tuesday. He told how he had a sudden insight into religion in a Venetian chapel when he realized that the “poetry and symbolism” of Catholic ritual are metaphorical devices to evoke a spiritual reaction.
• His conversion might seem “extraordinary” because he was raised as a Protestant in Ulster. However, his conversion also runs counter to the “aggressively secular, anti-Christian” nature of modern Britain where the Catholic Church is believed to be “outmoded, reactionary, irrelevant and superstitious.”
• “This anti-Catholic mood has been at its most palpable in the run-up to Pope Benedict's state visit this week, much of it led by militant atheists who, in the name of tolerance, have become utterly intolerant of manifestations of traditional Christian faith,” McKinstry wrote.
• He added that he sees a similarity between Northern Ireland sectarianism and anti-papal feeling in Britain today. The Protestant minister Rev. Ian Paisley’s announcement of a demonstration against Pope Benedict’s visit to Glasgow is an action “no different from the noisy army of frenzied secularists,” McKinstry remarked.
• Atheist polemicist Richard Dawkins has described the Pope as “a leering old villain in a frock,” while the author Claire Rayner has declared she has never felt “such animus against any individual as I do against this creature.”
• “His views are so disgusting, so repellent and so hugely damaging to the rest of us that the only thing to do is to get rid of him,” Rayner has commented.
• In McKinstry’s view, these opinions are “alarming but hardly surprising” in a society where Catholicism is “marginalized and despised.”
• While some of this hatred was inspired by the Church’s “shameful role” in failing to respond to sexually abusive priests, he said it was “absurd” to use the child abuse scandal as an argument for destroying the Church.
• He also countered claims that the Pope conspired to cover up child sex abuse in Germany, saying these are “unsupported by documentary evidence.” Some of the cases from the U.S. appear not to have involved him at all, he noted, but were “entirely the responsibility of suspect clerics in America.”
• “Indeed, I believe the Pope is a man of decency, integrity and great intellectual strength,” McKinstry wrote in The Daily Mail.
• Antagonism against Catholicism goes “far deeper” than a reaction to child abuse.
• “The fact is that Catholicism is completely out of tune with the progressive, politically correct spirit of our age, with its fashionable emphasis on moral relativism, multi-culturalism and self-gratification,” he continued, charging that civic leaders cannot bear the existence of an alternative to their “state-dominated, anti-family, diversity-fixated vision of the world.”
• Rather, they become frenzied over the Church’s opposition to condom distributions in Africa and blame the Pope for the deaths of millions of Africans from HIV/AIDS. McKinstry contended that this ignores the heroic work of Catholic volunteers and the fact that the Catholic “ideal of restraint” has “often done more good than all the trendy sex awareness campaigns.”
• The writer also criticized “tremendous hypocrisy” in anti-Catholic feeling, noting how many leaders are happy to appease “militant Islam” because they believe Muslims to be an oppressed minority.
• “So they end up in the bizarre position of banning crucifixes and prayers from public institutions, while colluding with the spread of Sharia law,” he charged.
• McKinstry said he was drawn to Catholicism because it is a “bulwark” in the defense of Christian civilization against secularism. “It is Christianity that gave us the moral code which built our great societies. Succumbing to the progressive agenda would just mean surrendering to further decline,” he added.
• His Daily Mail piece concluded by saying that anti-Catholic commentators refuse to recognize that faith is about transcendence, not temporal politics.
• McKinstry said he would take comfort and guidance from Jesus’ words: “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's.” 

  Copyright © CNA

Cor ad Cor Loquitur

THE THEME FOR THE VISIT IS ....

Cor ad Cor Loquitur - Heart Speaks unto Heart

09/04/2010 10:27 am

The theme for Pope Benedict XVI's 2010 visit to the UK is Cor ad cor loquitur - Heart speaks unto heart. Cardinal John Henry Newman chose the words as the motto to go on his coat of arms. Heart speaks unto heart is a fitting choice for this papal visit as, on the final day of his Apostolic Journey, the Holy Father will beatify Cardinal Newman - the much-loved Victorian theologian.

Origins of the motto

When Newman became a Cardinal in 1879, he had to choose a motto to go on his coat of arms. He chose the Latin words Cor ad Cor loquitur – heart speaks unto heart. Where did these words come from? At the time, Newman thought they came from the Imitation of Christ (written in the 1400s), but in fact he was mistaken – they're from St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) a French Bishop and great spiritual writer whom Newman revered. In fact, Newman chose to put a painting of St Francis above the altar in his own Chapel at the Birmingham Oratory.

'Heart speaks to Heart' – who is speaking to who?

The phrase has different levels, which together tell us a lot about Newman, his understanding of what it is to be human, and his vision of a humanity redeemed by Christ. Newman thought that true communication between us speaks from our heart to the heart of others around us – much more than just clever talking. He wrote in an Anglican sermon: 'Eloquence and wit, shrewdness and dexterity, these plead a cause well and propagate it quickly, but it dies with them. It has no root in the hearts of men, and lives not out a generation.' Truth speaks from the centre of the person, from their heart: 'By a heart awake from the dead, and by affections set on heaven, we can... truly and without figure witness that Christ liveth.' In the age of the Internet, Newman tells us that however we communicate, what we say should come from the heart, the fruits of a moral life lived in communion with Christ.

In fact, Christ speaks to us from his own Heart. 'Thou art the living Flame, and ever burnest with love of man' – he is 'the Word, the Light, the Life, the Truth, Wisdom, the Divine Glory.' So, in the end, it's the Heart of God himself which speaks to us – in prayer, in the Mass, through the Scriptures. But also through other faithful Christians, and in the teachings of the Church. As Newman says, 'when the Church speaks Thou dost speak.' The Church has no other heart than the Heart of Christ himself.

Scotland Papal Visit

Scotsman Wednesday 25 August 2010

Guide. to Papal Visit published

A Million copies of a handbook including hymns, prayers and articles about the Pope's visit will be distributed to parishes across Britain, the Roman Catholic Church said yesterday.   

 

The publication will provide the words of liturgy and hymns for public events involving Pope Benedict during his four-day trip to Scotland and England next month. He is to begin his trip in Edinburgh on 16 September where he will meet the Queen.   

Susan Boyle to sing for the Pope 

Susan Boyle will sing for crowds at Bellahouston Park as they wait for Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate Mass, it was confirmed today.

The Britain’s Got Talent star will sing the hymn “How great thou art” as well as her signature song “I Dreamed a Dream” before the Mass starts at about 5.15pm.

Following a hymn at the end of the Mass, she will sing a farewell song to Pope Benedict as he leaves the park to travel to Glasgow Airport for his flight to London.