The following are some highlights from Pope Benedict's visit to the United Kingdom...
* On route to Scotland, Pope Benedict spoke with reporters during a Q & A session. In answer to one of the questions, the Holy Father stated that the abuse scandals were a "shock" and "a source of great sadness" to him. He also said that it was difficult for him to understand "how this perversion of the priestly ministry was possible" and said he was "sad that the Church authorities were not sufficiently vigilant, not quick and decisive enough in taking the necessary measures"
* An estimated 125,000 people are believed to have gathered to welcome the Holy Father on the streets of Edinburgh on Thursday. Turnout was roughly 1 in 5 of the entire population of Edinburgh
* Queen Elizabeth II said the U.K. appreciated "the involvement of the Holy See in the dramatic improvement in the situation in Northern Ireland"
* Some 70,000 persons attended the Pope's open-air Mass on Thursday at Bellahouston Park
* Pope Benedict was reportedly "calm" on Friday despite a suspected terrorist plot that resulted in 6 arrests
* The Holy Father spoke to a crowd of about 4,000 young persons on Friday at St. Mary's University College. He also, from the Popemobile, kissed children which were lifted up to him and blessed a nine-year-old cancer survivor.
* Friday at Westminster Abbey, Pope Benedict twice declared that he is the successor of St. Peter. He also "did the unthinkable" by "praising St. Thomas More in Westminster Hall" (remember that St. Thomas More was "killed for his defense of the pope's sovereignty against the king's"). Noting the significance of Friday's events in the historically (meaning: since the King Henry VIII suppressed the Catholic religion to marry his mistress) Protestant & anti-Catholic country, one source claims the Pope's actions marked "the end of the British Empire"
* 'Ecumenical' gestures included the Pope's meeting with Anglican leadership and his reported public handshake of a female 'clergywoman'.* Predictably, there were no reminders regarding the keys to heaven, invalid Anglican orders & resulting invalid Anglican sacraments, necessity of union with the Roman Pontiff, or the necessity of being Catholic for salvation. However, as indicated above, the Holy Father did make two clear references to his being the successor of St. Peter [* Reminders: Anglicans do NOT have valid orders (click here for more information). Further, it is impossible to ordain women (click here for more information)]
* Messages from the Pope included warnings against a "celebrity culture", "atheist extremism", exclusion of God from public life, "the spirit of the age", relativism, wealth and secularism. He called young persons to be future saints, reminding them that "true happiness is to be found in God"
* Security incidents have included the arrest of six men in London in connection with a suspected terrorist plot and an incident in Scotland involving an alleged "breach of the peace, resisting arrest and police assault" during Mass (but "not near the Pope"). Scotland had a "heavy police presence" during the papal visit
* Other incidents: As expected, there have been some protesters ("a small number" in Scotland, more in London). There were also some medical incidents involving pilgrims (reportedly over 100 were treated for "minor ailments" in Scotland, but apparently none required hospitalization). Also, the Mass in Scotland reportedly included some "liturgical misjudgments" by organizers
* Reactions to the papal visit have reportedly included weeping, silence, and "standing in awe" as the Pope passed by. Of the visit to Scotland, the papal spokesman said, "Today has been absolutely wonderful, more than we could ever have expected. The Pope is very happy and we are delighted to have such a wonderful start to this visit"
9/18 Updates...
* The six street cleaners arrested Friday in connection with an alleged terrorist plot against the Pope remained in custody on Saturday. All six men are believed to be Muslims. Since no hard evidence has been found, it is being suggested that the suspects may be released without charges after the Pope leaves for Rome on Sunday
* Pope Benedict met with and prayed with several abuse victims for a half hour or more ("longer than the prime minister got") on Saturday. The meeting was private, but a Holy See press release indicated that the Pope was "moved by what they had to say and expressed his deep sorrow and shame." He also thanked those who worked to protect young people from abuse
* Saturday saw additional protests from anti-Catholics and abuse victims. The total amount of protesters is believed to be numbered in the thousands. Although this marked "the largest protest of his papacy", the total number of papal supporters during his U.K. trip has far outweighed the total number of protesters
* Apparently, a bookmaker group staged a 'publicity stunt' involving a fake 'Popemobile', complete with a fake 'pope'. The imposter vehicle was stopped by police, but the outcome of the encounter is unknown
* In a homily on Saturday, Pope Benedict spoke on the outpouring of Christ's Blood as "the source of the Church's life". He also addressed the abuse scandals, expressing "deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes, along with my hope that the power of Christ’s grace, his sacrifice of reconciliation, will bring deep healing and peace to their lives" and acknowledging "the shame and humiliation which all of us have suffered because of these sins"
* The Holy Father also met with elderly persons on Saturday at a residential home and stated that "God wills a proper respect for the dignity and worth the health and well-being of the elderly and through her charitable institutions in Britain and beyond, the Church seeks to fulfil the Lord’s command to respect life, regardless of age or circumstances." He also reminded that the senior years "are an opportunity to remember in affectionate prayer all those whom we have cherished in this life, and to place all that we have personally been and done before the mercy and tenderness of God"
* Also on Saturday, Pope Benedict addressed young people telling them to look into their hearts and think about & thank God for the love that they have received as well as urging them to "choose to love" every day, noting that "we were made for love" and that love "has shown us what is truly important in life". He also reminded that Jesus is the source of all true love and that we must "make space for silence, because it is in silence that we find God"
* At a Hyde Park vigil on Saturday evening before the beatification of Cardinal Newman, the Holy Father spoke of suffering for the faith, remarking that "In our own time, the price to be paid for fidelity to the gospel is no longer being hanged, drawn and quartered, but it often involves being dismissed out of hand, ridiculed and parodied"
9/20 Updates...
* Cardinal Newman was beatified by Pope Benedict on Sunday. His feast day (Novus Ordo calendar) will fall on the date of his conversion, October 9
* Pope Benedict commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain on Sunday, stating that "For me, as one who lived and suffered through the dark days of the Nazi regime in Germany, it is deeply moving to be here with you on this occasion and to recall how many of your fellow citizens sacrificed their lives, courageously resisting the forces of that evil ideology"
* The Holy Father met with the bishops of England, Scotland and Wales on Sunday, encouraging them to 'proclaim the Gospel afresh in a highly secularized environment'. He also addressed the abuse scandals, the new (Novus Ordo) Mass translation, and the implementation of Anglicanorum Coetibus. Regarding the new translation, he called on the bishops to "seize the opportunity that the new translation offers for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration." In reference to Anglicanorum Coetibus, Pope Benedict asked the bishops to be "generous in implementing the apostolic constitution", at the same time essentially affirming that "the ultimate goal of all ecumenical activity" is the conversion of those who have left the Church (unfortunately, however, there was also reference to a supposed "enrichment" from heretical / schismatic sects)
* The six suspects arrested in the alleged terrorist threat against Pope Benedict were released Saturday evening or Sunday morning without being charged. They reportedly posed "no credible threat" to the Holy Father. There is some talk of the former suspects suing for 'unlawful arrest and detention', but unnamed "security sources" claimed that "the arrests were proportionate and justified" and that "intelligence received suggested this was a very serious situation" (not a "a light-hearted conversation" as some suggested). Note that the former suspects were reportedly Muslim and an Islamic publication recently issued a call to Muslims in connection with the papal trip that was feared to be an "incitement to violence"
* A papal spokesman used the terms "very, very positive" and a "great success" in connection with the Holy Father's historic trip to the U.K. Likewise, British media coverage of the event was called "remarkable" and the same term ("remarkable") was used to describe the number of cheering pilgrims in the streets of London (estimated at more than 100,000, "remarkable numbers given the indifference and downright hostility prior to the visit and the fact that Catholics make up only 10 percent of Britain's population"). U.S. media coverage of the Pope's 'first ever state visit' to the U.K. was called "mixed" by the Catholic League, which noted CNN's "relentless...criticism of a male-only clergy" and the New York Time's 'fixation' on the abuse scandal
* The Holy Father arrived safely back in Rome late Sunday night and is reportedly resting at Castelgandolfo
[9/17, updated 9/18 & 9/20]
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