Papal Visit to the U.K.: Some Highlights [UPDATED]

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]

News Highlights

The following are some recent news highlights...

* The priest who was a passenger in the automobile accident which killed a nun and injured the U.S. Ambassador to Malta has died. He was 94 and had been in critical condition as a result of the single-vehicle accident, the cause of which is still under investigation

* The Vatican Splendors exhibit which recently concluded after a four month run reportedly drew record crowds to the Missouri History Museum

* A Filipino prelate has alleged that eight bishops in his country have taken payoffs from gaming bosses in connection with illegal gambling. He has apparently agreed to reveal the names of the bishops he claims are involved

* Contradicting an earlier claim by Pakistan's Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs that there has been no discrimination in aid distribution to non-Muslims, Pakistani bishops have alleged that the discrimination against Christians is still occurring

* Bishop Olmsted of Phoenix has announced the excommunication of a priest who recently participated in the attempted* 'ordination' of a woman, noting that "Actions such as these are extremely serious and carry with them profoundly harmful consequences for the salvation of the souls participating in this attempted ordination" [* Note: 'Attempted ordination' because it is impossible to actually ordain a woman (click here for more information)]

* There have been at least 19 deaths in connection with previous plans by a Protestant group in Florida to burn the Qu’ran on 9/11. Also, even though India's bishops condemned the planned Qu'ran burning, Muslims bombed a Catholic school in that country in protest. The Holy Father recently prayed for the victims and asked that "reconciliation and peace may prevail over hatred and violence"

* Sacraments designed for humans can be given to 'extra terrestrials'? The "Pope's astronomer" reportedly claimed that (supposed) aliens have souls and he would be willing to baptize an alien "if they asked" [Commentary: How exactly does he suppose 'aliens' got stained by Original Sin which was passed down only to Adam & Eve's descendents?]

* Bishop Harpigny indicated that the Belgian Church may have been hesitant to issue an apology to alleged abuse victims because an apology may have made the Church legally liable for damages

* Foreseeable consequence of homosexual 'marriage': A new television show is attempting to redefine marriage as a union of one man and many women. The show features a "polygamous Mormon household"

* Sacrilege: A communicant at a TLM in Ireland refused to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. He reportedly grabbed a host from the ciborium, causing the Host to fall to the floor. He was restrained and told not to return to the church [Related: Communion in the Hand: Why Not?]

* The approach of Cardinal Newman's beatification has again brought to light criticism of the alleged miracle involved in the cause. The nature of the alleged miracle - a supposedly "fast recovery" of a deacon after back surgery (the 'fast recovery' is the alleged 'miracle', not the healing itself) - has provided opportunities for skeptics to cast doubt on the veracity of miracles themselves. Some have charged that miracles have been "downgraded" in recent times from fantastic (e.g. parting of the sea, healing the blind, raising the dead) to "near-trivial" (e.g. a 'fast recovery' after surgery) - or as one article put it, 'today's miracles' have "lost their wow factor". The deacon involved in Cardinal Newman's case, who is married and who has enjoyed "considerable notoriety" since the alleged miracle, previously claimed to receive assistance with his back pain from Cardinal Newman before he had a relapse which required surgery. The deacon was also in the news last year after he asked newspapers and other media to "erase references" to his meeting with dissenting 'Catholic' Cherie Blair. The allegation that the deacon's 'fast recovery' was miraculous reportedly gave one neurosurgeon (who said there was nothing remarkable about his five-day recovery) and his colleagues "a good chuckle." Also controversial in his cause have been questionable statements made by the Anglican convert as well as allegations that the prelate was homosexual. Pope Benedict is scheduled to beatify Cardinal Newman on Sunday, to the gratification of some 'conservatives' who enjoy his writings and to various 'liberals' who see him as a 'precursor' of Vatican II

[9/17]

More News Highlights

Some more recent news highlights...

* According to a CNA report, the priest who survived a recent car accident which killed a nun and injured the U.S. Ambassador to Malta is in "stable condition", breathing with the help of a ventilator and in an induced coma. The driver of the vehicle, the U.S. ambassador to Malta, is expected to make "a full recovery"

* EWTN reports that the deacon who allegedly received a miraculous healing through Cardinal Newman's intercession has responded to doubts concerning the alleged miracle. Critics have noted that the deacon had undergone conventional medical treatment prior to the alleged miracle and had previously been relieved of back pain which subsequently "returned with a vengeance"

* The former secretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant People has indicated that he will continue to voice his opinions concerning immigrants even though he has retired from his position

* Sad: Monk and author, Fr. Gabriel Bunge, has left the Catholic Church to join the (schismatic) Orthodox [Note: Click here for 'The Importance of Being Catholic: Combating Religious Indifferentism']

* Could it be, another school protects its Catholic identity? A lesbian at a Springfield Catholic school was allegedly forced to resign after 'marrying' her female 'partner'. The woman is reportedly "exploring her legal options" [Related: Defending the Indefensible | Catholic education begins at home]

* The "eco-terrorist" with an "overwhelming disdain for human beings" who recently took hostages at Discovery Communications' headquarters before being shot appears to have previously confronted pro-lifers. No one was physically injured or threatened in the previous encounter

* A new Latin Mass Society survey reveals that "almost half" of English & Welsh Mass-goers would attend weekly TLM's if they were available in local parishes, with 66% of practicing Catholics "happy to attend" TLM's once a month. The study also found that 60% of Catholics were unaware of Pope Benedict's Summorum Pontificum [Related: The Traditional Latin ('Tridentine') Mass vs. the New (Novus Ordo) Mass]

* A Phoenix priest may have participated in a recent attempted female 'ordination' ceremony, according to a CNA report ['attempted' because it is impossible to ordain women (click here for more information)]. The penalty of excommunication applies both to persons attempting to ordain women and to females who attempt to be 'ordained'

* According to Archbishop Koch, the "clear conclusion" of the recent Schulerkreis is that "Fidelity to tradition, openness to the future" is the "correct" interpretation of Vatican II [Related: Summary of Changes Since Vatican II: A Revolution in the Church?]

* NY Archbishop Timothy Dolan reportedly wants to have an "ongoing dialog" with Muslim leaders

* Sad: Catholics in Egypt may be "encouraged" to convert to Islam because conversion provides a means to obtain an "easy divorce" with full rights against one's spouse, along with the potential for "better employment opportunities" [Related: Catholic teaching against divorce]

[9/3]

More News Highlights

Some more recent news highlights...

* Fides news agency is reporting that Christians in Pakistan are facing "systematic discrimination" in the distribution of aid essential for survival in the wake of devastating floods. Aid is allegedly handled "either by Muslim relief organizations or by government officials close to fundamentalists" who 'often ignore' or who 'purposely do not identify & register' Christians

* The USCCB has lent its support to an initiative designed to protect the right of religious organizations to make staffing decisions on the basis of faith. Pending legislation threatens to harm religious freedom and the ability of organizations to protect their religious identity

* A second lawsuit has been filed against the Santa Rosa Diocese concerning alleged abuse by an Irish priest in the 1980's. The priest had been described as "troublesome" by former Dublin Archbishop Dermot Ryan

* The Catholic League's rally against the Empire State Building on Mother Teresa's 100th birthday drew "well over 3,000", according to the League. A CNN blog reports the rally drew "a few hundred people." While the Catholic League was "proud of the overwhelming support" and called the rally a "smashing success", liberal-leaning CNN pointed out that "conspicuously absent from the rally were any blue and white saris." Officials of the Empire State Building had refused to light up the building in Mother Teresa's honor

* The Vatican's "top official for migrants", Msgr. Agostino Marchetto, "deplored" the French government's recent crackdown on gypsies ("Roma"). The Archbishop of Paris was also critical, calling the actions a "circus". The French government defended the mass deportations saying they are "scrupulously respecting European law" and claimed that the illegal "squatters' camps" have been linked to crime

* A message was sent from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to Muslims to mark the end of their "holy" month which called for Muslims and Christians to work together against violence. Muslims, on the other hand, have "appealed to the Pope" and other world leaders hoping they will lend their efforts to try to prevent a "Burn a Qur'an" day being planned for 9/11 in the U.S. by a "non-denominational" group

* A Catholic school in Australia has apologized to parents after a boy dressed as Adolf Hitler won a prize for his costume. The school had received "a number of complaints" about the award

* Parents of a 19 year-old girl have filed a lawsuit against the Allentown Diocese after their daughter allegedly became pregnant by a priest. The parents - who reportedly recorded their daughter having intimate relations with the priest via a hidden camera - are seeking more than $300K in damages

* A formal announcement is expected to be made next month regarding Cardinal Newman's feast date, which will be on October 9 (Novus Ordo calendar), the date of his conversion

[8/27]

BBC Coverage During Papal Visit Expected To "Upset Many Catholics"

Besides the spectacle of dissenting ads on buses, calls for the Holy Father's arrest, anti-Catholic protests, and a possible incitement to violence by an Islamic publication, it is expected that television coverage during the upcoming papal visit to the U.K. will "upset many Catholics." According to a recent Zenit article, "the BBC is expected to upset many Catholics when it broadcasts a program timed to coincide with the Pope's Sept. 16-19 visit." The article indicates that while details "remain under wraps", reports have indicated that the program may be "a 90-minute drama that puts the Pope on trial" for 'covering up' abuse by priests. Other programming during the papal visit may include a feature on Cardinal Newman - who is scheduled to be beatified by the Pope during his visit - which infers that the Cardinal was homosexual.

[7/23]

The meeting that didn’t happen?

The deacon who believes he was miraculously healed after praying to Cardinal Newman is now attempting to "erase references" to his recent meeting with Cherie Blair - a supposed Catholic - after learning about her views on abortion and "s*xual morality." He is reportedly "shocked and horrified" at her rejection of Catholic teaching. Although her dissenting views have been well documented in the media, he claims he was not aware of them until after the meeting. He has reportedly asked newspapers and other media to "delete references" to their meeting, a meeting which he had previously praised.

[11/30]