Today, 23 June 1007, the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in Audience the Prime Minister of Her Britannic Majesty, the Hon Anthony Blair. Following this, [Mr Blair] paid a visit to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, accompanied by His Excellency Mgr Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.Bear in mind that this is the language of diplomacy. The expression "frank exchange" is a translation of franco confronto ("confronto" does not usually mean "confrontation"). It is quite a significant expression in diplomacy usually interpreted by the press as "blazing row". That may be putting it too strongly but it is clear that Mr Blair did not simply have Pope Benedict smile and nod: he was challenged both on international matters and certain "laws recently approved" in the UK.
In the course of the conversations some significant contributions of Prime Minster Blair, during his ten years of Government, were reviewed. There followed a frank exchange on the present international situation, not omitting to face particularly delicate questions such as the conflict in the Middle East and the future of the European Union following the Brussels summit. Finally, after an exchange of opinions on some laws recently approved by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, best wishes were conveyed to the Hon Anthony Blair who is about to relinquish the office of Prime Minister, considering the fact that he expressed his keen desire to commit himself in a particular way to peace in the Middle East and to inter-religious dialogue.
Sunday, 24 June 2007
Blair & Pope: "frank exchange"
This is my own translation of a Communiqué issued yesterday by the Holy See's Press Office:
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8 comments:
If it is right that the Prime Minister was 'confronted' by the Pope, then I hope that similarly, the PM did not just 'smile and nod'.
I hope he confronted the Pope as to why the liturgy and music in Catholic Churches in England is of such poor quality.
I hope he confronted the Pope as the inappropriate alterations that have taken place in buildings of significant historic and aesthetic value.
I hope he confronted the Pope as to why there has been a regular decline in those practicing the Catholic faith in this country in the last 25 years.
And I hope he confronted the Pope as to why the appointment of bishops and cardinals in the UK have been, how can I put this politely, not from men of the first rank.
I hear the Pope gave him stern warning during the "franco confronto". I hope it extended to Cherie. Blair will now have plenty of time on his hands for serious reflection about the good he could have achieved while in office. Anyone with a provisional intention or even half a heart towards Catholic conversion would have done better than he. Even a Pauline-style conversion next Wednesday would be suspect with Blair. In addition to the pro-abortion, promotion of homosexuality stance Blair has taken in 10 yrs, Tuesday this week sees the close of the consultation on the Human Tissue and Embryology Bill. This Bill proposes the manufacture (only God "creates") of human-animal hybrids for research, and further destruction of embryos. If enacted it will be the next step in the devaluation of life. Embryonic human beings will be commoditised for eugenic purposes, and a new interspecies embryo will be manufactured solely for the purpose of destruction for speculative science – a further affront to human dignity and to God. I wonder how Blair would attempt to spin this to the Pope and yet in the next breath say he is interested in conversion?
Great, Pope Benedict gave him a good shoeing. Whoose de Daaady now Tony whoose de Daaady!
It strikes me from today's gospel reading that, seen figuratively, repentance comes before the conversion of the heart (John the Baptist before the Lamb of God). With God's grace, I hope TB's encounter with Papa Bene helps him along the path to true conversion. Let's pray for him.
Yours
Argy
To allow Blair into the Church without first getting a firm commitment that he will be obedient to Magisterial teachings and not think that he can continue to propound practices (such as embryonic stem cell research and "gay" so-called "rights" etc etc) and call himself a "devout" Catholic. Allowing this would be a grave scandal to the world's Catholics. from "Jerry"(Australia).
If you want something done right, you'd better jolly well do it yourself. That seems to be the Pope's thinking because His Holiness was doing what the hierarchy in England and Wales should have been doing. Poor Pope Benedict. It's so hard to find decent help these days.
It's conspicuous that the BBC hasn't reported on Blair's meeting with the Pope on its website - probably because it has got the story so wrong about his "imminent" conversion these few weeks. Their religious correspondents who, it must be said, are simply sub-standard, showing an ignorance that can only be laughed about (not to mention the recent independent report confirming that BBC coverage of religion is biased), probably haven't a clue what to make of the Papal meeting. I enjoyed the statement on Zenit that "an exchange of opinions about some legislation recently approved by the U.K. Parliament" was made. No doubt there are some profound moral Q's on which Blair seeks to differ from the Pope! If Blair were to change his tune now on some issues (e.g., Iraq), he would have zero credibility as a leader for his inter-faith foundation. I heard a pro-Blair commentator on Saturday on BBC Radio 4 say that Blair took a “gradualist approach” to matters such as abortion. Well, hasn’t he (or his “devout” Catholic wife) heard about co-operation with evil? Blair wouldn’t accept a “gradualist approach” to terrorism, so why should it be acceptable iro other moral issues such as abortion/embryo research? Hence The Times saying on Saturday that there are “unresolved issues” around Blair’s conversion. Yes, some very significant ones: Blair versus the doctrine of papal infallibility!
See Sat 23rd June BBC website - a page about Blairs visit to The Holy Father. Not much insight though. A subsequent page reports that Blair is obsessed, according to "aides" with the idea of being a roving world ambassador to reconile Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
He was given a guitar as a leaving present by his MPs and he`s going to be performing "Shine, Jesus Shine" on the steps of Number 10 at lunchtime. Or I might have got that last bit wrong...
Yes, thanks, I did see it - rather bland, clueless reporting. So, Blair is not yet a Catholic as it might get in the way of his would-be Middle East peace envoy aspirations. He has been Bush's war-mongering partner, and ignored the wishes of the British people, so what kind of a record is that for the long-suffering Palestinians? Blair really does live on another planet.
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