Papal visit to Britain to go ahead despite "vile" Foreign Office memo [CH-UK]

[Catholic_Herald]

The papal visit to Britain is likely to go ahead despite a “vile” Foreign Office memo suggesting the Pope open an abortion clinic during his trip.

But Vatican officials are said to be reviewing Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain after the Foreign Office memo, which also proposed a papal apology for the Armada and the launch of “Benedict” condoms, was leaked.

More…

 

[unafraid]

The papal visit to Britain is likely to go ahead despite a “vile” Foreign Office memo suggesting the Pope open an abortion clinic during his trip.

But Vatican officials are said to be reviewing Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain after the Foreign Office memo, which also proposed a papal apology for the Armada and the launch of “Benedict” condoms, was leaked.

More…

He should cancel the trip entirely. There is no possible good to be gained by the Church, or the Holy Father. Distortion and vile caricature have relaced rational sensibilities in this climate of skewed realities. The slanderous propaganda campaigns have made it impossible for him to be received with the proper decorum which he deserves. It would be like the head Rabbi of Jerusalem visiting Germany in the direct aftermath of “Kristallnacht”. Stay in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI, please. The time for this trip is not now.

The term “rabid anti-Catholicism” certainly can not be deemed an overstatement, especially in light of this dispicable Foreign Offic memo. He cannot not be allowed to walk blindly into an ambush. Wise council (a thing which has sorely been lacking lately) is of utmost importance now. Forget the plans, the prior ambitions and aims of the trip to Great Britain. A new reality has come to pass, and a new realism is needed by those who advise the Holy Father. Avert disaster and cancel the trip entirely. He steps one foot on English soil and he is ensnared. The trap is set. He must not take the bait.

 

[Non_Serviam]

Reading this in the article:

Papal visit to Britain to go ahead despite ‘vile’ Foreign Office memo
By Anna Arco

28 April 2010

The papal visit to Britain is likely to go ahead despite a “vile” Foreign Office memo suggesting the Pope open an abortion clinic during his trip.

But Vatican officials are said to be reviewing Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain after the Foreign Office memo, which also proposed a papal apology for the Armada and the launch of “Benedict” condoms, was leaked.

Some sources believe that the four-day stay could be cut down to a flying visit for the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman. Fr Federico Lombardi, the Vatican’s spokesman, has insisted that the memo will not jeopardise the papal visit to Britain.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy, one of the key organisers of the papal visit, described the memo as “despicable”. He said: “These are vile, they’re insulting, they are an embarrassment and, on behalf of the whole of the United Kingdom, we’d want to apologise to His Holiness, the Pope.”

Other Government officials distanced themselves from the incident. Welsh Secretary Peter Hain telephoned Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff to apologise.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued an apology for the “foolish” memo and said “many of the ideas in the document are clearly ill-judged, naïve and disrespectful”.

The incident was at first played down as a juvenile prank by junior civil servants. But it subsequently emerged that it was produced by a group of mid-level officials. The memo, which was drafted in late February or early March, was sent to 10 Downing Street and three Whitehall departments but not, it is believed, to Francis Campbell, Britain’s ambassador to the Holy See.

The New Statesman quoted a senior Whitehall source who said: “This was not written as a joke. It was meant to be a serious brainstorming by various people designed for a meeting. I know it is hard to believe but it is serious.”

Another well-connected source said: “This is a thoroughly disgusting piece of work. This is not a joke, never intended as a joke - it’s offensive, vile and thought-through.”

The memo, which was leaked to the Sunday Telegraph, was part of a three-page background document and carried a list of proposals entitled “The ideal visit would see…” It was labelled: “Please protect; these should not be shared externally.”

A source told The Catholic Herald that the proposals in the memo were put together in a large brainstorming session between mid-level diplomats and officials. At “no stage did it occur to them that some of these suggestions would be inappropriate”, he said.

The spin that’s being put on this mockery-that it was a “serious” piece of work that somehow came to “inappropriate” conclusions, fails to pass the sniff test in the same way as a UK state dinner for President Obama that “randomly” chose to serve fried chicken, pork rinds and malt liquor!

Contraception, homosexuality and abortion are all controversial issues associated with Catholicism. To depict the Pope engaged in activities that directly contradict the Catholic position on these issues is no “unfortunate” result of a “serious” process, but rather deliberate mockery and should be identified as such.

I understand if people want to smooth things over and have the visit happen-there are ways to respond to such things diplomatically without assuming your readers are imbeciles.

I personally think the visit should be cancelled if this is the spin the UK government insists on putting on it.

 

[Santi2]

He should cancel the trip entirely. There is no possible good to be gained by the Church, or the Holy Father. Distortion and vile caricature have relaced rational sensibilities in this climate of skewed realities. The slanderous propaganda campaigns have made it impossible for him to be received with the proper decorum which he deserves. It would be like the head Rabbi of Jerusalem visiting Germany in the direct aftermath of “Kristallnacht”. Stay in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI, please. The time for this trip is not now.

The term “rabid anti-Catholicism” certainly can not be deemed an overstatement, especially in light of this dispicable Foreign Offic memo. He cannot not be allowed to walk blindly into an ambush. Wise council (a thing which has sorely been lacking lately) is of utmost importance now. Forget the plans, the prior ambitions and aims of the trip to Great Britain. A new reality has come to pass, and a new realism is needed by those who advise the Holy Father. Avert disaster and cancel the trip entirely. He steps one foot on English soil and he is ensnared. The trap is set. He must not take the bait.

Although I am just as filled with anxiety over the “rabid anti-Catholicism” the Holy Father may encounter on his visit over here, I reckon that if there is a better time to come, it would be precisely at this time. The Holy Father would most certainly have in mind the footsteps of Jesus in Jerusalem and Pope Benedict XVI will “be strong and of good courage and not be afraid.” Just like his predecessor Ven. John Paul II.

And, what we as Catholics can do in the meantime is boldly rally to face up to those who pose a challenge to our faith and pray for the Holy Father as he had requested in his first Mass as Pope: " *Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves. Let us pray for one another, that the Lord will carry us and that we will learn to carry one another."
*

 

[mardukm]

Reading this in the article:

The spin that’s being put on this mockery-that it was a “serious” piece of work that somehow came to “inappropriate” conclusions, fails to pass the sniff test in the same way as a UK state dinner for President Obama that “randomly” chose to serve fried chicken, pork rinds and malt liquor!

Contraception, homosexuality and abortion are all controversial issues associated with Catholicism. To depict the Pope engaged in activities that directly contradict the Catholic position on these issues is no “unfortunate” result of a “serious” process, but rather deliberate mockery and should be identified as such.

I understand if people want to smooth things over and have the visit happen-there are ways to respond to such things diplomatically without assuming your readers are imbeciles.

I personally think the visit should be cancelled if this is the spin the UK government insists on putting on it.

I can’t understand your reaction. It would be a “spin” if the UK government made it out to be a joke. Instead, they are being forthright that it was serious, thus making the action even more condemnable.

Blessings.

 

[Non_Serviam]

I can’t understand your reaction. It would be a “spin” if the UK government made it out to be a joke. Instead, they are being forthright that it was serious, thus making the action even more condemnable.

Blessings.

Hi,

I think we may be using slightly different meanings for the word serious. When I read this quote in the article:

At “no stage did it occur to them that some of these suggestions would be inappropriate”, he said.

and look at the activities proposed: a gay wedding, an abortion clinic, launching a “Benedict” line of condoms, I find it hard to believe that anyone in the room was “seriously” suggesting these as activities for the Pope, blissfully unaware of any “inappropriate” significance. Why pick these activities except to mock the beliefs he has stood for?

Launching a brand of condoms isn’t the sort of thing a govenment does for a state visit. To try and make the claim that these were serious suggestions just doesn’t fly for me. Hence my deeming it “spin” since if it had been a real effort to do real work that had ended poorly, we should be understanding of that. That’s the response the government was hoping for, imho.

I agree they weren’t joking in any sort of playful or fun sense, they were quite intent on suggesting terribly dreadful things, I simply can’t believe that anyone “seriously” thought these items were anything but a mockery of the Pope.

Does that make my point any clearer?

 

[Timothy17]

His visit can only do good.

European England needs to see that the Faith is alive and well. The secularism and anti-Catholicism of any country always detests the idea of a living proof of Faith making an appearance.

Human nature is such that it revolts at seeing what it belives to be untrue. Seeing the Holy Father makes it obvious that the Faith is, was, always has been and always will be.

 

[Sherry_G]

I have read that there are a couple atheists who have been working feverishly to get the proper judgement so that Pope Benedict XVI can be arrested the moment he steps onto UK soil. I am not clear on whether they have found the legal framework neccessary to carry this out but nothing would surprise me considering some of the court rulings that have been recently made in the UK, such as the one stating that faith cannot exempt someone from carrying out “lawful” duties, such as providing counseling to a gay couple.

Our Pope can and should go to England, and God will be with him. Just don’t be surprised if Satan greets him on the tarmac!:knight2:

 

[spirit2534]

Times have changed, religious leaders and their beliefs are not treated with the respect of earlier generations. In Britain today the Catholic Church is seen by a significant part of the population as morally corrupt due to their attitude to contraception, to their views on homosexual behaviour and the perceived cover up of Priests paedophile behaviour.

If the Pope wishes to be respected then he has to earn that respect, staying away will cement the view that comments had merit.

 

[Brendan]

He should cancel the trip entirely. There is no possible good to be gained by the Church, or the Holy Father.

Yes there is.

I remember when Pope Benedict came to the US. We were able to get tickets for the family to the Mass held in Nationals Stadium in Wash DC

We planned our whole family vacation around it.

If it had been cancelled, our kids would have been devistated.

I fully imagine that there are families with kids who have been looking forward to his visit for months now.

So yes, there is very much good that can come of a visit by His Holiness.

 

[antonivs]

It would be wrong to deprive the faithful in Britain of the blessing of his Holiness’ visit due to the vile rantings of some mid level bureaucrats. Their hatred should be answered with love by the Vicar of Christ.

“You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…” Matthew 5:43-45

 

[Non_Serviam]

What I noticed in the article that surprised me was the effort all three candidates made to distance themselves from the Pope. One explicitly declaring he wasn’t a man of faith, and the others specifically detailing their differences with the Pope.

Politicians normally don’t do that unless they feel there is some benefit to them and somethign to lose by being identified with the person. It will be interesting to note future visits and the reactions of the leaders in those countries.

 

[Santi2]

What I noticed in the article that surprised me was the effort all three candidates made to distance themselves from the Pope. One explicitly declaring he wasn’t a man of faith, and the others specifically detailing their differences with the Pope.

Politicians normally don’t do that unless they feel there is some benefit to them and somethign to lose by being identified with the person. It will be interesting to note future visits and the reactions of the leaders in those countries.

Politicians will say what they think people want to hear. There’s a general election in a few weeks.

 

[Tsuwano]

He should go. British Catholics deserve to see their shepherd, even if some members within their government are ignorant and foolish. Only good can come from the Pope’s visit.

 

[Catholic1954]

I hope that K of C launches another prayer campaign for the protection and sucess of the Pope during his trip to the UK. It worked with the trip to Turkey and God knows that this is an even bigger mess!

 

[Guyonthestreet]

There’s a general election in a few weeks.

In a few days time you mean ??!!!

May 6th I believe.

 

[Guyonthestreet]

Avert disaster and cancel the trip entirely. He steps one foot on English soil and he is ensnared. The trap is set. He must not take the bait.

Oh Purleeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

The Pope will come.

He will be greeted with due deference and decorum.

He will have a few minutes on the TV.

Some BBC programs will wheel out some disgruntled protesters.

Hopefully the faithful will be strengthened and uplifted by their shepherd.

It will be totally forgotten about in a week.

Except for those to whom it actually mattered.

And hopefully the catholic faithful will be given what they need.

 

[Santi2]

In a few days time you mean ??!!!

May 6th I believe.

My bad. :doh2:

 

[Kaninchen]

I don’t remember any great fuss when JPII came - it all passed quite quietly as I remember.

 

[Santi2]

I don’t remember any great fuss when JPII came - it all passed quite quietly as I remember.

It was Pastoral, not a state visit. Probably why there is much fuss by a few…state funding and all that.