Pope to vist UK in 2010

[JohnT58]

No official announcements made yet, but the rumours are already doing the rounds in the press.
timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6846020.ece
guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/23/pope-benedict-to-visit-britain
telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/6223419/Pope-Benedict-XVI-to-make-official-visit-to-Britain.html
seattlepi.com/national/1103ap_eu_britain_pope.html

Although it says he won’t be visiting Northern Ireland, it is understood, a visit to Ireland would follow shortly after, or perhaps around the same time. Woohoo!

 

[A.Pelliccio]

The Holy Father should not be limited to the Republic in his visit, but should be permitted to visit Catholics who suffer so much in the North of Ireland.

It is also disgusting to see the comments left by proddy commentators and general secularists.

 

[Holly3278]

 

[celtic1967]

This is fantastic news I cant begin to explain how much this visit means to me. I just really hope the visit goes without incident. Because there will be alot of idiots out to ruin this

 

[AllForYou]

I am so excited about this…my Mum told me last night! She was like: BENEDETTO IS COMING TO ENGLAND! It was so funny! We should feel so blessed - the Relics of St. Therese this year, and hopefully Pope Benedict next year. :extrahappy:

 

[Jon_Paul]

The Holy Father should not be limited to the Republic in his visit, but should be permitted to visit Catholics who suffer so much in the North of Ireland.

It’s a sad case that I could not have ease of mind if His Holiness visted the north-east. I would worry to much for his personal saftey. I am of the honest opinion that no Catholic is ever 100% safe there, not even the Supreme Pontiff. No doubt there are meetings going on in every Orange Hall from Bridgeton to the Shankill with half-mad plots to take out His Holiness. Some of which I have no doubt are quite serious.

On a more light hearted note, I do hope he takes the train up north to Scotland were I currently reside!

It is also disgusting to see the comments left by proddy commentators and general secularists.

Can we expect anything else !

Regards,
JP.

 

[recidite_plbs]

The Pope visiting NI would likely be an incendiary issue given that there is a “RC Primate of All Ireland” in the Arch Episcopal See of Dublin which gives de-facto credence to the cause of Republicanism. If there were a Primatial See of NI, that might go some way to easing tensions.

I’m not saying the Pope shouldn’t visit the Province, but it would possibly unwind the peace process, or at least set it back some years and careful consideration needs to be given to the handling and timing of any visit. Frankly, I served my time in that cess-pit of ignorance and bigotry and have no desire to find myself sat stagging on once more in XMG. Best left alone for some time I might suggest!

Also Pellico, I’d suggest it’s not the “Catholics” who suffer so much in NI (they have had huge sums of money poured into their communities in recent years and enjoy a lower level of crime and poverty than many inner-city locations in England and Scotland), but the people of all sides that want to get on with their lives without the drug runners, racqueteers, criminals, and thugs who masquerade under the banner of Republicanism or Unionism to run their communities like an episode from The Wire.

 

[Yellow_Belle]

The Pope visiting NI would likely be an incendiary issue given that there is a “RC Primate of All Ireland” in the Arch Episcopal See of Dublin which gives de-facto credence to the cause of Republicanism. If there were a Primatial See of NI, that might go some way to easing tensions.

You are misinformed. The Primate of All Ireland is the Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh Seán Brady, who resides in Armagh in Northern Ireland. Diarmuid Martin, is archbishop of the Dublin diocese only.

In any case, I fail to see how, if the primacy was situated in Dublin (which it is NOT), it would give “de-facto credence to the cause of Republicanism”.

 

[A.Pelliccio]

Also Pellico, I’d suggest it’s not the “Catholics” who suffer so much in NI (they have had huge sums of money poured into their communities in recent years and enjoy a lower level of crime and poverty than many inner-city locations in England and Scotland), but the people of all sides that want to get on with their lives without the drug runners, racqueteers, criminals, and thugs who masquerade under the banner of Republicanism or Unionism to run their communities like an episode from The Wire.

And how would you define 800 years of brutal occupation, colonialism, cultural genocide, protestant ascendancy, and the denial of civil rights to the native Irish?

The Holy Father should visit where he pleases, the flock in the North of Ireland is as deserving as any other to receive him, and undisputedly in more need than those in the Republic.

As for the Orangemen, I know where they can stick those bowler hats and canes.

 

[JohnT58]

You are misinformed. The Primate of All Ireland is the Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh Seán Brady, who resides in Armagh in Northern Ireland. Diarmuid Martin, is archbishop of the Dublin diocese only.

In any case, I fail to see how, if the primacy was situated in Dublin (which it is NOT), it would give “de-facto credence to the cause of Republicanism”.

You are correct. The Catholic Church has its HQ, so to speak, in Armagh. Its the Anglican Church of Ireland that has its HQ in Dublin. Don’t know if that gives de facto credence to Republicanism, Loyalism or Unionism??? While His Holiness should have every right to visit Northern Ireland, you must remember you are dealing with a section of Protestantism that protested against the visit of the Dalai Lama also. There would be no end of Loyalist/Orange crackpots that would be lining up to have a pot-shot at the Pope. With the history of state collusion in the murder of Catholics it would not be impossible to see one of them being successful. So while I would like to see him visit there, for his own safety I would be worried.
But that would be a decision for others to make.

 

[rep140]

Can we get out of Ireland and go back to where Pope Benedict is going? Both Benedict and JP2 very much want to unite Christianity. With the chaos within the Anglican community this visit is very well timed.

Mea Culpa! I was dissapointed about Ratzinger’s election given what I had heard about him. If you read or heard what the press had to say you would think that he was going to stand up and read a list of excommunicants. He wowed me and just about everyone else during his visit to the U.S. He got very positive reviews here.

I’m very glad that he is our Pope.

 

[ArthurQArch]

Is he going to England for a canonization? like Cardinal Newmans? just a thought

 

[recidite_plbs]

With the history of state collusion in the murder of Catholics it would not be impossible to see one of them being successful. So while I would like to see him visit there, for his own safety I would be worried.
But that would be a decision for others to make.

I see McGuiness and his henchmen have educated you well. I know from my own experiences patrolling in the Province how hard done by the “Catholic Community” felt, yet it had no basis in reality. The worst thing about the so-called “Bloody Sunday” was the guilt complex that it gave the Army, the Paras in particular, that meant we often had to treat the Catholics with kid gloves while going in much harder with the Protestants. The pointless slaughter and ethnic divisons of Bosnia are nothing compared to the brainwashed bigotry of both sides of the divide in NI (at least in Boz it wasn’t just on religious lines, but largely ethnic, how can two peoples of the same ethnicity want to do nothing but slaughter their own kind because one has his theology from the Vatican and the other from the Chapel?). We should have just pulled out, let both sides loose on one another and let you all pick up the body parts later.

The fact is, this “peace” is a facade and it won’t last. The Pope’s safety cannot be guaranteed.

 

[A.Pelliccio]

I see McGuiness and his henchmen have educated you well. I know from my own experiences patrolling in the Province how hard done by the “Catholic Community” felt, yet it had no basis in reality. The worst thing about the so-called “Bloody Sunday” was the guilt complex that it gave the Army, the Paras in particular, that meant we often had to treat the Catholics with kid gloves while going in much harder with the Protestants.

Ahhh…so-called “Bloody Sunday” where 14 innocent unarmed protesters where shot, many of them in the back or while aiding others, by the paras. I assume the Rev. Ian Paisley educated you well, he and the SAS that is. Kid gloves: Bloody Sunday, H Block, Bogside, Aiden McAnespie, the Black and Tans, Bloody Sunday I, Cromwell, the Protestant Ascendency, the Famine, forced emigration, cultural genocide, and 800 years of foreign occupation. The Irish should be very grateful to mother England for all she has done, my grandmother would have been but a blue faced savage lest the Normans came in 1167.

 

[JohnT58]

I see McGuiness and his henchmen have educated you well…

Well I actually got both my Undergraduate and Masters degrees in Irish history at British universities…and attended a Catholic convent school before that…so I wasn’t in any way educated by Mc Guinness and co, as you mistakenly assert.

I know from my own experiences patrolling in the Province…

As someone who was involved in the conflict, I don’t think you can hold an impartial view, whereas I on the other hand have never been involved in any way, and can take a more unbiased view, formed by, at the very least, 5 years of study an university.
Also, its not a province. The 9 counties of Ulster, have 3 in the Republic of Ireland, whereas the ‘6 counties’ consititute Northern Ireland. A minor jurisdictional/international border issue I wouldn’t expect the average squaddie form Britain to understand.

one has his theology from the Vatican and the other from the Chapel?).

You spent so much time on the ground in Ireland to not realise Catholics would commonly say they were ‘going to Chapel’, when going to mass, whereas the Protestant community would say ‘going to Church’ . Though I do understand, that in England at least, some Protestants, Methodists maybe, would say going to Chapel on a Sunday…

We should have just pulled out, let both sides loose on one another and let you all pick up the body parts later.

This seems to be a typical response from British people who haven’t looked at the situation.They believe it has nothing to do with them. Northern Ireland is the UKs problem. It is part of the UK. That a system of political discrimination akin to apartheid was allowed to exist in a part of the UK, is a poor reflection on the UK as a whole. While you had your vote in Britain, Catholics in Northern Ireland, also a part of the UK, were denied that right.These laws and practices would not have been tolerated in England, Scotland, or Wales. The recent ‘troubles’ was brought about from the reactions of the Northern Ireland (Protestant) government, and the intervention and impostion of direct rule from London alongside the deployment of troops. Incidently, the Catholic community initially welcomed the Brtish troops. They, wrongly, hoped the troops would prevent the violent reaction of the establishment/Protestant community against the civil rights movement.

The Pope’s safety cannot be guaranteed.

Seeing as there are historical precidents in modern times where the British government couldn’t safegaurd equal rights for all of its citizens, and that specifically anti-Catholic laws remain on the statute books, I think it’s probably true that they couldn’t guarantee the safety of the worlds most prominent Roman Catholic.

 

[JohnT58]

Is he going to England for a canonization? like Cardinal Newmans? just a thought

I read somewhere that the canonisation of Cardinal Newman is indeed, highly likely. As far as I know, Benedict thinks very highly of him.

 

[lizaanne]

I am very excited about this!! My husband is from England, and we were planning (hoping) to go back to England in 2010 anyway - now this makes it very exciting! Being there for his visit would be insane and really not much of a relaxing visit, but what a wonderful experience!! We both love our dear pope and were so happy when he was elected.



~Liza

 

[recidite_plbs]

Ahhh…so-called “Bloody Sunday” where 14 innocent unarmed protesters where shot, many of them in the back or while aiding others, by the paras. I assume the Rev. Ian Paisley educated you well, he and the SAS that is. Kid gloves: Bloody Sunday, H Block, Bogside, Aiden McAnespie, the Black and Tans, Bloody Sunday I, Cromwell, the Protestant Ascendency, the Famine, forced emigration, cultural genocide, and 800 years of foreign occupation. The Irish should be very grateful to mother England for all she has done, my grandmother would have been but a blue faced savage lest the Normans came in 1167.

If you look at my profile you’ll see I’m a lapsed Catholic: i.e. someone brought up in the RC faith and no longer practicing, therefore for that reason alone Paisley wouldn’t urinate down my throat if my lungs were on fire, nor I him. Both sides are as bad as each other, though I will concede that the IRA are ever so slightly more intellectual than the de-based thugs of the Orange orders. You talk of “innocents” being shot. Perhaps when the NORAID tin was being passed around your local “Oirish Bar” it would have been worth asking them what they thought about Tim Parry. He was the father who lost is 12 year old son when the IRA placed a bomb in a rubbish bin at one end of a busy shopping street in Warrington, phoned in a warning, and when the police evacuated the street via the other end, a second bomb went off without any warning amongst the shoppers who were gathered in what they thought was a safe place. Not that I’m accusing the IRA of cynacism, but they did this the day before Mother’s Day to ensure maximum carnage. Next time you put a few coins in the tin, remember that’s where your money goes, and on supporting prostitution, protection rackets, arms dealing, and drug running, (try and move in on that territory and you can expect punishment beatings, knee-cappings, and murders) and not on any “political struggle”. Because it has been mainly about money and organised crime for years, you can rest assured that any donations have made the lives of the community the IRA claims to support a drug infested, vice-ridden, fear controlled misery. Oh, and they aren’t Catholic, many of them denounced their religious convictions years ago.

Also, you might wish to be aware that the SAS don’t typically teach soldiers anything. They are a Regiment of special forces soldiers who are basically trained with specific patrol skills intended for deep penetration behind enemy lines and who specialise in reconnaisance, communications, and disruption, usually under a command at Brigade or higher level.

As I’ve said to JohnT58, his presence in NI would not helop the peace (sic) process, and it would create a massive security headache akin to a visit to Kabul!

 

[Argh]

Goodness, how does the Holy Father have the energy for all of this? My grandmother is the same age and she’s just grateful to still be able to golf!

I’m only distantly Irish (great-grandfather, French from Bretagne, married my half-Irish half-Scottish great-grandmother) but it still seems that I identify most with that ethnicity to the point where I’m mad at bars here that serve “Irish car bomb” shots. People don’t serve “Gaza strip suicide bomber vests” do they? I digress, but perhaps the Holy Father could also meet with Queen Elizabeth or the Archbishop of Canterbury in prelude to his visit to smooth things a bit?