Pope's First BBC Radio Broadcast

[Dwyer]

Bernard Longley, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham said the Pope’s reception during his visit to the UK in September had influenced his decision to record the broadcast.

Crowds of supporters turned up to see the Pope at various public events during his four day-visit.

Others organised demonstrations against his stance on controversial subjects, including the ordination of women, and many protested over the sex abuse scandal, and Catholic opposition to contraception.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12072115

 

[Dale_M]

A transcript of Pope Benedict’s address is available at the link below, for those who don’t want to watch the video or for those who want to quote the Pope.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12073646

Being aware of Damian Thompson’s opinion on the “Thought for the Day” series (it isn’t positive) and knowing his strong Catholic orthodoxy, I decided to look up his reaction.
Damian Thompson:

The first Thought for the Day message by a Pope was what C S Lewis would have called “mere Christianity” – a Christmas Eve reminder of who Jesus was and why he was born, presented without any of the whimsical showing-off that normally makes listening to this part of the Today programme such a maddening experience.

Still, this was a coup for the BBC and a touching message, the more so because the Pope said that he prays “especially for the elderly and for those who are approaching the end of their days”. At a time when popular culture obsessively associates Christmas with children, Benedict reminded us that the baby in Bethlehem was born for old and frail people, too. He is 83 now, and in his Light of the World interview this summer confessed that he was aware of his failing physical powers. But one thing that hasn’t faded is his ability – which took the British people by surprise three months ago – to present the message of Christ in language that is simultaneously unapologetic, concentrated and gentle.

blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100069603/the-pope-on-thought-for-the-day-mere-christianity-without-the-toe-curling-whimsy/