There has been disappointment in Britain, where they have been following this story closely for awhile, that he has not made a public renunciation of some of his earlier positions as leader of the Labour Party.
When the news leaked the Tony Blair was on his way about a month or so back I actually email Cardinal Murphy O’Connor (who actually was my local Bishop and confirmed me and for whom I have always had warm regard.)
I pointed out that allowing Blair to join without a public statement repenting of his voting record (which, by the way, including 100% voting for abortion, lowing the age of consent for homosexual union, homosexual marriage and the infamous SOR regulations which are closing down Catholic adoption agencies plus a few other laws which are now making it for Christians to speak freely and not face legal and/or employment troubles) would weaken the Catholic Church’s moral authority.
I actually ended up with a brief email conversation with Mark O’Tolley, the priest behind Blair’s final conversion (which I did not know at the time!) He promised me, after this discussion, he would take everything I said into account. I did stress to him that I was not opposed to Tony Blair joining personally and accepted each man’s sin is his own to repent of. But because his voting record was so public and so completely Liberal with a capital L, having him join up without an equally public repentance would place us in a compromised moral position with the liberal press going “See, the Catholic Church really allows abortion - you can see that by how they let Blair in!” I’m just waiting for ‘The Tablet’ on that one. (That paper just gets worse! Latest editions almost advocate atheism!)
That he was supposed to join in Easter, and not Christmas, that he was given full entry in a private ceremony done ‘on the sly’ bothers me and every Catholic I know in the UK. I know in the US Blair is held in relatively high regard because of his ardent support for the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. But in the UK Catholics have a much lower opinion of him, especially as we start to suffer under the ‘new world’ brought in New Labour. It certainly looks like Cormac and co. (much as I love the guy) has given Mr Blair easy entry, enough to leave doubts in people’s mind about Tony’s moral theology. My priest was… not impressed.
So I really, really would like that public statement at some point myself.
That’s all I’ll say now except that I must now hold to my promise to Mark O’Tolley and accept Mr Blair’s entry into the Church in good faith and treat him as any other member (sinner) in the Church! But I would really LIKE that public repentance. If I don’t get it, I must leave judgement of all concerned in God’s hands.
Swallow.
Cool