It seems that the Holy Father is planning to visit the UK in 2010. I have been busy teaching all day, and only heard a one-line snippet on BBC Radio 4 as I drove home.Obviously a visit from the person we Catholics consider to be Christ's representative on Earth only merits a passing comment taking up around 30 seconds-worth of valuable air time... after all, the Lib-Dem Party Conference ended today, and that is of far more importance. Mind you, this could be a blessing in disguise, given the anti-Catholic bias of Auntie Beeb.
Damian Thompson has suggested the autumn as the most probable timing for the visit... Radio 4 said January in the aforementioned snippet. And the BBC news website just says 2010, but thinks that there may be a link to Cardinal Newman's beatification, and suggests that it will be a six-day visit.
Fr. John Boyle just pipped me to the post by getting his report done before me: obviously he heard the news while near his computer! He gives a list of all the papers which have reported the impending visit. And, as he so rightly says, we need to start our spiritual preparation now...
FYI: BBC said January earlier in the day.
ReplyDeleteHis Grace has made an official statement here: http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk/ccb/catholic_church/media_centre/press_releases/press_releases_2009/archbishop_vincent_nichols_on_reports_of_a_possible_offical_papal_visit
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I am not sure whether this is good news or bad news...what is the purpose of the visit? Mind you, it would be nice to see the Holy Father in the flesh again...he did look at me (well in my general direction!) at World Youth Day four years ago!
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful news, please keep us up to date with any information regarding venues and tickets.
ReplyDeleteWe'll all be there.