Latest:

03:22 Barclays set to reveal bonus pot
03:22 Harry becomes Everest trek patron
01:12 Man shot dead in housing estate
00:32 Being lonely 'worse than smoking'
00:12 MoD budget claims 'over-optimistic'
00:12 Gas call centres go face-to-face
00:12 PM support for NHS change 'drifted'
00:12 Three million CRB checks in a year

Pope confirms UK visit but won’t be coming to Northern Ireland

By John Cooney
Tuesday, 2 February 2010

The Pope has confirmed he is to visit Britain

enlarge

Anger as Pope slams UK equality law

Pope Benedict is to visit the UK in September in the first papal visit to England, Wales and Scotland in more than a quarter of a century — although Northern Ireland will not be on the itinerary.

However, Irish church sources still hope Pope Benedict will visit both Northern Ireland and attend the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 2012, some 33 years after Pope John Paul's historic visit to the Republic.

In a speech to bishops from England and Wales assembled yesterday in Rome, Pope Benedict said he looked forward to witnessing at first hand the faith of Catholics in England and Wales during “my forthcoming Apostolic visit to Great Britain”.

It was the first time the Pope had publicly confirmed the trip previously announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Although the German Pontiff did not give a date, Church officials said it is expected to take place in September and will include a visit to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland has its own Catholic bishops conference independent of England and Wales.

Last night Cardinal Se�n Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, welcomed the announcement of the visit to England and Wales, but omitted to refer to Scotland.

“I wish to convey my best wishes to the bishops, priests and lay faithful of England and Wales on the wonderful news announced today concerning the forthcoming visit of Pope Benedict to our nearest neighbours,” said Cardinal Brady, who did not draw attention to the absence of Northern Ireland in the 2010 papal itinerary.

Instead, Cardinal Brady and the other Irish bishops have been summoned, sackcloth and ashes, to a meeting with Pope Benedict in Rome on February 15 and 16 ahead of the publication of the Pope's special Lenten letter on the fall-out from the paedophile scandals in Ireland and elsewhere.

In his speech to English and Welsh bishops yesterday, the pope attacked the planned Equity Bill, currently being debated by the House of Lords, which the UK Churches fear may strip them of their current right to turn down applicants for jobs if they are actively homosexual or have changed their gender.

Print
Text Size
- Normal
- Large
- Extra Large

Comments

First |
Previous
1
2
3
Next
| Last

48 Comments

Tommy atkins...

What is sad is that the Roman church has shackled the poor people of Ireland. I laugh when I hear Irish republicans cry for FREEDOM when they gave up willingly every freedom known to man to ROME.

When Rome can tell a man and a women how and when to procreate..what freedoms are left?

Get Rome OUT of Ireland!

Posted by Angela | 03.04.10, 16:10 GMT

Billy

THOUSANDS of Irish priests have worked in the USA. A bit of perspective here please. Pigs might fly.

Posted by Patrick 2 | 04.02.10, 10:16 GMT

Oliver Cromwell rightly complained about corruption within the newly formed C of E by its clergy. THIS within a generation or two of the "Reformation" !

Here we have the usual bitter gang banging on about the Catholic Church.

The whole of Western civilization and its values is under severe
threat. The USA - faults and all -is by FAR our main MILITARY defence.

And what will be our main MORAL and SPIRITUAL compass ? An individual, or even collection of the "reformed" churches ?
No my friends. It will be the Catholic Church, FAULTS and all, that will step forward.

Many here are so twisted by hatred that they fail to see, never mind say accept, that a truly great and worldwide "product" such as Catholicism is bound to have some evil "salemen".

I know I'm wasting my time, but if even ONE of you comes out of your 17th century cave and sees the BIG PICTURE outside of "Ulster" maybe it was worth it.

I can see the "whatabouts" already.Pathetic.

This will not posted.

Posted by Evergreen | 04.02.10, 02:38 GMT

i didnt actualy reailse people still took religion seriously! i thought it was just a shoulder to lean on for the weak and people who cant think for them selfs.
i glad the pope will not be visiting here, one less to worry about.

Posted by tango | 03.02.10, 17:57 GMT

Fair Play:

Yes, I have read the Bill and advise you to do the same as you seem to be quite confused over its content given the rambling and hyperbolic nature of your last post.

I do not see how a section seeking to end the discrimination practised by religious organisations towards applicants for non-religious jobs can bring about the ‘decline of the West’. Perhaps you can enlighten me?

As for saying the same thing in the ‘Muslim world’, it sounds like you have a bit of fatwa envy.

Anyway, thanks for at least giving me a laugh at the prospect of the Pope defending the bedrock of Western civilisation. I wasn’t aware that running an organisation that has practised widespread sexual torture of children for decades was essential to the continuance of our way of life until now.

Posted by Daniel | 03.02.10, 16:19 GMT

Mr. P:

As far as I am aware we do not live in a theocracy (much to the disappointment of the Vatican) and all employers, whether they are religious or secular, must comply with the law. If anything, religious organisations have quite a good deal. They pay no taxes as they are automatically accorded charitable status and there are exemptions for religious discrimination throughout employment legislation.

Even with all this pandering from successive governments they still complain.

Posted by Daniel | 03.02.10, 16:18 GMT

John:

What is there to Catholic philosophy beyond the pursuit of material wealth, temporal power and the institutionalised sexual torture of children?

I agree with you that for some positions certain eligibility requirements must be met before a person can be considered for a job, e.g.: professional qualifications or adherence to the ideology of the organisation (an advocate of judicial torture and the death penalty would not be suitable for a job with Amnesty International at a policy level). This is different however.

This is about the Church discriminating against people who are applying for non-religious positions (e.g., accountants, cleaners and so on) on the basis of their sexual orientation or if their beliefs are contrary to the Church’s teachings.

Being a God-fearing hetereosexual familiar with the Catechisms and fanatically loyal to His Holiness is not necessary for a cleaner to discharge his or her duties with a mop and bucket.

Posted by Daniel | 03.02.10, 16:16 GMT

Regardless of the appalling acts of some of its members which I make no attempt to condone, the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church and faith remains the one true church and religion, founded by Christ himself through Peter the first Pope.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is not using his or her brain. For example are we to believe no one was saved prior to the Deformation in the 16th or 17th Century

Posted by Tony | 03.02.10, 09:31 GMT

Daniel
"Let's not cloud the issue"
Have you read the Bill ? I doubt it. And even if you have, you are filtering out its ramifications due to personal bias I suspect.

We all have rights and freedoms as individuals, but more importantly we have COLLECTIVE responsibilities to society at large. Otherwise we end up in chaos, which is the way we are headed now.

The envelope is being pushed ever further by the "liberal" minded and this is a subset of the decline of the West including Britain. A line has to be drawn SOMEWHERE and I am NOT advocating Fascism or anything remotely like it.

I have little or no time for the Brits, but in the big picture they are an important component of European and other Christian civilization now increasing being undermined.

I challenge you to take your views to the Muslim world. Then come back and we will discuss this further if you wish.

The Pope is RIGHT here, and is defending bedrock Western civilization whether you see that or not.

Posted by Fair Play | 02.02.10, 21:52 GMT

one would think that as a german the pope would feel at home being with and amonst what the republicans call "huns" in this great wee land. if he came then he might be able to straighten out irelands repugnant catholic "one true" church.eh tony!!!did you hear theone about the 70 irish catholic pedophile priests in the usa or the canadian bishop charged with importing child porn in his personal pc. mr. lahey.

Posted by billy | 02.02.10, 21:23 GMT

We might want to ask him why his bishops and prelates covered up the systematic abuse and neglect of children in the care of his church for so long. Or why his church used every legal means and opportunity to thwart the Ryan investigation.I reckon he should come and face the Irish public, north and south and offer some explanation. we are at least owed that.

Posted by Malachy Mulligan | 02.02.10, 21:13 GMT

If the pope is the leader of the one true church then he should act like it. All those that are saved are Christ's representatives on earth. I don't think Peter would endorse the scandals that the Vatican has covered up for centuries.

Posted by Reg | 02.02.10, 21:12 GMT

I would think the orange order would be pleased to welcome the pope as one of earlier versions of him backed king billy against king james so the pope should be a honory member of the order, or have they forgotten their history?

Posted by ron54 | 02.02.10, 21:10 GMT

Oma, when the Pope and indeed the Roman Catholic Church starts acting like a true Christian Church then i as a Protestant warmly welcome them however, there is serious issues with them even claiming to be Christians never mind the abuse, terrorism and history the RC church has been involved in.

Simply we wouldn't welcome Gerry Adams into a Loyalist area, We wouldn't welcome Bin Ladin into the country and we wont be welcoming the Pope either!

Posted by Simon | 02.02.10, 20:46 GMT

Daniel,

The Church is not a secular organization and so should be excluded from the application of secular laws. Church and state should remain separate. When one starts encroaching on the others' territory then it can only lead to conflict.

Let's agree to disagree and keep the status quo and some semblance of accord. Forcing the issue does no-one any good.

Posted by Mr. P | 02.02.10, 20:06 GMT

Thats the best news iv heard in awhile :)

Posted by Stevie | 02.02.10, 19:54 GMT

if i was the pope, i wouldnt come to this place either. there is so much hate in this tiny irrelevant little dump, i would give it a miss.

Posted by peter | 02.02.10, 17:46 GMT

Tony - 'one true church'?? seriously deluded. The catholic church is the worst kind. This is has been proved again and again with the disgraceful behaviour of many people involved in this church. But while we're on the subject - Brian O'Cennide - what about catholics who live here in Northern Ireland who still think (deludedly) of the pope as their leader - can he not come for them?

Posted by Roz | 02.02.10, 17:41 GMT

Im glad hes not coming, lets face it he wont be welcomed in Northern Ireland by the majority of people and thousands more will be out protesting on the streets. It will only lead to more trouble and fighting/rioting all at a time when the country is trying to move on. The Pope coming would be a set back, i think they know this and have made the right decision.

Posted by Warren | 02.02.10, 17:15 GMT