Pope Atones On British Tour
- September 19th, 2010
- Posted by EUEditor
Pope Benedict XVI has ended his four-day visit to the United Kingdom with a ceremony before 50000 people in Birmingham, for the beatification of Cardinal Newman.
The English churchman of the late 19th , John Newman, was a famous convert from Anglicanism to the Roman Catholic faith, and with the beatification has been placed on the road to sainthood.
The Papal visit has seen as much public communication through media, and public protest activity, as it has sober or joyful ceremony, with the focus on the issue of sexual abuse of children by degenerate clergy.
The Pope began by talking with journalists on the plane taking him to Scotland to start the tour, saying the Church had failed to act or act promptly enough.
He spoke at Westminster Hall, extending apologies, declaring that perpetrators would be pursued and sent to civil authorities, and expressing his “sorrow over that despicable crimeâ€.
He met a group of five victims for prayer.
Victim groups welcomed the declarations being made, and said they would watch for action to follow, both in their claims for redress, and to ensure the betrayals were finally stopped.
See also, EUAustralia Online, “Catholicism: Testing times …”, 15.9.10; “Trying time for Pope”, 8.4.10.
Picture Catholic Herald, UK