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After Nicolas Sarkozy’s historic speech in the Basilica of St. John Lateran and today’s news about Tony Blair’s reception into full communion with the Catholic Church, we are taking bets on who will be the next European political figure to publicly demonstrate their interest in recovering the Christian roots of the “old” continent.
Of course, Blair’s reception doesn’t come as a surprise, but this very public act is another step in England’s gradual recovery of its original Catholic identity. As many have pointed out, inasmuch as it is Christian, England is already, in practice, a Catholic country once again – with more Catholics (including Irish, Poles and Portugese immigrants) in church on Sundays than Anglicans. And the Anglican communion, after years of defections (three episcopalian bishops in the US became Catholics in this year alone), is itself on the verge of being further divided by schism.
Some English Catholics have expressed doubts about the profundity of Blair’s Catholicism – especially given certain public statements on moral issues by the former prime minister and his Catholic wife, Cherie. That is an excellent reason to keep him in our prayers. After all, reception into the Church is the work of a moment; being a Christian is the work of a lifetime, and everyone needs help – from God and others – to live up to the fullness of the Christian vocation, which is a calling to genuine holiness.
When Cardinal Ratzinger chose the name “Benedict,” it was clear that he had not given up on Christian Europe. There are signs that he had good grounds for hope.
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Here’s the main part of the Associated Press story on Blair:
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 22, 2007
Filed at 8:46 a.m. ET
LONDON (AP) — Tony Blair, who often kept his religious views private while serving as Britain’s prime minister, has converted to Catholicism , officials said Saturday.
Blair, who had long been a member of the Church of England, converted to the Catholic faith during a Mass held on Friday night at a chapel in London, the Catholic Church said.
”It can be confirmed that Tony Blair has been received into full communion with the Catholic church by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor,” the head of the church in England and Wales, the church said in a statement.
”I’m very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church,” the statement quoted Murphy-O’Connor as saying.
”For a long time he’s been a regular worshipper at Mass with his family and in recent months he’s been following a program of formation for his reception into full communion. Our prayers are with him, his family and his wife at this joyful moment in their journey of faith together,” Murphy-O’Connor said.
There had long been speculation that Blair planned to convert to Catholicism. His wife, Cherie, is Roman Catholic, the couple’s children have attended Catholic schools, and Blair had regularly attended Catholic, rather than Anglican, services.
Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in June…. The Church of England has said that less than 10 percent of its members are regular churchgoers.
As I said above, special prayers and best wishes are in order for the Blair family this Christmas.
As you’ve said, Father, none of us should feel we’ve done all we need to do, in living out the universal call to holiness. And we all did see Mr. Blair’s conversion coming for some time now. Yet, I still find it uniquely difficult to figure out what to make of it all.
On the one hand, we should be filled with joy whenever someone enters the Church. The “standard” path would be that someone comes to see the truths which the Catholic Church believes, and so he joins the Church—shedding his old beliefs. (While it takes longer to forgo our old practices and fleeting thoughts, our firmly held beliefs need to conform to the Faith we profess right away.)
On the other hand, several (many?) of Mr. Blair’s public statements have been inconsistent with Church teaching. Without renouncing or even distancing himself from those statements, it looks to most people like he isn’t embracing the teachings of the Catholic Faith. That, at the least, gives scandal.
I don’t know what would constitute an impediment to the validity of his becoming a Catholic. That’s outside my ken, and not my point either. Even assuming it is valid, it’s disturbing enough for many people that Mr. Blair joined the Catholic Church without distancing himself from his statements.
Perhaps he’s consulted with Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor and others on the best way to go about making the break with his old self publicly known. It would look a bit unbecoming and silly if he were to issue a statement that said, “Regarding many of my previous statements, I don’t believe them anymore. Thank you for understanding. Best wishes, Tony Blair.”
Prayers for him and his family to navigate through this process well.
Good news indeed! Merry CHristmas and a Blessed New Year to all!
“The Church of England has said that less than 10 percent of its members are regular churchgoers.”
Good morning..
Some more good news;
“Daily Telgraph”
“For the first time since the *Reformation* there are more Catholics attending Mass regulary than Anglicans attending Church Service” It continues; “This is thought to be due to the increase in *Eastern-European and African immigrants*..”
About Tony Blair’ *conversion*…….Is this a *surprise*? of course not.. He attended Catholic Mass with his family while still in office,he never denied his “leanings” toward the Catholic Faith,everyone knew he would be openly declaring himself a Catholic after leaving office.. so why the upheaval?? Why not just join him, in his joy, of at last being able to *declare* this openly??? Although I do not see why it is so important to do so.. Everyone has the right to practice their Faith whether *openly* or in *private*..
Regarding his,not distancing himself from his former statements… well, “he who is without sin caste the first stone”
After all,the Pope himself *welcomed* him into the Catholic Church.. Should WE have doubts??
Sarkozy’s “Honorary Canon-ship”.. would in my mind be more of a point for the “raising of eyebrows”..
He kept his “marrial problems” well under *lock and key* before his election did he not??.
A peacefull Sunday to you all.
I am all for welcoming Tony Blair, Sandra, but I can also understand why many English Catholics are asking questions. It’s not a matter of casting stones at sinners (I think we can safely assume that Mr. Blair sins like the rest of us).
The question is about the extent to which Mr. Blair believes what the Church teaches. When he was prime minister, Mr. Blair’s public positions on several important issues were clearly at odds with the doctrine of the Church. The natural question arises: in becoming a Catholic, has he changed his mind on those important matters? Of course, one might also wonder whether, perhaps, his previously-stated positions failed to reflect his true beliefs. Insincerity, after all, can cut both ways.
At this point, though, it seems to me that one should, in charity, assume that, whatever he said or thought before, he now believes the teaching of the Church. And that is surely a cause for rejoicing.
Sandra, are you being sarcastic about Sarkozy? His marital problems were on prominent display long before the election.
There’s a good article on Mr. Blair’s reception into the Church in today’s NYTimes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/world/europe/23britain.html?ref=world
It touches on all the issues raised here.
Good afternoon to you all and a very,very joyous Christmas..
For all who have to journey,a safe return home,
to the others I wish a peacefull time where ever you are.
Yes Fa.Wauck,I am sure that Mr.Blair,has sined in the past, and just like all of us, will most likely do so in future..
His position,on many issues (Party Policies) were not always his own,just as all heads of State he was obliged to act according to the interests of the “majority” this did at times,greatly go against his own and Catholic beliefs.. Never the less I am quite sure that he while in office,took decisions that he *personally* thought the best of two evils… Under his leadership many Catholics were in high office (and still are ei’ Ruth Kelly an Opus Dei member) This I think was a good thing for British Catholics as a whole..
Kings,Queens and Popes offten have to “compromise” where diplomacy demands.. is this not so..?
I am sure Tony Blair HAD to meet with foreign Heads of State who’s policies,life style,beliefs were quite detestfull to him (personally) as does the pope,and others in such office.. He was also in a ifficult position,regarding Northen Ireland,the peace talks, he could not very well as a “Converted Cathoilc” lead such talks without his integrity (biasedness) being called into question,,the issues of Abortion,Gay-rights,Divorce,and such matters,presented also great contoversy in Briton.. Mr. Blair was always in “hot water” over these,as everyone KNEW he was, all but in name, a Catholic..
Mrs Kelly faced,and still does,the same problems..
I am with you in prayer for him and his family,but also,for all people of Christian Faith who celebrate this Christmas,as that which it is, the remembrance,of the coming of Our Lord,and the bringig of “Good will to ALL men”..No matter which exact date,or who were acually present at his birth.. surfice that we know that he was born,and was sent to deliver to us all, the promise of forgiveness,and redemption.. That is NO ledgend..
bye for now.. last minute preperations for tomorrow have to be seen to..
Thaks for the NYTimes link, I had already read it, but was pleased to read it again..
It is good to see some Politician “outing” themselves in an honnorable way.. for a change.
Lets hope it will set an example..
Of the *other* sort we have enough allready.. (and I do not mean *gays*).
First Things on Tony Blair:
http://www.firstthings.com/blog/2007/12/23/first-thoughts-on-tony-blairs-catholicism/
Also— Sandra sent me some gluwein gelee by post (Thanks Sandra!!!) and I googled it to see how best to enjoy it, clicked “English results only”, and you all will never guess what the first link on the google search results page was:
http://davincicode-opusdei.com/?p=154
Because Sandra had mentioned gluhwein gelee in comment number 4 on that thread!! So there ya go. The apostolic possibilities of this blog are endless……
(and watch what you post as a comment– you never know whose google search will uncover it!!)
True, Sandra. No politician can expect to stay viable if the electorate perceives him as taking marching orders from the Vatican.
I hope everyone here has an enjoyable Christmas.
Cutting and pasting b/c I triggered the filter with 2 links (sorry, Father)
First Things on Tony Blair:
http://www.firstthings.com/blog/2007/12/23/first-thoughts-on-tony-blairs-catholicism/
Also— Sandra sent me some gluwein gelee by post (Thanks Sandra!!!) and I googled it to see how best to enjoy it, clicked “English results only”, and you all will never guess what the first link on the google search results page was:
http://davincicode-opusdei.com/?p=154
Because Sandra had mentioned gluhwein gelee in comment number 4 on that thread!! So there ya go. The apostolic possibilities of this blog are endless……
(and watch what you post as a comment– you never know whose google search will uncover it!!)
As I said above, special prayers and best wishes are in order for the Blair family this Christmas
Most certainly Father. As far as anyone being “viable” or not if they happen to be catholic- I ask- why no concern over Mitt Romney then? Is Mormonism somehow more viable? Or are people basically ignorant of mormon beliefs? Or lets take Huckelberry. Same thing.
Michelle!! what have we started???
Must learn to watch our comments indeed…
But I suppose this will not *harm* the OD image,could possibly give an even more *human* touch..
Headlines;-…
“It has been reported that members of Opus Dei even consume,….
*Gl?ºhwein Gelee*,
the recipe / contents of which has yet to be disclosed”
I hope all in USA / Canada are not to encumbered by the very bad weather we hear of..
It looks very bad,at least what we see here on TV..
I have to get ready we are off to Christmas-eve “Brunch”..
I hope you all have a great day..
PS. just found this one ;-
http://www.sacanada.org/index.php?showtopic=2886
scroll down the page..
(all you have to do is use *Gelierzucker* the sugar you use for making *Jam*)
Helen–Mitt and Huck operate in the same atmosphere of suspicion. Note their being taken to task by the media. I think their treatment is as bad as JFK’s back in the day, although the source is a little different. Then it was a Protestant uneasiness that had to be allayed. Remember his “joke” intended to disarm released to the media on the day of his election?
Telegram from JFK to the Pope: “Unpack”.
Just a short note to everyone…A Very Merry Christmas to all. May 2008 be a more fruitful year for all of us.
Tony Blair, welcome Home!
Marry Christmas to Catholics and all people of good will!
Merry Christmas all!
I’ve been waiting over here in Europe, Helen, for someone to call him “Huckleberry” – it seems like such a natural nickname for the persona – and maybe it’s already old hat stateside, but you are the first that I know of….
Prayers for everyone who’s contributed to the blog. I’ll remember you all as I celebrate the Holy Mass at midnight tonight.
Special prayers today too for a great Canadian, Oscar Peterson, who passed away yesterday.
Merry CHristmas everyone!!!!!
and here’s Oscar’s obit–
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2007/12/24/obit-peterson-oscar.html
Prayers for all friends,and those who we hold dear..
and especially for all who believe in the *Nativity* be they Catholic ….. or just “Christian”
Special prayers for all others.. they need them most of all.
I know that Christ hears all our pleas,..which means, they are not “in vain”….
I wish all here a joyous and peacefull Christmas
I am off-line for the rest of the Chriatmas hols….
so byeeeeeeeeeee 4 now and merry Cristmas to all.
Merry Christmas!
Father, its a relief someone is praying for all of us here. I am trying to send you an e-mail with a “surprise” in it, but having trouble, its bouncing back to me. Photos for you from the youngest member of the Father Wauck fan club here. Will keep trying.
Wanted to try to type a Christmas message that I read recently, that I really liked and wanted to share
God keeps on saving history.
And so, in turning once again to the episode of Christ’s birth at Bethlehem,
we come not to recall Christ’s birth twenty centuries ago,
but to live the birth here,
in the twentieth century, this year,
in our own Christmas here in (insert your country)
By the light of these Bible readings
we must continue all the history
that God has in his eternal mind,
even to the concrete events
of our abductions,
of our tortures,
of our own sad history,
This is where we are to find our God.
Amen
Oscar Romero, SJ December 24, 1978
He was assasinated on March 24, 1980
May he be in the loving arms of the Lord now
Helen, the server at the university was on the fritz for the last few days, so maybe that’s the problem.
By the way, I’m not sure where you got that very fine Christmas message, but I’m pretty sure that Oscar Romero was not a Jesuit.
Pray for the Jesuits too, as they will be electing their new general this year.
Father, I got that from the bulletin (of another close by parish). Looks like another call to another pastor.
Will do on the prayers!
Excellent article from the Irish Independent that ties together a lot of what we’ve been discussing here lately:
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/why-blair-had-to-keep-his-catholicism-in-the-closet-1254179.html
And another article from the TImes that makes mention of Quebec:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/william_rees_mogg/article3090555.ece
A good bit of *researching Michelle..
made very good reading… thankyou..
And also relevant here, from First Things today:
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=942
Tony Blair is a great coup for that ‘non-existent’ body called Opus Dei. When England becomes as Catholic as Ireland, then you will know what totalitarianism is: not one organ of State , political parties, judiciary, civil service, police, schools, univesities — nothing , not even comedians or artists, will be allowed to comment, or, if they comment, their commentary willl never see the light of day.
It is interesting to revisit all those interviews and commentaries with and about Ruth Kelly before Tony Blair’s conversion became public. Had people known of Tony’s proclivities, would they not have looked more critically at the role of Ruth Kelly and teh very Opus Dei that Tony knows so much about? Would they have counted the immigrants to the UK a bit more carefully? Would they have given him such free rein in his escapades with George Bush? Would things not have fallen into a more proper pattern — one, perhaps, that was more inclusive of Benedict XVI and the very definite role of the Vatican? Would the Regensberg Lecture not have taken on a more radical significance? And would the Enlgish people not , for the first time since the Reformation, feel that government was proceeding not from Parliament , but from some red phone in the Vatican.
In pre-Reformation countries, like the Irish Republic, it isn’t so much that the Angelus is forced down the national broadcasting tube into every home, but that the broadcasting service is censored totally by Opus Dei, otherwise called the Chruch/Sate.
Seamus Breathnach
http://www.irish-criminology.com
The reason Tony Blair did not become a Catholic before hand was because of the Monarchy. Do you think that in any way he would be expected to be elected as Prime Minister in a country of such snobbery if he was a Catholic then. His wife is also a firm Catholic!
Ps, a comment for S?©amus above in his and my own native Gaelic. Might add some more ‘internationality’ to this site.
S??lim go bhfuil t?? r??-throm ar ch??rsa?? Tony. N?? maith ag duine tusa ar sc??r ar bith! N??l tusa d??lis go h?âireann – t?° aithne mhaith agamsa ort!
Tuige bhfuill to, a bhuachaill!
Is soileir gur Gael thu. Ma sea, tabhair gander are on WebSite seo leanan, go h-airithe ag
http://irishcriminology.com/02b-The-Criminological-History-of-Ireland.html
Annsan scriobh chugham, nuair atal sceal na seana-Thaoisigh i gcoinne an Phapa leite agat. Smaoinigh annsan
ar chursai na h-Eorpa o aimsir an Chogadh Sibhialta Spainneach go Vietnam, and an phleidhiocht cheanna dha
imirt ag an bPapacht.
Annsan , tabhair aire do thionchar Tony Blair agus abair liiom to bhfuillim ro-throm air.
Beir Breannacht!
Seamus Breathnach
http://www.irish-criminology.com
Tony wrote:
“The reason Tony Blair did not become a Catholic before hand was because of the Monarchy. Do you think that in any way he would be expected to be elected as Prime Minister in a country of such snobbery if he was a Catholic then. His wife is also a firm Catholic!”
This old chestnut has been debunked before. The Irish, on behalf of the Catholic church, love to moan about Henry VIII and his wives and about the Monarchy being Cahtholic. It is designed to reduce the Reformation to something personal and racist and anything else that stirs the nations agasinst each other for the sake of some revived version of medieval Catholicism. Rome is never happy until there are martyrs’ blood all over the shoip. They function better in the midst of disasters. So, when there aren’t any, they create them.
As to the English Monarchy being non-Catholic, this has to be understood in its context. When the British wanted to break away from Rome , it was in the name of a new kind of freedom which the Protestants sensed as being much more authentic than being attached to a corrupt Papacy. In any event, since the time of Wycliffe the corruption of the Orders (Dominicans, Franciscans, Cistersians, etc. etc. ) — the very people the Irish adore, even when they ratline the Nazis and run their country as if they own it — the corrupton was too much for English nostrils. So, they wanted to go their own moral (and national ) way. The Pope tried his best to stop them. Amongst other things, the Pope used his liege lackey subjects in Ireland, just as he was responsible for trying to subvert England through Charles 1′s wife, to stop the English from being independent of Rome. In this context, how could the English trust a backward-looking shower of Catholics to rule the land. No; they wanted someone who would not be subversive of whatever direction history and experience would lead them.
The problem that Irishmen have with this is very transparent. The Catholic Church is incapable of those secular freedoms whcih the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation conferred on their citizens and , indeed, on the world. One of them was the use of Parliamentary Democracy. This Cromwellian legacy is nowhere possible under Catholic rule. Neither within the church or within any country they dominate is the free confederacy of democratic institutions possible. That’s why they have the Jesuits, Opus Dei, and a host of secret socieiies and charities and confessionals….They cannot stand the bright , healthy air of democracy and freedom (such as Parliamentary Democracy affords in a limited way). But the question the Irish have to ask themselves in this respect was the same quesiton that James Joyce emphasised for their benefit. Who brought down the democrat, Charles Stewart Parnell? Or , more particularly, if you like Parliament (even in the nominal sense it applies in the ‘Republic’ of Ireland), who do you imagine created such an institution, if it wasn’t Protestants of one hue or another? And how do you imagine the Catholic church ever contributed to such an institution?
Thereafter the ordinary history of Europe since the Spanish Civil War to Vietnam should inform the honest mind how the religious mind ensnares the secular freedoms we have enjoyed. And if that is not convincing, then Irish men might look at how they came to actually pay for clerical paedophiles? Who on earth, but the Catholic Irish would actuallly pay for the damages created by clerical paedophiles who bugger their children!
Tony Blair has worked well for the Pope. In Ireland the influx of Poles was done on a weekend by the clergy and there was not one word of debate in Parliament about it. Oh, for a secular society, or just one that is actually free of Jesuits!
Le meas,
Seamus Breathnach
http://www.irish-criminology.com