They have clearly altered his route this morning due to security concerns.

Those of you who have EWTN they have live coverage.

Update: He is at Lambeth palace now with Archbishop Williams

Another Update: Archbishop Williams is now speaking

This transcendent dimension of study and teaching was clearly grasped by the monks who contributed so much to the evangelization of these islands. I am thinking of the Benedictines who accompanied Saint Augustine on his mission to England, of the disciples of Saint Columba who spread the faith across Scotland and Northern England, of Saint David and his companions in Wales. Since the search for God, which lies at the heart of the monastic vocation, requires active engagement with the means by which he makes himself known ”“ his creation and his revealed word ”“ it was only natural that the monastery should have a library and a school (cf. Address to representatives from the world of culture at the “Collège des Bernardins” in Paris, 12 September 2008). It was the monks’ dedication to learning as the path on which to encounter the Incarnate Word of God that was to lay the foundations of our Western culture and civilization.

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In a rousing encounter with some 4,000 schoolchildren, Pope Benedict XVI asked them to make friendship with God the center of their lives.

“We need to have the courage to place our deepest hopes in God alone, not in money, in a career, in worldly success or in our relationships with others, but in God. Only he can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts,” the pope said Sept. 17 in Twickenham, a suburb of London.

He spoke to a cheering crowd of Catholic students who filled a soccer field next to St. Mary’s University College, and via Internet to the more than 800,000 young people who followed the event from their classrooms at Catholic schools throughout Great Britain.

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Pope Benedict could not have been clearer about why he is here. May Britain “always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate,” he said, before reminding the nation of “the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms,” citing William Wilberforce and Florence Nightingale, and Britain’s sacrifice in standing against Nazism.

Why does this history lesson matter? Because of a narrative that pits human rights against religion, freedom against faith, justice against the Church. In this narrative, societies broke free from the shackles of their inheritance somewhere in the 18th century and ushered in a glorious epoch of emancipation and liberty, leaving the Church seething in the wings.

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Late last year, my wife gasped: “What’s wrong?” She saw me hunched at the computer, the online bill pay program flickering, my face blank and my hands limp in my lap.

“It’s gone,” was all I could say. Years of mounting debt, tens of thousands of dollars of it, had disappeared in five minutes. It was beyond belief, and I just sat staring at the screen.

Our financial deliverance was a big retroactive check for my wife’s first years of disability. After receiving the check, I sat down immediately to pay off the credit cards that we had run up since she had to stop working.

That’s right. We paid our debts. We had borrowed to pay huge, persistent medical bills, used credit cards to buy groceries and medicine when paychecks couldn’t stretch far enough, and I worked extra jobs to juggle the payments.

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Five men have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police in London in relation to a potential threat to the Pope’s visit

The arrests were made at 0545 BST at addresses in London after counter-terrorism officers received intelligence of a potential threat.

The five men have been taken to a central London police station.

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The Pope has paid tribute to the ”outstanding contribution” made by religious orders to education in Britain on the second day of his State visit to Britain.

He told an audience of religious congregations gathered at St Mary’s College in Twickenham, south west London, of his ”deep appreciation” for all the dedicated men and women who devote their lives to teaching the young.

He added, in an apparent reference to the child abuse scandal rocking the church, that he wished to add a ”particular word of appreciation” for those whose task is to ensure Catholic schools provide a safe environment for children and young people.

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A day after he offered his strongest criticism yet of the Roman Catholic Church’s handling of the sexual abuse crisis, Pope Benedict XVI set out on Friday to mark a moment of ecumenical symbolism, praying together with the archbishop of Canterbury in a rare display of unity at Westminster Abbey, the spiritual heart of the Church of England.

The archbishop, Dr. Rowan Williams, is the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion that grew from the 16th century schism when Henry VIII broke with Rome. Britain’s Press Association news agency said a papal visit to the archbishop’s seat at Lambeth Palace and the subsequent prayer ceremony in the early evening at Westminster Abbey would mark the first time a pope has been to either venue.

A papal address at Westminster Abbey has been billed as the central speech of his visit.

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It was a quaint gathering at St. Mary’s College in Twickenham this morning on day 2 of Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK. After having spent yesterday in Scotland, the Holy Father made his way to London and then this morning to the school in Twickenham, a suburb just west of London.

The Holy Father was greeted by thousands of smiling young faces, cheering voices, flashing cameras and roving camcorders held by eager students and teachers alike. Pope Benedict began his first speech of the day by acknowledging the “outstanding contribution made my religious men and women in this land to the noble task of education”. Citing that he himself was educated by the “English Ladies” (otherwise known as the Loretto nuns), Pope Benedict expressed his deep appreciation to those who devote their lives to teaching the young….

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Few people need a census report to tell them that more people are living in poverty during this recession, but there it is: nearly one of every seven people in the United States was living in poverty last year.

It was the highest rate of poverty since 1994, and the largest number of people living in poverty, 43.6 million, since the government began keeping track 51 years ago.

The U.S. Census Bureau also reported stagnant incomes and rising numbers of people without health insurance, both of which contribute to poverty and a national trend of a declining middle-class standard of living that began in 2000.

“These are very tough times,” said East Cooper Community Outreach Executive Director Jack Little. “People are hurting who have never hurt before.”

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Please note that the headline above is from the print edition–KSH.

The downturn that some have dubbed the “Great Recession” has trimmed the typical household’s income significantly, new Census data show, following years of stagnant wage growth that made the past decade the worst for American families in at least half a century.

The bureau’s annual snapshot of American living standards also found that the fraction of Americans living in poverty rose sharply to 14.3% from 13.2% in 2008””the highest since 1994. Some 43.6 million Americans were living below the official poverty threshold, but the measure doesn’t fully capture the panoply of government antipoverty measures.

The inflation-adjusted income of the median household””smack in the middle of the populace””fell 4.8% between 2000 and 2009, even worse than the 1970s, when median income rose 1.9% despite high unemployment and inflation. Between 2007 and 2009, incomes fell 4.2%.

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In Pakistan — second only to Indonesia in the number of Muslims who live there — competing versions of Islam are at play, said John Voll, professor at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.

Most Westerners regard tensions within Islam as a struggle between its two largest branches: Sunnis, who constitute a significant majority of Muslims in Pakistan and worldwide, and Shiites, a distinct minority in most Muslim nations except for Iran and Iraq.

But Voll said the developing fissure is “much more between political-elite, stability-oriented Sunni Muslims and the radical extremists” who are also Sunnis.

A visiting professor at the Georgetown center, Shireen Hunter, said Sunnis are targeting minority Shiites, but the indiscriminate nature of suicide bombings means members of both branches get killed.

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In an e-mail, N. T. Wright, the preeminent New Testament historian and former Anglican bishop of Durham, England, said he hoped the two men would take the opportunity to discuss ways to reinvigorate Christianity in the west. “I think the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope might well discuss the major challenge all churches in the west face,” he wrote, “freshly stating and living the gospel in a confused postmodern world with a deep hunger for spirituality but a deep suspicion of the church.” The archbishop, he adds, has already spoken eloquently in a speech last year on the possibilities for interdenominational cooperation. Its main thrust, says Wright, was, we agree about so much, might it be possible to live together with our remaining differences?

But Paul Elie, a book editor and writer who has covered both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, worries that behind closed doors, the two religious leaders will get hung up on church politics and doctrinal details having to do with who does and doesn’t have the right to receive the sacred orders of the priesthood….

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O God, by whose grace thy servant Hildegard, enkindled with the fire of thy love, became a burning and shining light in thy Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and may ever walk before thee as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever.

O Loving Father, we commend to thy gracious keeping all who are near and dear to us. Have mercy upon those who are sick, and comfort all who are in pain, anxiety, or sorrow. Awaken all who are careless about eternal things. Bless those who are young and in health, that they may give the days of their strength unto thee. Comfort the aged and infirm, that thy peace may rest upon them. Hallow the ties of kindred, that we may help, and not hinder, one another in all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

–An Anglican Church in Canada Prayer Book

Now when they had passed through Amphip’olis and Apollo’nia, they came to Thessaloni’ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

–Acts 17:1-4

The BBC’s coverage of the papal visit so far has been very good. Jim Naughtie on the Today programme this morning was almost Dimblebyian in his gravity and respect and sense of occasion, and the TV reporters did well too. We should be proud of our national broadcaster, in spite of its many faults. Not all of us are. Some have suggested that last night the BBC gave too much prominence to Cardinal Kasper’s chance remark that landing at Heathrow was like landing in the Third World. But did other broadcasting outlets not give it equal prominence? It’s what we call a “good” story ”“ ie, it was bad news ”“ and it therefore got a lot of coverage everywhere. It was the front-page lead in the Daily Mail and the Guardian, which between them cover all shades of opinion in Britain….

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From here:

The Archbishop [of Canterbury] will welcome His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Lambeth Palace, as part of a visit to the UK at the invitation of Her Majesty The Queen.

Secular, diverse, and worldly Britain is the kind of modern society that the pope has wanted to reach with his message urging deeper religious tradition and faith. In his first speech this morning, the pontiff extended the “hand of friendship” to British people.

But despite an itinerary of bagpiper parades and meetings with current and former heads of state, the British aren’t swooning. In fact, there’s a distinct lack of reverence in the air. A Times of London poll this week shows favorable opinion for the pope’s visit in Britain at only 14 percent.

Talk about the pope’s visit instead centers on the $18 million price tag for papal security at a time of severe budget cuts. Priestly child-abuse issues have vied in the media with statements by celebrities and intellectuals opposing Vatican teachings on abortion and gay rights that are considered out of step with mainstream Britain. London bus banners read: “Pope Benedict, Ordain Women Now!”

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Pope Benedict XVI has celebrated an open-air Mass in the Scottish city of Glasgow, attended by tens of thousands of people.

About 65,000 people cheered and waved flags as the pope arrived to organ music and hymns at Bellahouston Park.

“There are some who now seek to exclude religious belief from public discourse, to privatize it, or even to paint it as a threat to equality and liberty,” the pope said. “Yet religion is in fact a guarantee of authentic liberty and respect leading us to look upon every person as a brother or a sister.”

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The diocese is reeling with emotions and Bishop Bennison’s refusal to confront the truth of what has been determined concerning the findings of his Presentment continues to confuse and confound us. His most recent public communication, his response to your letter of September 1 to the witnesses in his Presentment, continues this pattern of disassociation with what has been determined. He states that “there is nothing in my forty-two-year ordained ministry to indicate that I have ever covered up or looked the other way when I have learned of sexual abuse” flies in the face of the fact that two courts have concluded that he was guilty of “conduct unbecoming a clergy person” in the case brought to light by the Presentment. This, added to his oft quoted remarks that he “has been vindicated,” along with his insistence that his actions at the time were “just about right,” concerns us greatly. He seems not to be able to grasp the reality that while his guilt is “unpunishable” two courts still concluded and stated that he was guilty.

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The preaching of the Gospel has always been accompanied by concern for the word: the inspired word of God and the culture in which that word takes root and flourishes. Here in Scotland, I think of the three medieval universities founded here by the popes, including that of Saint Andrews which is beginning to mark the 600th anniversary of its foundation. In the last 30 years and with the assistance of civil authorities, Scottish Catholic schools have taken up the challenge of providing an integral education to greater numbers of students, and this has helped young people not only along the path of spiritual and human growth, but also in entering the professions and public life. This is a sign of great hope for the Church, and I encourage the Catholic professionals, politicians and teachers of Scotland never to lose sight of their calling to use their talents and experience in the service of the faith, engaging contemporary Scottish culture at every level. The evangelization of culture is all the more important in our times, when a “dictatorship of relativism” threatens to obscure the unchanging truth about man’s nature, his destiny and his ultimate good. There are some who now seek to exclude religious belief from public discourse, to privatize it or even to paint it as a threat to equality and liberty. Yet religion is in fact a guarantee of authentic liberty and respect, leading us to look upon every person as a brother or sister.

For this reason I appeal in particular to you, the lay faithful, in accordance with your baptismal calling and mission, not only to be examples of faith in public, but also to put the case for the promotion of faith’s wisdom and vision in the public forum. Society today needs clear voices which propose our right to live, not in a jungle of self-destructive and arbitrary freedoms, but in a society which works for the true welfare of its citizens and offers them guidance and protection in the face of their weakness and fragility. Do not be afraid to take up this service to your brothers and sisters, and to the future of your beloved nation.

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AIRPORT-INDUCED IDENTITY DYSPHORIA Describes the extent to which modern travel strips the traveler of just enough sense of identity so as to create a need to purchase stickers and gift knick-knacks that bolster their sense of slightly eroded personhood: flags of the world, family crests, school and university merchandise…..

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A curious phenomenon has emerged at the intersection of fashion, sports and crime: dozens of men and women who have robbed, beaten, stabbed and shot at their fellow New Yorkers have done so while wearing Yankees caps or clothing.

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The pattern of the pope cleaning up a mess created by other top church officials was first glimpsed in Portugal, after senior Vatican personnel had publicly compared criticism of the pope to anti-Semitism and “petty gossip.” Benedict XVI changed the tone by insisting, in comments to reporters aboard the papal plane, that the real problem was not outside attacks but sin inside the church.

That papal course correction continued on day one of his four-day trip to the United Kingdom, which got off to an inauspicious start as British papers played up a comment by German Cardinal Walter Kasper, recently retired as the Vatican’s top ecumenical official, that landing at Heathrow Airport, one has the sense of arriving in a “third world country.”

Kasper, who is not on the U.K. trip due to illness, also complained that an “aggressive atheism” is speaking in Britain.

That might have been the dominant day one story, had it not been for Pope Benedict XVI’s comments aboard the papal plane on the sexual abuse crisis. The pontiff candidly acknowledged that the church was “not sufficiently vigilant and not sufficiently quick and decisive to take the necessary measures” to combat the crisis.

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Check it out.

From the Queen:

Your Holiness, your presence here today reminds us of our common Christian heritage, and of the Christian contribution to the encouragement of world peace, and to the economic and social development of the less prosperous countries of the world. We are all aware of the special contribution of the Roman Catholic Church particularly in its ministry to the poorest and most deprived members of society, its care for the homeless and for the education provided by its extensive network of schools.

Religion has always been a crucial element in national identity and historical self-consciousness. This has made the relationship between the different faiths a fundamental factor in the necessary cooperation within and between nation states. It is, therefore, vital to encourage a greater mutual, and respectful understanding. We know from experience that through committed dialogue, old suspicions can be transcended and a greater mutual trust established.

I know that reconciliation was a central theme in the life of Cardinal John Henry Newman, for whom you will be holding a Mass of Beatification on Sunday. A man who struggled with doubt and uncertainty, his contribution to the understanding of Christianity continues to influence many.

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Update: The full text of the Pope’s speech is here.

One is the ruler of a global congregation recently put at nearly 1.2 billion, the other a nominal head of a worldwide communion of some 80 million….Joseph Ratzinger and Rowan Williams will [soon] meet during the papal visit to Britain. There is much to unite these seemingly disparate figures

It is common to describe Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, as the two most distinguished thinkers to hold their respective posts for several centuries. Both are former professors steeped in the classical Christian tradition, but share a gift for recasting apparently dusty or arcane material in up-to-date language. Both are excellent preachers, lucid as well as learned.

It is equally common to point up big differences between the two leaders, starting with the most divisive internal questions of our times: women bishops and homosexuality. The Pope’s conservatism on both matters is implacable. The archbishop thinks that all levels of ordained ministry should be open to candidates of both sexes; and he made several weighty pro-gay statements before his translation to Canterbury ”“ even though he now feels bound to defer to the conservative majority in worldwide Anglicanism on this subject….

Look a bit closer, though, and an apparently ill-matched pair seem a lot less different than at first sight.

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Herewith the introductory blurb:

Benedictine Father Christopher Jamison is the former Abbot of Worth Abbey in West Sussex, England. He is also very well known for the making – together with the BBC – of a television series entitled “The Monastery”. Vatican Radio’s Philippa Hitchen asked Father Jamison what kind of reception is Pope Benedict XVIth going to receive when he touches down in the UK …
“The Prime Minster, David Cameron, has today posted on the official “N. 10 Downing Street” website a message of welcome from the PM to his Holiness (…) the fact that the government is so positive about it is really important…”
“…the government is clear that they would like him to explain how a faith community can be a positive contributer to the wellbeing of the United Kingdom and to the wellbeing of the world…”
“when you have a country which has turned its back on religion, you will immediately have an upsurge in spirituality because that dimension of humanity cannot be suppressed. So, while Britain may be the least religious country in Europe, it is also the most likely population to say: “I’m spiritual but not religious”, and so there is that spirituality – whatever we mean by that term – which is a fruitful field in which to plant the words of a truly humane religious understanding…”

Listen to it all (Both MP3 and Realplayer audio available, lasts just over 10 minutes).