On the eve of the Pontiff’s visit, ZENIT spoke with Reverend Canon David Richardson, also the director of the Anglican Center in Rome, about the importance of the trip in terms of ecumenism.
Speaking about his experiences meeting the Pontiff on several occasions as part of his position, the envoy said, “He has always been warm and I admire him greatly as a theologian.”
He added, “To have in the present the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury two such towering theological figures means that this is a fascinating time to be in my appointment.”
Richardson spoke about Cardinal John Henry Newman, due to be beatified by the Holy Father on Sunday, who he said is “a somewhat ambiguous figure both within Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism.”
“As an Anglican he had something of the prophet’s mantle and called the Church of England, that part of Anglicanism which was his home, back to a vision of itself which it had lost or was in danger of losing,” the representative said.
There has been some extremely negative pre-visit media coverage. Independant Channel 4 television put up a rant by Peter Tatchell [posing as a human rights activist rather than gay campaigner] as its contribution and the BBC has put out a biographical look at the Pope’s background by….you guessed it, a gay former liberal monk now a journalist. Very balanced, as you can imagine. Nevertheless there is full television and radio coverage of the events of the Pope’s State visit.
But the reality is that most people are interested, and the negativity of the media tells you more about them, than it does either about the Pope, or about the British public. I doubt if there will be much if any public protest, although perhaps the few thousand humanists, Peter Tatchell, Richard Dawkins and a few other apoplectics will be trying their best. There is one group who have the right to a hearing and who hopefully will get some opportunity for resolution from the visit and that is the survivors of clerical abuse.
I thought a more worthwhile contribution came from +Graham Kings on the Pope’s election:
‘Joseph Ratzinger: European Pope’
In St Peter’s Square,
Holy smoke and a shy smile
Of Bavarian piety and curial power.
Funeral oration,
Conclave sermon,
Acceptance address:
Momentous momentum.
A hard act to follow,
They chose a hard man.
In thinking, penetrative;
In doctrine, conservative;
In power, effective;
In discipline, pressive:
Continuity reigns.
Enforcer becomes caretaker
To take care of Europe;
Lost continent, now
The option for mission;
Postmodern, enlarging,
Deserting tradition.
Joseph Ratzinger:
Perhaps, for some time,
Last Pope from Europe.
Africa, Latin America,
Burgeon and beckon.
A conservative caretaker,
Astounded the sixties:
May Benedict the sixteenth
Surprise us with blessing.
Graham Kings
Vicar of St Mary Islington
20 April 2005
His Holiness is most welcome and we look forward to his visit.
May he indeed surprise us with blessing!