Not only for Catholics

A historic event, to be prepared in smallest details, and not only from the spiritual angle: expectations of the upcoming visit of Benedict XVI in September are increasing, as conveyed by Catholic primate Msgr. Vincent Nichols, by the press officer of the English bishops Alexander Des Forges and by the head of the police Meredydd Hughes, who a few days ago drew a balance of the preparations for the papal visit. A message of hope. Pope Benedict does not only come to see Catholics. He will offer society a Christian message. The Catholic Primate of England and Wales Msgr. Vincent Nichols thus wrote in a an article to British Catholics for the Catholic weekly “The Universe”, regarding the forthcoming Papal Visit (September 16-19). On May 23rd the Catholics of Great Britain were asked to contribute to cover the costs of the Visit, amounting to 1 million pounds. For Msgr. Nichols the Catholics of Britain could “set out thinking that the Pope has come to see us, the Catholic community. But his principal aim is not exactly that. Rather, he has come to offer to our society a witness of the Christian Gospel as a message of hope and love, as a firm and reliable basis for modern living”. The visit is “remarkably historic”, and critical to the future of Catholics in Great Britain. It is “Historic”, the prelate writes, because “It is the first ever State visit by a Pope, the first ever Beatification to take place in this country; Cardinal Newman is the first English ‘confessor of the faith’ to be beatified in over 600 years. Pope Benedict comes with the delicate task of presenting to our society, in his reasoned and elegant manner, the crucial importance for our world of faith in God and the enrichment it brings”. This is a mighty task “especially given some of the social tensions and raised voices with which we are familiar today”. For the Archbishop the visit is also a reminder that “we are all spiritual beings; that we are so much more than the sum total of our material achievements, that we are drawn to love and to beauty and to the things of God”. In the ongoing context of economic austerity “the quality of relationships between all people becomes so much more central to our shared well-being”. The President of the English Bishops has not doubts: our role is to support the Holy Father in his most difficult tasks. The witness of our actions and of our lives must give visible credibility to the message he offers to all”.Also a virtual visit. Only 400 thousand Catholics will be able to physically attend the highlight events of the Papal Visit. For this reason, said Alexander des Forges, head of British and Foreign Media Relations, it is possible that “parishes, associations and schools will install the needed technology enabling all the faithful to follow the entire visit with virtual instruments”. The idea grew stronger after Des Forges attended the Papal visit in Portugal “to gather information aimed at the organization of the visit to the U.K.” In London – he said – a large number of Catholic immigrants from Countries such as Italy, Poland, Brazil and the Philippines will greet the Pope at his passage by car. Most of the 6 million British Catholics, and whoever else wishes to do so, are given the possibility to follow the Papal visit in the schools, in convents or in ecumenical centres thanks to a TV connection offered by the “Catholic Media Centre”, that will be active from the moment of the Pope’s arrival until his departure. According to Des Forges “the virtual visit” can be set up with low costs as will be explained to press officers in the Country’s dioceses and to priests, owing to the contribution of numerous volunteers in the British media and in the public relations services who offered to enable as many people to follow the event. Security. Upon his return from Portugal, where he ascertained the security measures of the local police in view of the September Visit, the head of the Police of South Yorkshire, Meredydd Hughes, responsible of security for the Papal Visit told “The Tablet” that “the crowd will be prevented from approaching Benedict XVI since protests of various groups on issues such as contraception, abortion, homosexuality and paedophilia are to be expected”. The security measures in Great Britain will be stricter that those in Portugal since “the United Kingdom is a privileged target of terrorist attacks”, Hughes said. For this purpose the Holy Father will make wide use of the “Popemobile”. “The public will be enabled to draw near the Pope to see him but at security distance”. Those who wish to protest will be able to do so without interfering in Masses and vigils. Catholic movements are now busy in the preparations. The charity organization “Aid to the church in need” called for the celebrations of Masses for the papal visit.