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LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair will meet Pope Benedict at the Vatican to prepare to convert to Roman Catholicism, British newspapers reported.
PM Tony Blair and wife Cherie will meet with Pope Benedict XVI in a private audience at the Vatican.
The Guardian quoted unidentified sources in London and Rome as saying Blair, who is Anglican, had decided to seek admission to the Catholic Church. Blair is due to step down as prime minister next Wednesday, handing over power to finance minister Gordon Brown.
The newspaper quoted informed sources as saying Blair had been prepared for conversion by a Royal Air Force chaplain who had said private mass for the Blair family for the last four years.
The Telegraph said it understood Blair would begin formal moves to become Catholic as soon as possible after handing over to Brown.
Blair’s wife Cherie and their four children are Catholics and there has long been speculation that Blair might convert once he left office.
VATICAN CITY (AFP) – Unnamed sources in London and Rome dismissed the rumours Blair would use the Vatican trip to convert, saying he wanted to speak to the pope about spreading harmony between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, The Times reported.
A spokesman for Blair said last week he would discuss “as he has in the past” not only interfaith questions but also world issues such as peace in the Middle East.
Before going into their private talks Saturday, pool journalists reported that Blair and Pope Benedict greeted each other and talked about the European Union summit, which Blair had attended before coming to the Vatican. “I heard it was a success,” the pope said to Blair, who confirmed that the talks on an outline for a new EU treaty had ended in accord.
The reference in the Vatican statement to British legislation was thought to refer to a law obliging adoption agencies to accept applications from homosexual couples, which upset the Catholic Church.
Was it politically advantageous to be Anglican up until now or something?
Just curious. It seems like an odd thing to do so late in the game, as it were.
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… the General Synod of the Church of England, meeting in York, overwhelmingly voted in favor of preserving a role for the government in the selection of bishops.
The Queen of England is the Supreme Governor of the Anglican Church, there never has been a Catholic prime minister of Great Britain.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Mr. AP had to remind me of that yesterday–I don’t know how I could ever forget that little fact.
Though it does seem to be rather convenient for
the poodleBlair. It seems as if he’s saying, Now that I’m done, I’ll go ahead and share my family’s religion. I couldn’t dare be bothered with it before while I was climbing the political career ladder.I don’t know if he’s sincere or still desperate for attention and affirmation. Not my call, but not a good look, all the same.
Blair can now be the poster boy for the last two derelicts of European history; monarchy and Catholicism.
channel last week.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial_of_Tony_Blair
Variety’s got a review of it: http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933909.html?categoryid=32&cs=1
Funny thing is, the first scene is of Robert Lindsay as Blair going to a Catholic church hoping to gain absolution for his sins, which are racking him hard within. Unfortunately, his would-be confessor recognizes his voice, and Blair/Lindsay has to scurry back to his security detail and his limo for cover.
The sanctimonious prick. When I saw pictures of him with Benedict, I thought to myself, “The appeaser meets the Nazi.”
“The appeaser meets the Nazi.”
I thought the same thing. My sincerest apologies to those who are Catholic, I do not intend to offend, but my God–he opposes the war in whispers.
Abortion, birth control or the human rights of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters? Well, THAT comes across loud and clear.
Priorities–I keep forgetting. You have to be where the money is.
This is not surprising since the Anglicans will be reuniting back to the Catholic Church.
What about here in the US, not a problem –
There might be an identity crisis, what would the gringo say now, this country was founded on “Anglo-
Protestant” oops make that “Anglo-Catholic” values.But what about celibacy? Pope is going to allow it, and why not does the church our main purpose in life is to go forth and multiple?
Maybe those conspiracy theories about the Catholic Church are correct. ;p
Hi Oui…well I was going to comment yesterday but all my comments were just to unpious shall we say…but really who gives a rats arse if he converts?….I’d like it better if I had read he had converted to becoming a real human being.
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Tony and George are in the wrong line of business to act as followers of JC .
[“No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and money.” -Matthew 6:24]
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."He missed that verse because he was too busy sucking up to both Rupert Murdoch and George Bush to care.
Our cats exercise more independent thought.
[OT: Hope to be headed your way in a few months!]
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are never OT!! We’ll be in touch.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Corporate, government, evangelical and conservative catholic interests converging?
No wonder Blair has been so buddy buddy with GWB and a supporter of the Iraq war.