From The Daily TelegraphThe former prime minister will be received into his new church in a mass at the private chapel of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Mr Blair meets Pope Benedict XVI in Rome shortly before leaving office
He has been guided by Fr John Walsh, a former RAF chaplain who celebrated mass at Chequers, and Fr Mark O’Toole, the cardinal's secretary. His path to Rome will come as no surprise because his wife Cherie and four children are Catholics and the family have worshipped together for years.
Mr Blair, in one of his final acts as prime minister, met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican when he told him of wish to leave the Church of England.
The imminent conversion was disclosed by the respected Catholic newspaper The Tablet, which predicted the service would be held this month.
Mr Blair's spokesman did not deny the story. He said: "This is the same old speculation."
Mr Blair meets Pope Benedict XVI in Rome shortly before leaving office
He has been guided by Fr John Walsh, a former RAF chaplain who celebrated mass at Chequers, and Fr Mark O’Toole, the cardinal's secretary. His path to Rome will come as no surprise because his wife Cherie and four children are Catholics and the family have worshipped together for years.
Mr Blair, in one of his final acts as prime minister, met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican when he told him of wish to leave the Church of England.
The imminent conversion was disclosed by the respected Catholic newspaper The Tablet, which predicted the service would be held this month.
Mr Blair's spokesman did not deny the story. He said: "This is the same old speculation."
But a friend of Mr Blair said: "It is something he has wanted to do for years but knew it would be easier after he had left office. Tony and Cherie are both thrilled."
Mr Blair has rarely been seen in a church of the Anglican faith except on official occasions.
He decided to remain an Anglican because of the potential complexities of conversion while in office.
Some lawyers believe the 1829 Emancipation Act, which gave Roman Catholics full civil rights, may still prevent a Catholic from becoming prime minister.
Clauses in the Act state that no Catholic adviser to the monarch can hold civil or military office.
Mr Blair's conversion will be controversial in the Catholic community because as an MP Mr Blair voted for abortion at up to 24 weeks which was publicly condemned by the late Cardinal Thomas Winning of Scotland. He also supported civil partnerships for homosexual couples.
All four of the Blair children were baptised as Catholics and the family used to attend Mass at St Joan of Arc Church in Islington when he was opposition leader.
After becoming prime minister he stopped doing so in public on the instructions of the then leader of Catholics in England and Wales, the late Cardinal Hume.
But he continued to attend private masses with Fr Michael Seed who converted the Tory MP Ann Widdecombe.
Last year Mrs Blair praised Father Seed, who is based at Westminster Cathedral, for his "ability to reach out to all kinds of people, whether it is the homeless on the streets to the people in the highest places in the land, including even in Downing Street."
Mr Blair will have to undergo a period of instruction but it will be swift for someone who is well versed in the faith.
The Tablet reported that Mr Blair was invited to be received into the Church in Rome but his advisers discouraged the idea, believing it might seem like Catholic triumphalism.
To complete his conversion, Mr Blair must recite the Catholic creed and state: "I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God."
Mr Blair has rarely been seen in a church of the Anglican faith except on official occasions.
He decided to remain an Anglican because of the potential complexities of conversion while in office.
Some lawyers believe the 1829 Emancipation Act, which gave Roman Catholics full civil rights, may still prevent a Catholic from becoming prime minister.
Clauses in the Act state that no Catholic adviser to the monarch can hold civil or military office.
Mr Blair's conversion will be controversial in the Catholic community because as an MP Mr Blair voted for abortion at up to 24 weeks which was publicly condemned by the late Cardinal Thomas Winning of Scotland. He also supported civil partnerships for homosexual couples.
All four of the Blair children were baptised as Catholics and the family used to attend Mass at St Joan of Arc Church in Islington when he was opposition leader.
After becoming prime minister he stopped doing so in public on the instructions of the then leader of Catholics in England and Wales, the late Cardinal Hume.
But he continued to attend private masses with Fr Michael Seed who converted the Tory MP Ann Widdecombe.
Last year Mrs Blair praised Father Seed, who is based at Westminster Cathedral, for his "ability to reach out to all kinds of people, whether it is the homeless on the streets to the people in the highest places in the land, including even in Downing Street."
Mr Blair will have to undergo a period of instruction but it will be swift for someone who is well versed in the faith.
The Tablet reported that Mr Blair was invited to be received into the Church in Rome but his advisers discouraged the idea, believing it might seem like Catholic triumphalism.
To complete his conversion, Mr Blair must recite the Catholic creed and state: "I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God."
8 comments:
'the respected Catholic newspaper The Tablet', - you are having a laugh are you not Fr Ray?
With regard Mr Bliar, it seems rather sudden that within weeks of leaving prime-ministerial office which put him at the pinnacle of being at complete odds with Catholic Teaching, that there has been this miraculous 180o U-turn in his beliefs. I wonder if he chokes on the words 'I believe and profess in all that the Holy Catholic Church believes'.
Well, I guess at least the Catholic Church is for repentant sinners, whereas you can do what the hell you like in ALL the others because you're saved already, oh yes and there's them crystals and tarot readings!
Yikes Lord - what do You make of Your people????? Why do You put up with us????
Did Cardinal Hume discourage Blair from attending Mass? I don't think so. What he stopped him doing was publicly receiving Holy Communion. The Blairs continued to worship as a family and he has been seen attending Mass in public on his own. Judging by the rash of acid comments on the Bishops of England and Wales in Bloody Bloggland recently he will immediately feel at home and as happy as a sand-boy in their company. What fun traditionalist priests will have denying him Holy Communion because of his voting record, poor man. Auntie Joanna and co will go into overdrive.
Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 (c.7)
10. It shall be lawful for any of his Majesty’s subjects professing the Roman Catholic religion to hold, exercise, and enjoy, all civil and military offices and places of trust or profit under his Majesty, and to exercise any other franchise or civil right, except as herein-after excepted . . . (Words repealed by Promissory Oaths Act 1871 (c. 48), Sch. 1 Pt. II)
12. Provided also, that nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend to enable any person or persons professing the Roman Catholic religion to hold or exercise the office of guardians and justices of the United Kingdom, or of regent of the United Kingdom, under whatever name, style, or title such office may be constituted; nor to enable any person, otherwise than as he is now by law enabled, to hold or enjoy the office of lord high chancellor, lord keeper or lord commissioner of the great seal of Great Britain . . . (Words repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1950 (c. 6) and Statute Law Revision (Northern Ireland) Act 1976 (c. 12), Sch. Pt. IV); or his Majesty’s high commissioner to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Nowadays a Catholic can be Lord Chancellor, any can hold any office save only the Crown and the Regency, but may not advise the Sovereign in any matter concerning the Church of England.
Well time will tell no doubt..just been to a concert for the unborn..i hope Blair understands to be a Catholic one has to be pro-life..& as for your previous post..why do the cardinals of westminster have to be so *****?
So he wanted to do this for some time, but thought he would wait until after he was prime minister?
If he had been so keen, he would either have bitten the bullet and converted regardless of the consequences, or he would have stepped down as prime minsiter.
And if he had been so keen, he would not have pursued an agenda that was the antithesis of Catholic morality: supporting living wills and euthanasia in the Mental Capacity Act, supporting abortion, supporting 'gay' rights, supporting 'civil partnershps' etc.
If he is to become a Catholic he must reject his previously false beliefs. If he has any decency he would retire from public life so that he can spend the time doing penance for all the damage he has done.
Don't get me wrong. I am happy for him to become a Catholic. But he mustn't be a false Catholic.
I hope that Mr. Blair's conversion will be a true turning towards the Lord, His Church and the Catholic Faith, in its entirety and not merely a change in religious affiliation.
If he had joined the Church while in Office it would have caused a complete blockage in proceedings.They are just a bunch of clowns getting well paid for doing as little as possible and filling their boots by moonlight.Mr Blair has been a Catholic for a long time but has not allowed the Yahoos a chance to get their oars in.We must welcome him and pray for him.
just pray for him
Post a Comment