Priests Open Letter in Support of Pope Benedict's Visit

We, priests of England and Wales, wish to express our joy at the forthcoming visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Britain.
We welcome the many wise things the Holy Father said to us through our Bishops on their ad limina visit earlier this year which are of particular significance to the health of the Church in England and Wales, such as "the Catholic community in your country needs to speak with a united voice" and the need "to be attentive to the promptings of the Spirit, who guides the whole Church into the truth, gathers her into unity and inspires her with missionary zeal".


More than ever, with the proximity of the Papal visit and anxious for its success we recognise especially the need "to draw on the considerable gifts of the lay faithful in England and Wales". Concerned for the Church's mission we to see a great need in England and Wales to ensure "that they [not only the lay faithful but we priests] are equipped to hand on the faith to new generations comprehensively, accurately, and with a keen awareness that in so doing they are playing their part in the Church’s mission". We also acknowledge the importance within our national context of what His Holiness said about the Magisterium, "In a social milieu that encourages the expression of a variety of opinions on every question that arises, it is important to recognize dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate. It is the truth revealed through Scripture and Tradition and articulated by the Church’s Magisterium that sets us free."


We wish to thank His Holiness for encouraging our Bishops to hold up to us "an example of dedication to prayer, pastoral sensitivity towards the needs of his flock, and passion for preaching the Gospel", and also for urging them to encourage the faithful "to avoid any temptation to view the clergy as mere functionaries but rather to rejoice in the gift of priestly ministry".
 
Fr Raymond Blake
Fr. Stephen Brown
Very Rev Fr Leon Pereira, O.P.
Fr. Francis Wadsworth
Fr Timothy Finigan
Fr J M Taylor Lanherne
Fr. John Abberton
Mgr Andrew Wadsworth
Fr John Boyle
Fr Francis Marsden VF
Fr Christopher Back
Fr. Gary Patrick Walsh S.S.S.
Fr David B Barrett
Fr William R Young
Fr Stephen Willis
Fr Paul Harrison
Fr Tim Edgar
Fr Ian O'Shea
Fr Tim Whiley
Fr John Osman
Fr Anthony Dykes
Fr John Cahil
Fr John Saward
Fr. David Evans
Fr Thomas Wood
Fr. Mark Naughton
Fr. Peter Charles Crowther
Fr Wilfrid Elkin
Fr Gary Dickson
Fr Hugh Somerville-Knapman OSB
Fr Jean-Claude Selvini
Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP
Fr Seán Finnegan
Fr Seán Patrick Riley
Fr.Aidan Doyle O.S.B
Fr Francis Coveney
Fr Gerald Anders
Fr Michael Sellers
Fr Michael Hall
Fr Hugh Mackenzie
Fr Michael Clifton
Fr. Philip Egan
Fr.Pius Mathew CMI
Fr Martin Thompson
Fr Ian Farrell
Fr Mark Vickers
Fr Jonathan Hill
Fr Simon Henry
Fr Thomas Regan OSB
Fr Michael Brown
Fr Nigel Griffin




If you are a priest in England and Wales and you wish to sign this "open letter", enter your name and address in the comments box and once I have checked the Catholic Directory I will add it to the letter.
The quotes in the letter are the Pope's own words to our bishops.