(July 07,2010) Almost two months before Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to the
United Kingdom, local Church leaders and State authorities are closely collaborating
to make the event a success. Lord Patten of Barnes, who is in charge of the government
preparations for the Pope's State visit, explained this to journalists in a press
conference Monday, which he gave along with Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster. Lord
Barnes, who is Prime Minister David Cameron's personal representative for the preparations
of the September 16-19 papal visit, said that the government is strongly supportive
of the event. He said the government sees itself as a partner of all faith groups,
including the Catholic Church, in building solid, more resilient communities, dealing
with issues of solidarity and social justice. Archbishop Vincent Nichols, President
of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, said that he recently met with Pope
Benedict in Rome, who is looking forward to his visit. The archbishop underlined
the historic nature of this visit, with the Pope visiting the queen, the Pope speaking
in Westminster Hall - where St. Thomas More was condemned to death - the Pope going
to Westminster Abbey and praying with the Archbishop of Canterbury at the tomb of
St. Edward the Confessor, monarch of this land." Archbishop Nichols said that
the Pontiff approaches this visit as an exercise of meeting, of dialogue and inviting
consideration and response. He is open to all aspects of our human endeavour," the
prelate explained. "His last teaching document, 'Caritas in Veritate,' addressed the
financial crisis, education, issues of globalization and the environment." The archbishop
affirmed that the Holy Father does all of these things speaking of the enduring values
of Christianity, values that still underpin our society," he concluded.