UK Prepares Highest Level of Welcome for Pope

(July 22, 2010) As the United Kingdom prepares the highest level of welcome for Pope Benedict XVI, the anticipation is growing, and Catholics are becoming increasingly aware of the Church's place in society. In an interview, Monsignor Andrew Summersgill, coordinator for the September 16-19 Papal visit to the United Kingdom explained the significance of the invitation to the Pope by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and he described some of the ways in which Catholics are being prepared for the visit of the Holy Father. He said that at the moment all are engaged in sending allocations of places to dioceses for attendance at the larger gatherings with the Holy Father: the Mass in Glasgow, the Mass of beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham and the vigil of prayer in London. The Church had a series of meetings and visits with officials from the Holy See and has made a detailed preparation with the U.K. government, local authorities, the Anglican Communion, the police and security services, the Monsignor said. Even though due to the difficult financial situation there have been cuts in government spending, and some have questioned about Pope Benedict's visit during such time, there has been a joy of welcome and anticipation across a broad spectrum of society, and certainly within the Catholic Church and other Christian communities, added the Monsignor. Pope Benedict's visit is cantered on four places: Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Birmingham, and so inevitably a lot of travelling will be involved to be present at celebrations with the Holy Father. He concluded saying that the visit itself will be a time when Catholics will rediscover their own self-confidence and their place within British society.