Christian faith and British spirit Fr. Lombardi’s weekly editorial
Thursday, September 16th the Pope will fly to Edinburgh where he will begin, after being officially welcomed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, one of the most highly anticipated trips of his pontificate, his visit to the UK.
Last Wednesday, the Pope expressed his gratitude for the invitation, because he is well aware of the commitment and attention with which not only Her Majesty and the Government, but also the Anglican Primate – the Archbishop of Canterbury - and of course the whole Catholic Church of England, Wales and Scotland, are preparing the several appointments on the program.
The expectation and interest of British society is also growing, well beyond some noisy, but still marginal, protests of dissent. This confirms the perception that indeed the great moral and religious authority of the Pope will be able to offer an important specific, clear, positive and constructive contribution to meeting the challenges of today's world. Without doubt, the Pope's meeting with the most qualified representatives of institutions and civil society in the historic Westminster Hall will be one of the highlights of the trip.
But only in the beatification of Cardinal. Newman will the message of this visit achieve its full meaning. This Englishman, whom the Pope has called "truly great" rich in “gentle wisdom" and an example of "integrity and sanctity of life", who with his writings and his works is a source of inspiration for the Church and society in many parts of the world, embodies in the most convincing way the fascinating fruit of the profound synthesis between the Christian faith and the British spirit and its permanent fecundity for the world of today and tomorrow.
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