Catholic Bishops of UK pray for Baroness Thatcher at St Peter’s

Vatican City, 18 April 2013: Catholic bishops from across England and Wales celebrated Mass at the tomb of Saint Peter inside the Basilica in Rome on Wednesday morning for the repose of the soul of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, just hours before her funeral was held in London’s St Paul’s Cathedral. The group of over 30 Church leaders, including retired Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, also met privately with Pope Francis before attending his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square. The bishops are in Rome, making a week long retreat at the summer residence of the English College, south of Rome.

While speaking to Vatican Radio’s Philippa Hitchen, Archbishop Vincent Nichols, current Archbishop of Westminster and president of the bishops conference of England and Wales, said:
At the time of her (Baroness Thatcher) death, I said very simply that the first duty of the Catholic community was to pray for the repose of her soul, for the comfort of her family and all those who mourn her death. This morning we celebrated Mass at the tomb of St Peter and we prayed for the repose of the soul of Margaret Thatcher in that most precious place in our Christian history.”

About meeting Pope Francis, the Archbishop said:
“We were privileged to meet Pope Francis this morning and in a few short remarks Cardinal Cormac said to him that these weeks of his pontificate have given a fresh joy and hope to the Church…..there’s a fresh Spring about the Church at the moment and I think that’s from the Pope’s eloquence in gesture and his words when he preaches and at his audiences…

I think what is most remarkable in the UK is that everybody seems to have been touched by his eloquence, by his gentleness and by the humility of Pope Francis, added the Archbishop.

Talking about the bishops’ retreat, Archbishop Nichols said: one of the themes of our retreat is that we should not be afraid of our poverty before God, we should not be afraid of our weakness as we stand before our Lord…..I think it is a sense of willingness to serve the Lord, rather than to seek success, that will motivate us afresh.
Source: VR Eng