Pope Benedict XVI apologises to victims of sexual abuse in Westminster Cathedral

Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday expressed deep sorrow to the innocent victims of sexual abuse, and acknowledged the shame and humiliation he, and the entire Catholic Church, have suffered because of these sins. His words came at the start of his third day in the United Kingdom as he celebrated Mass with some 2.000 people in Westminster Cathedral.Philipa Hitchen was there in the Cathedral on Saturday morning and tells us more about this great place of worship for the Catholic community in England and Wales...

Westminster Cathedral is one of the best kept secrets in London today. Often mistaken for a mosque or a synagogue on account of its striking Byzantine architecture, its huge dome, giant marble pillars and glittering mosaics were modeled by Victorian architect John Francis Bentley on the great jewel of the early Byzantine era, Hagia Sophia in modern day Istanbul.
Inaugurated in 1903, the same year that composer Edward Elgar conducted his first London performance of Newman’s ‘The Dream of Gerontius’, the interior decoration remains unfinished, with new mosaics added to the eleven side chapels over recent years.
One of these chapels contains the Cathedral’s most famous relic, the body of St John of Southworth, hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn in 1654, a poignant reminder of the suffering and sacrifice endured by so many priests and ordinary people in that Reformation period. On the other side of that same chapel, dedicated to St George and the English martyrs, stands the simple wooden chair and kneeler used by Queen Elisabeth II on her visit here in 1995, the first modern monarch ever to set foot inside a Catholic cathedral and an eloquent reminder of the recent progress in ecumenical relations.
That ongoing search for healing and unity was reinforced during the Mass on Saturday morning as the Archbishop of Canterbury and other leaders of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches joined Pope Benedict and the Catholic community gathered in the vast nave, the largest of any cathedral in England.

"The visitor to this Cathedral cannot fail to be struck by the great crucifix dominating the nave, which portrays Christ’s body, crushed by suffering, overwhelmed by sorrow, the innocent victim whose death has reconciled us with the Father and given us a share in the very life of God."

Pope Benedict based his homily at the Mass on the crucified body of Christ, hanging from the giant wooden cross in the centre of the nave, uniting His own sacrifice with that of the faithful gathered around the Eucharistic table. In particular the Pope said Christ’s arms are outstretched to embrace all those who suffer physically, mentally or spiritually – including those whose lives have been shattered by sexual abuse

"Above all, I express my deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes, along with my hope that the power of Christ’s grace, his sacrifice of reconciliation, will bring deep healing and peace to their lives."

Alongside bishops from all over the United Kingdom listening to the Pope inside the cathedral were several thousand young Catholics gathered in the square outside. To them, the Pope spoke from his heart about God’s love which can always be found deep inside their own hearts amid the stress and anxieties of our daily lives..

"I ask each of you, first and foremost, to look into your own heart. Think of all the love that your heart was made to receive, and all the love it is meant to give. After all, we were made for love. This is what the Bible means when it says that we are made in the image and likeness of God: we were made to know the God of love, the God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to find our supreme fulfilment in that divine love that knows no beginning or end".

It was a just a brief encounter with the youth, a foretaste of the warmth and enthusiasm the Pope is likely to receive later in the day at a giant prayer vigil in Hyde Park. Then it was back inside the Cathedral for the blessing of a new mosaic dedicated to St David, patron saint of Wales. While the pope said he was sorry not to be travelling to that part of the United Kingdom on this visit, he did have a special blessing for the people of Wales …in their native tongue

"Bendith Duw ar bobol Cymru! God bless the people of Wales!"

In the United Kingdom with Philippa Hitchen I’m PH.

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