Pope Benedict XVIth's journey to the United Kingdom is nearing its close. He is scheduled
to fly back to the Vatican on Sunday evening after meeting with the bishops of England,
Wales and Scotland. Meanwhile, Sean Patrick Lovett looks back at four days of intense
activity and emotion...
If you were given just under four days to deliver
over a dozen speeches to thousands of people (and millions more via TV and the internet)
– what would you say? The problem, you see, is that everyone wants you
to say something to them. Everyone is waiting for a message – a word of comfort or
consolation, confirmation or inspiration, a word of guidance or enlightenment, pious
sentiments or political insights. They want you to talk about life and love, about
failure and faith, suffering and salvation. They want you to tell them about goodness
and God, to say you’re sorry for sins you didn’t commit and to express shame for things
you’ve already said you’re ashamed of. And when you’ve done that, when you’re breathless
from speaking, when your mouth is dry from telling them all the things they’ve asked
you to tell them – there will always be those who will claim that everything you said
was still “too little, too late”. It isn’t easy. It takes courage. And conviction.
Not only are you expected to know what you’re talking about and to be utterly credible,
you’re expected to live out what you say – to practice what you preach. And then,
when all is said and done, how do you know that anyone has actually heard, taken heed,
and taken to heart your multitude of words and messages? You don’t. But you do it
just the same. That’s only one of the things that fascinates me about covering
the Pope – the fact that he does it just the same. With courage and conviction he
forges ahead into potentially hostile and unsympathetic waters. With patience and
gentleness he confronts the controversy and contradictions. With firmness and frankness
he tells us – not necessarily what we want to hear, but certainly what we need to. It
can’t be easy. It must take courage. And conviction. But he’s the Pope – and he
has plenty of both. With Pope Benedict in the UK, I'm Sean Patrick Lovett