Benedict lectures Blair?

If this report from The Times proves trustworthy, it appears the Pope gave Tony Blair a few things to mull over after their meeting yesterday:

Tony Blair received a tough dressing down from Pope Benedict XVI during his audience with the pontiff yesterday, not only over the war in Iraq but also over legislation passed during Mr Blair's ten years in power on abortion, gay adoption and stem cell research.

Some newspapers at the end of last week carried reports predicting that Mr Blair would convert to Roman Catholicism after leaving office and that the Pope would give the conversion his blessing during their farewell meeting at the Vatican on Saturday.

However the Vatican said after the meeting that the pontiff and Mr Blair had had a "frank exchange" on "particularly delicate subjects", which is Vatican-speak for downright disagreement. Italian reports said the Pope had criticised UK laws allowing greater stem cell research on human embryos, easy access to abortion, same-sex marriages, and adoption by gay couples.

Today, the Pope made an enigmatic reference to "true conversion" in his midday Angelus prayers. Addressing English speaking pilgrims on St Peter's Square he said: "Today, as the Church celebrates the birth of St John the Baptist, let us ask for the gift of true conversion and growth in holiness, so that our lives will prepare a way for the Lord and hasten the coming of His Kingdom." ...

In an interview with The Times published on Saturday Mr Blair admitted the issue of his religious beliefs was complex and that he was nervous about discussing his faith with the Pope. "It's difficult with some of these things," Mr Blair said. "Things aren't always as resolved as they might be." A spokesman for the Prime Minister repeated the official line that "he remains a member of the Church of England."

A reader of The Times left the following comment on the news piece:

It is an absolute disgrace that an elected prime minister has allowed himself to be lectured by the pope. The laws concerning, abortion stem cell research, gay marrage and adoption are no business of his. They were passed by the elected representatives of the population, and I belive broadly represent the broad consensus of the population. This is not a Catholic country, indeed it is not even a predominatly Anglican country, the vast majority of the poputation take no intrest whatsoever in religion. In fact the majority of people who take the Anglican communion do not even live in this country, they live in Africa.

Yes, what an outrage for the Pope to actually express his beliefs to a man who is rumored to be close to becoming Catholic. Goodness, couldn't the Pope just express admiration for Blair's support of actions and beliefs contrary to the the Catholic Church?  After all, that's what the majority of folks in England want, and who is the Pope to question their wishes? [End sarcasm.]

Meanwhile, The Guardian states: "To an even greater extent than his predecessor, Benedict feels that Catholic politicians cannot separate their public lives from their private." To which I can only offer this sophisticated and nuanced reply: "Huh?"

Comments

[Robert Miller]

God bless the Pope!

I am reminded, after reading the comments of the flappable Brits who take exception to the Pope setting the bar for admission to the Church, of an old Clancy Brothers chant: " Up the long ladder and down the short rope, to hell with King Billy and God bless the Pope ...".

Blair, of course, is not King. But neither is he Newman. Chesterton would make more appropriate reading for the allegedly Catholic-aspiring soon-to-be-ex-PM.

[Cristina A. Montes]

Is it a coincidence that the meeting took place a day after the feast of St. Thomas More?

[Dan]

I don't know if the Pope had Tony Blair in mind during the Angelus but one could easily compare Herod's dilettantish fascination with John the Baptist with Blair's dalliance (in his own mind anyway) with Catholicism.

[John Powers]

About once a year I post the following on this blog. It would be much easier to bring converts into the Church if we would quit condemning those that want to enter. I am sure that Pope Benedict knows quite a bit more about his conversations with Blair than the people posting on this Blog. Why not accept those that want to join the Church at face value, and leave the confidential details between Blair and the Pope?

JBP

[Dan]

"Why not accept those that want to join the Church at face value...?"

John, in this case, the face value of Tony Blair's belief system is active support for -- indeed, promotion of -- abortion, destruction of embryos for medical research, and prohibition of the Church from running adoption agencies according to Church teaching. Tony Blair has given no indication of being in communion with the Church on any of these issues. Elswhere someone commented that Tony Blair wants to take communion with High Church ritual but without accepting the Pope's authority on moral issues -- the very definition of Anglicanism.

I suspect that the Pope perceived that Tony Blair needed a wakeup call.

If Tony Blair truly was coming to the faith while Prime Minister, he would have been in the position to do something truly heroic. He could have, for example, given a speech along the following lines: "After deep reflection and wide reading, and with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, I've come to realize that abortion, embryo destruction and gay adoption are deeply wrong and I will now do everything in my power to put an end to these evils. Because I was not elected on this platform, I hereby resign as Prime Minister because I cannot in good conscience support a government that is committed to the platform on which I was elected. I am truly sorry for the evil that I have promoted. I will now seek to enter the Catholic Church and join her effort to promote a culture of life, and of love. As for what I've done in the past, I look forward to the day when I am in the loving embrace of the Catholic Church and can celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation in full communion with her."

[latinae]

If the Times report is accurate, then the Catholic world would have had a much better lesson if the Pope had sent a recording of it to every Bishop in the world as an example of how to actually be pastoral.

[John Powers]

But Dan,

You do not know what Blair and Pope Benedict talked about. Perhaps there was a contrition, who knows? But certainly that is a matter between a Priest and a penitent, and should not be subject to scrutiny. Criticize his politics all you like, but if the man wants to join the Church, don't vilify him for his choice, rather encourage him to straighten up and start putting his envelope in the collection basket.

Again, attacking and insulting people wanting to join the Church is probably the worst Evangelical method I have ever heard of.

JBP