Anyone who lives in the UK and has a television, radio or Internet access, cannot possibly have escaped the amount of reverential and way over the top, press coverage that the pope's visit has generated this past week.
We knew from the moment he landed on UK soil, that we would have to travel to at least one of his "events" and do some much-needed outreach.
So after two pick-ups and 100 miles later, our tiny group of just three, arrived in Birmingham city centre. Our initial impressions were how run down the city was. And we wondered could this cash-strapped town really afford the massive security cost of Benedict's visit?
After driving around the town three or four times (none of us had been there before), we eventually found a place to park. The price was expensive, equivalent to airport costs. We got out of the car and off we went. Five minutes later, we realised the camera and microphone was still in the car. James went back to get it. On route he felt sick and could hardly breathe. Was this a demonic attack of some sort, or was he just feeling woozy? Either way, the impact lasted for over an hour. He later told Phil that this was the nearest to Hell we would ever be! (Standing just yards from the pope, was not only eerie but something none of us ever want to experience again.)
After a good 15-minute walk we soon came across a huge wall of police officers. So much security for just one man! (What would the Apostle Peter have made of this? Do you think Nero would have afforded him the keys to the city and his own private army!)
James counted about 10 police cars following Benedict's private limousine. In fact, due to our small group, which included a brother from London, the pope's security detail quickly adapted and sent his empty "popemobile" down a side road. He then withdrew from his impromptu walkabout and baby "blessings" and sped past us. He had been scheduled to do a "driveby" and public "waveathone" but having the word of God held up in rebuke to him, wouldn't make for happy viewing during the evening news bulletins, now would it.
Once he departed the crowds soon dispersed. Many tracts were given out. As we packed up and started walking down the road, a Muslim police officer asked to read the banners. This lead to a witness encounter between him and Patrick. Another man joined in, but he was arguing against us. As this wasn't going anywhere, we departed, but not before Phil tried to give some tracts to a group of priests. They smugly declined.
By now we had had several more conversations, one with a drunk, an ex-Catholic turned atheist, and one failed attempt to give a tract to another priest, this one from the US.
Regrettably for us, sister Mary was also in Birmingham that day, but on the other side of town. Several phone calls and text messages, failed to unite her with us. In fact, she went alone and did a tremendous outreach job, in spite of the fact that all the others there were pro-Benedict's visit. We commend and salute her bravery and bold witness and have no doubts that the Lord has blessed her work that day.
Our final thoughts on this very expensive propaganda and ecumenical "tripe" were one of repulsion and grief. To see Prince Philip meet the pope on his arrival in Scotland, and Prime Minister Cameron see him off and even wave at him from Birmingham International Airport, flanked by senior Cardinals and others, is too much to really take in. What the Jesuits covertly began centuries ago now seems to have taken real ground.
And while the press justifiably continued to ask awkward and embarrassing questions about his churches endemic and financially devastating child abuse problem (this has gone on for centuries, not just decades), it was wisely noted from Patrick that the pope's private meeting with a hand picked group, not only allowed Benedict the chance to pray with them (are they still practicing Catholics we ask?), but to meet them on church grounds, i.e., the Nuncio's official residence in the upmarket town of Wimbledon, South London, meant he enjoyed full diplomatic immunity, should anything he say be later used against him. How cleaver! How conniving! How shrewd must his spin-doctors be!
What must the old man from Rome have thought on his private plane back to the Vatican? I think we all know.
Runtime: 15:05
Added: September 29, 2010
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Views: 198
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Category: World Religions /
Roman Catholicism
