Papal Visit, September 2010

[Southern Comfort]

Latest (unofficial) news on the grapevine is that the proposed dates are September 16th-19th, so mark your diaries just in case.... As for the details, according to the grapevine it appears that the visit may commence in Scotland, proceeding southwards and ending at Westminster Cathedral. Other stops are either Durham or Oxford for a lecture, probably on Newman, on the 17th, and a Beatification Mass (despite what some have said earlier in this thread) in Birmingham, either at the ICC or the NEC on the 18th.

But wait for the official announcement whenever it comes (certainly not before the forthcoming Bishops' Conference meeting) before planning anything.

[dmu3tem]

Very good news to hear that the Pope may be visiting the UK. I am sure he will have lots to say to us. However I do hope there will be opportunities for people (not just the senior clergy or representatives of official organisations) to get messages to him? If he can get some genuine feedback about the concerns of people from all backgrounds then his visit will be more than simply a morale booster - valuable though that may be. Does anyone know what sort of arrangements (if any) are being made to enable such messages to be made and sent to him in a manageable form without unwitting distortion by intermediaries?

[presbyter]

and a Beatification Mass (despite what some have said earlier in this thread) in Birmingham, either at the ICC or the NEC on the 18th.

Isn't there a redundant airport just outside Coventry?

[docmattc]

Like the avatar Presbyter!!

Isn't there a redundant airport just outside Coventry?

I believe I once slept all the way through a papal Mass there! (I was only 9!)

[contrabordun]

Isn't there a redundant airport just outside Coventry?

Got quite a jaunty Gloria associated with it, I believe.

JP2's sermon sent me and my siblings to sleep, too, but IIFC we had to get up at 4am to get there on time.

[quaeritor]

It was announced tonight on Radio 4 as a 'State Visit, in contrast with the low key pastoral visit by JPII in 1982.'

I'm glad this thread came back to the top of the heap - reminded me that I was catching up with a few threads in the middle of October when I first stumbled on this, so was reading it in the context of the Gospel for the 29th Sunday (B).

Does anyone else seeing it in that context (the short form will do) feel vaguely uncomfortable?

Q

[presbyter]

Got quite a jaunty Gloria associated with it, I believe.

that's now on its third re-write with the revised text

[presbyter]

The Daily Mail is now in on the act:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1229739/Pope-honour-revered-cardinal-British-visit.html

But according to the Bishops:

Prospect of a visit of Pope Benedict XVI to this country next autumn

Archbishop Vincent Nichols: “We have been assured that it is proper, responsible and appropriate to get on with a whole pattern of preparation even though the visit won’t be officially confirmed for some time.”