Bruce Feiler - Where God Was Born, Abraham, Walking The Bible

Tony Blair to Become Catholic
Friday, June 22, 2007

Paul Bremer. Sam Brownback. Tony Blair. Fascinating: late-in-life, high-powered politicians converting to Catholicism. The Guardian has a report on the secret, back-stage maneuverings.

According to informed sources, Mr Blair has been readied for this milestone in his spiritual life by a Royal Air Force chaplain, Father John Walsh, who for the past four years has been quietly slipping into Chequers, the prime minister's country residence, to say mass for the Blair family on Saturday evenings.
Mr Blair has been attending Catholic services for many years, and regularly worshipped at the 5.30pm Saturday evening service at Westminster cathedral until security considerations persuaded him to seek a private arrangement.

And more.

Mr Blair's attendances at Catholic services over the years has not been without controversy. In 1996 he was upbraided by the then Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Basil Hume, for taking communion at his wife's church in Islington.
The couple have also worshipped at a Roman Catholic church in Great Missenden, near Chequers.
Britain has never had a Catholic prime minister, and Mr Blair's lengthy road to conversion is almost certainly as a result of his desire to leave office before taking the final steps. Religion is a sensitive issue in British politics, particularly in connection with issues such as abortion, contraception, homosexuality and faith schools.
Cherie Blair and the couple's four children are Roman Catholic. Her husband is thought to have attended a mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in the papal private apartments in the Vatican in 2003 following an official audience.
There have been persistent rumours that he received communion from the Polish pontiff on that occasion.
Mr Blair's visit to Rome was confirmed by Vatican sources more than a week ago. A spokesman for the Roman Catholic bishops in England and Wales yesterday said that the environment and Middle East would be among the topics discussed by Mr Blair and the Pope. But their meeting has not been announced by No 10 and last night Mr Blair's spokespeople were still insisting that reports of it were "pure speculation".

Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan.

Labels: Christianity

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