White outfit, wrong occasion, Cherie (Cherie Blair didn't wear black to meet the Pope)

UK Telegraph ^ | 4/29/06 | Malcolm Moore and Jonathan Petre

[wagglebee]

Cherie Blair provoked surprise in the Vatican and the ire of a Roman Catholic MP yesterday by wearing all-white to meet the Pope, a privilege normally reserved for Catholic Queens.

The Vatican convention is that females meeting the Pontiff should wear black, preferably with a black veil, or mantilla.

	Cherie Blair with Pope Benedict

When the Queen met Pope John Paul II six years ago, she observed the code meticulously.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, wore black, but omitted the veil.

By contrast, Mrs Blair, a staunch Catholic, chose to exercise the "privilege du blanc", usually granted only to the wives of Catholic monarchs.

Her breach of the protocol was surprising, since she has kept closely to the Church's dress code in the past.

Mrs Blair may not have worn a hat to the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales but she mourned the passing of John Paul II in a mantilla.

Technically, only three women should wear white in the presence of the Pope.

They are Queen Sofia of Spain, Queen Paola of Belgium and Josephine Charlotte, the wife of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. Queen Sofia exercised her privilege in a meeting with the previous Pope in 2003.

Ann Widdecombe, the former Tory minister and a convert to Catholicism, was scathing about Mrs Blair.

"Even the Queen wore black to meet the Pope," she said. "This shows that she has a very grand idea of herself.

"She is a Catholic. She knows what the tradition is when meeting the Pope.

"She obviously thinks she is the first lady.

"My message to her is 'You are not a Catholic Queen, my dear, and you never will be.' "

Mrs Blair was in Rome for a Church-organised conference entitled "Vanishing Youth? Solidarity with Children and Young People in an Age of Turbulence".

She was invited as an expert and remained afterwards for a private meeting with the Pope. A spokesman for the Vatican declined to reveal what they had discussed.

[Mr Rogers]

PS - Did Jesus have bad manners?

I'm sure the Pharisees thought so.

And the folks he drove out of the Temple with a whip probably weren't overwhelmed with his manners, either.

[GSlob]

I'd take it the other way around - it was the media who had no class.

[GSlob]

The Pharisees were really big on protocol, and what did it get them? "whitewashed sepulchres".

[RichInOC]

But he's Catholic, and he's a queen. I just figured...

[Ladysmith]

I'm sure the Pharisees thought so.

Particulary after He called them on the carpet in Matthew 23...

[Conservative til I die]

Protestantism and Catholicism are philosophies that sheep dip themselves in Christian Ideas. They may have origins in Christianity; but, they've followed the master called "philosophy" for so long that the name of "Christ" becomes a rebuke and the scriptures a violation of their philosophy to be spurned and spat at when they contradict the other master.

Ah, so basically you, as the founder of Havocism, are the only true Christian. Sounds tremendous.

How's the view from that cloud you're sitting on?

[Conservative til I die]

For the same reasons everybody else does. Why does the Pope reqire a specific color of clothing for specific people?

It's called diplomacy. I'm sure you don't have issues with the idea of etiquette when meeting dignitaries and heads of state. Of course unless they're Catholic, right? C'mon, be honest. It'll be our little secret.

[Conservative til I die]

He doesn't. Fashion ninnies do. There are some basics of decorum (covered shoulders, covered head), but color is not one of them.

Sink, color is one of them, hence the whole issue. Queens wear white, everyone else is expected to wear black.

Of course, it is all really a non-issue in the grand scheme of things. Probably the only reason that any Catholics here are spending more time on the topic than they normally would is because the usual anti-Catholics have shown up all indignant with their "How dare the Church!?!?" faces.

[Conservative til I die]

You're a Catholic and presumably a Roman by the attitude and venom on display.

Nah, I live in New York, not Rome.

[Conservative til I die]

..you guys spend nearly 200 posts and restart the Thirty Years War arguing about what Cherie wore to see the Pope!

We wouldn't have to spend 200 posts on this if the usual gaggle of Catholic-hating nutbag nativist loudmouths didn't feel the need to become outraged over the issue. Like they do every other frickin' thread, about anything remotely Catholic.

[Conservative til I die]

Shutup! I was raised as a Catholic and saw a ton of hypocrisy, all for the sake of looking "religious".

Same story we always hear from people that were obviously poorly learned Catholics.

"Where I grew up everyone worshipped and kissed the feet of statues and did voodooo rituals and gave them Rum and sacrificed chickens to them!"

"Where I grew up, we were taught the priest was God and we never questioned him or even looked him in the eye."

"Where I grew up, my parish organized Bible burning bonfire rallies so that everyone would be kept blind to the Scriptures."

Hysterical stuff like that.

My God, you couldn't even talk when walking down the hallways of an empty school or church!

Any reason you had to take the Lord's name in vain? Did you learn that too from your hypocritical parish?

It was like being in a tomb and the ton of expectations, rules, etc., was crushing.

Sorry you couldn't carry your boom box with you through the Church. I know, it must have been like totally crushing.

Not once did I ever hear that what mattered most was having a *personal relationship with God*.

Because we don't talk like mushy Protestants.

One of my parents who puts on the Great Show STILL doesn't know what that means!

Because she's not a mushy Protestant, probably.

My aunt, who is a nun, does somewhat but still has to put on her show, too.

Yeah, what a loser, giving up a "normal" life for the greater calling of serving God. I'm sure she could learn a thing or two from you, like how to take the Lord's name in vain.

However, her fellow nun DOES get it big time and there isn't an ounce of pretentiousness in her. So you can take all those petty Grace-killing rules and stuff them!

Wow, now that's what I call a Christian witness!!! Yeah, screw the Church!

[Conservative til I die]

Why do people act like the pope is God? I'm sure the pope didn't care what she was wearing.

Please cite to me one instance where the Pope was called God or given the attributes of God on this thread. Put them right here----->


In the meantime, it might be a good time to get your shots, Rabig Ralph.

[Conservative til I die]

it sounds like the Vatican is discriminating against protestants. why should queens from one religion get to wear white, and others have to wear black? going along with such "protocol" would seem to be supporting this discrimination. imagine if US presidents made you wear polkadots if you were of a different (i.e., less respected) religion.

You forgot the sarcasm tag.

[Conservative til I die]

PS - Did Jesus have bad manners? I'm sure the Pharisees thought so.

Oh yay, the Pharisee card.

[William Terrell]

Dignitaries and heads of state make no claims of ecclesiastical dominance. The Vicar of Christ on Earth should adopt the same attitude of his Master, don't you think?

[BruceysMom]

Actually all of the first followers of Yeshua were Jews, He said "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
they weren't called Christians until after the death and the resurrection.

[Ladysmith]

Wow, now that's what I call a Christian witness!!! Yeah, screw the Church!

You know what? If a church, Catholic or Protestant, doesn't preach Christ in the Cross and sound doctrine, that's exactly what I say! I will NEVER turn my back on God again!

[Conservative til I die]

Dignitaries and heads of state make no claims of ecclesiastical dominance. The Vicar of Christ on Earth should adopt the same attitude of his Master, don't you think?

The Pope is also head of state. ANd since you don't believe he's the Vicar of Christ anyway, is there any relevance in debating this?

[wagglebee]

Unfortunately, the rabid anti-Catholics here cannot seem to comprehend that, among other things, the Pope is a head of state.

[Conservative til I die]

Wow, now that's what I call a Christian witness!!! Yeah, screw the Church! You know what? If a church, Catholic or Protestant, doesn't preach Christ in the Cross and sound doctrine, that's exactly what I say! I will NEVER turn my back on God again!

At least you're big enough to admit that you've turned your back on Him before (by leaving His Church).