Posted on 04/17/2003 1:05:24 PM PDT by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
ANY hope that Tony Blair had of enjoying a happy, Catholic Easter with his family will be crushed today by the Pope.
John Paul II is issuing a new encyclical that The Times has learnt will explicitly forbid Protestants like the Prime Minister taking Communion with Catholics such as Cherie Blair and their children.
The 83-year-old Pope has chosen Holy Week to stamp on what he sees as dangerously “liberal” interpretations of the Roman Catholic doctrine that only those “in full communion with Rome” can take part in the Eucharist.
Mr Blair, who remains a committed, if ecumenical, member of the Church of England, regularly attends Catholic Mass with his family. He also used to take Communion with them at the St Joan of Arc church in Islington.
But in 1996, he received a letter from Cardinal Basil Hume asking him to desist. In his reply, Mr Blair did not conceal his dismay at such theological conservatism. Saying that he merely wished to worship with his family but had not realised his behaviour was causing offence, he promised he would not do so again. The letter added: “I wonder what Jesus would have made of it?”
Since then Mr Blair, who admits he is strongly drawn to Catholicism, has more than once explored the limits of this doctrine. Britain has never had a Catholic prime minister and in 1998 he had to deny reports he had converted after being spotted going to Westminster Cathedral for Mass unaccompanied by his family. Suggestions that he had received the Eucharist on this occasion were never confirmed.
There have also been rumours that when Mr Blair is on holiday abroad he has taken Communion with his family.
The Pope´s fourteenth encyclical slams the door on the many Catholics and Protestants who currently take Communion together and represents a setback for Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is a firm advocate of ecumenism. When Mr Blair visited the Pope at the Vatican last month, he may have got a hint of what was to come. While his family went to take Communion with the Pope, the Prime Minister only received a blessing. The Pope also made it clear that he disagreed with Mr Blair about war in Iraq.
SD
I'm Anglican (Episcopalian), and have always known that I couldn't receive with my Catholic friends. The only exceptions have been when as a child I was on holiday with my family in remote areas of Latin American or the Caribbean and Christmas or Easter rolled around. Since those are Holy Days of Obligation, Episcopalians as well as Catholics are obligated to attend Mass on those days. If there was no Episcopal or Anglican church on the island or up in the hills of Mexico, my father would call on the local priest and lay our situation before him. (He doesn't speak Spanish but he speaks fluent Italian and we wandered all through Latin America on that basis with no problem.) The Catholic church has always allowed those who acknowledge the Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament to receive in emergency situations, and since we do and it was an emergency, I can't remember a time when we were refused.
But you can't just show up at the rail when there's an Anglican church right down the road . . . :-D
I wonder if this message changes that old practice. I'll have to read it carefully when I have more time.
WHO THE F%$K CARES WHAT HE SAYS!!! HE'S LOST CREDIBILITY!!!
Couldn't have said it better myself. How he could NOT see the similarities between Hitler and Saddam is beyond me.
Nothing has changed in this practice, for those in grave need who express a belief in the Real Presence.
I don't think I would define being on holiday as a "grave need."
SD
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. Any who are baptised with water in the name of Jesus are welcomed.
Why do you want to pretend there is union where there is none?
Communion, among other things, symbolizes and actualizes the union of those who share the Faith.
If those who don't share the faith are allowed to communion, then we are expressing a lie, pretending that we are united when we are not.
I prefer not to have the sacrament be a lie.
SD
What a ridiculous hook.
Saying that he merely wished to worship with his family but had not realised his behaviour was causing offence, he promised he would not do so again. The letter added: “I wonder what Jesus would have made of it?”
This Blair chap is pretty sharp.
Wait a minute: Blair is suddenly forbidden to receive Communion, yet known pedophilic priests and CC hierarchal enablers are? Hmmm - Anything at all to do with Blair and the war??
When convenient, it seems some "liberal" interpretations are more taboo then others.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.