Cardinal urged Blair not to reveal conversion

Tony Blair was on the brink of announcing his conversion to Catholicism on a visit to the Pope until a last-ditch intervention by Britain's Roman Catholic leader.

The former Prime Minister was planning to make the historic statement on a trip to the Vatican, but was persuaded not to at the 11th hour.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, advised Mr Blair that it would be unwise and inappropriate to use such a high-profile occasion for such an important private event, particularly coming just days before he was due to leave Downing Street.

He was preparing to make a declaration about his faith as one of his last acts as Prime Minister. But the cardinal recommended that it would be better to wait until he had left Number 10, amid fears that the announcement could cause a political storm.

It is understood that he has received instruction from Fr John Walsh, a chaplain at RAF Cranwell, and Fr Mark O'Toole, the cardinal's secretary, in preparation for conversion.

He had already told aides that he intended to convert to Catholicism and was believed to have been planning the visit to the Vatican in June as the perfect opportunity to announce the momentous step of becoming the country's first Catholic Prime Minister.

However, The Sunday Telegraph has also learnt that he has since put his plans on hold, despite leaving office, because of fears that it could jeopardise his work as an envoy in the Middle East.

There had been speculation that he would formalise his Catholic beliefs in the next few days, but it is understood that it is likely that he will not convert until next year, probably at Easter.

A source close to Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said the Archbishop had advised Mr Blair that any statement on his conversion "should be done reflectively".

"There was a question over whether this was the time to make such an announcement," the source said. "The cardinal's concern for Mr Blair was pastoral and he told him not to do it then, but to wait for a more private occasion."

The cardinal was called to the papal study in the Vatican for a private meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and the former Prime Minister, which lasted around 10 minutes.

"For him to be invited to the audience [with the Pope] is significant," said a Vatican insider. "It is unusual for a representative of a local Church to be present at an audience between the Pope and a prime minister."

After the meeting - during which Mr Blair gave the pontiff a frame containing three photographs of Cardinal John Henry Newman, the most famous of English converts to Rome - the cardinal hosted a lunch for him at the English college.

Mr Blair's desire to become a Catholic has been an open secret for years, but doing this while still at Number 10 would have been controversial as some lawyers believe that the 1829 Emancipation Act, which gave Roman Catholics full civil rights, may still prevent a Catholic from becoming prime minister.

Clauses in the Act state that no Catholic adviser to the monarch can hold civil or military office. Also, it would have caused a potential conflict with his role in choosing Church of England bishops.

Despite being asked by Cardinal Basil Hume, the previous Archbishop of Westminster, to desist from receiving Communion because he has not converted to Catholicism, Mr Blair received Communion from Fr Michael Seed while he was at Downing Street and from Fr Timothy Russ and Fr Walsh at Chequers.

He also attended Mass at Westminster Cathedral with his family, who are all Catholics - his two sons attended the London Oratory, a Catholic school.

Areas that he must cover before he can become a Catholic include the Creed, prayer life and the Church's doctrine.

It is believed that he will be received into the Church by the cardinal. During the service he will recite the Nicene Creed and make a formal declaration that reads: "I believe and profess all that the Holy Catholic Church believes, teaches and proclaims to be revealed by God."

Mr Blair was initially introduced to religion by Peter Thomson, an Australian priest, during his time at Oxford University where he was prepared for confirmation by Graham Dow, an evangelical Anglican cleric who is now Bishop of Carlisle.

More recently he has developed a friendship with Prof Hans Kung, the respected theologian.

I’m afraid I agree with you. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor has done a rotten job. For a while it looked as if there would be more Catholics going to Church on Sunday in England than Anglicans, but under his leadership that quickly came to an end.

I admit to being of two minds about this whole business. Blair and his wife are both screaming liberals. Blair is strongly pro-homosexual and pro-abortion. I have sometimes suspected that he may be homosexual himself. It figures that he would admire Hans Kung.

On the other hand, I can hardly say that he shouldn’t convert. It’s just very odd. Most converts are more traditional than cradle Catholics these days, but apparently the Blairs are exceptions to the rule.

My Father and my Grandfather were Irish Catholics who laboured all their lives building homes for the English. My Grandfather who was a master stonemason built and repaired many of Englands finer buildings.

More than likely, they were not aware of these Catholic martyrs to the faith.

In 1970, the Vatican selected as representatives of a larger group (totalling perhaps three hundred) forty Roman Catholic men and women, both clergy and laity, who suffered death for conscience' sake during the years from 1535 to 1679. Their names are given below, with years of death. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are Welsh, the others English.

Religious Orders (monks, friars, etc.):
Carthusians:
   John Houghton, Augustine Webster, Robert Lawrence, 1535;
Brigittine: Richard Reynolds; 1535.
Augustinian friar: John Stone; 1539.
Jesuits:
   Edmund Campion, 1581;
   Robert Southwell, Henry Walpole, 1595;
   Nicholas Owen, Jesuit laybrother, 1606;
   Thomas Garnet, 1608;
   Edmund Arrowsmith, 1628;
   Henry Morse, 1645;
   Philip Evans*, David Lewis*, 1679.
Benedictines:
   John Roberts*, 1610;
   Ambrose Barlow, 1641;
   Alban Roe, 1642.
Friar Obervant, John Jones*, 1598;
Franciscan, John Wall, 1679.

Secular Clergy (parish priests not in monastic orders):
   Cuthbert Mayne, 1577;
   Ralph Sherwin, Alexander Briant, 1581;
   John Pain, Luke Kirby, 1582;
   Edmund Gennings, Eustace White, Polydore Plasden, 1591;
   John Boste, 1594;
   John Almond, 1612;
   John Southworth, 1654;
   John Lloyd*, John Plessington, John Kemble, 1679.

Laymen:
   Richard Gwyn*, poet and schoolmaster 1584;
   Swithun Wells*, schoolmaster, 1591;
   Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel and Surrey, died in prison (poisoned?) 1595;
   John Rigby, household retainer of the Huddleston family, 1600.

Laywomen:
   Margaret Clitherow, wife, mother, and schoolmistress, 1586;
   Margaret Ward, for managing a priest's escape from prison, 1588;
   Anne Line, widow, "harborer of priests", 1601.

Prayer (traditional language)

Almighty God, who hast given to thy servants grace and power to stand firm for conscience' sake even unto death: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer (contemporary language)

Almighty God, who have given to your servants grace and power to stand firm for conscience' sake even to death: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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