Cardinal urged Blair not to reveal conversion

Telegraph ^ | November 25, 2007 | Jonathan Wynne-Jones

[AliVeritas]

Hans Kung?

Oh, Lord have mercy.

[Cicero]

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.

[bboop]

Yes, I thot, too, that Kung was awful.

[livius]

It is odd. I suppose there is a possibility that Blair’s conversion would herald a shift from some of his more ravingly liberal positions, although I guess that’s not very likely. Liberalism seems to be the faith that trumps all others.

[FloreatIacobus]

Show of hands...how many would love to read his autobiography on just such a spiritual journey?

Count me out - I wouldn't believe a single word of it, just as I haven't believed a single word he's said since about '95.

Blair is not to be trusted.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Has he or hasn't he?

Former British PM Tony Blair to be accepted (received) into Roman Catholic church

[Reo]

Having swum the Tiber myself 14 years ago, all I can say is "Welcome Home, Mr. PM, Welcome Home!"

All the rest of the chatter will sorted out at a much higher pay grade.

[melsec]

I can’t believe that there are still discriminatory laws against Catholics in England. 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. The English would do well to find better friends in Irish RC’s than Moslems.

Mel

[fatima]

What a wonderful story-next Bush:)Here’s a bump.

[NYer]

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.