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Tony the Poodle Meets Pope Rat
Via NY Transfer News Collective All the News that Doesn't Fit
sent by Tim Murphy (activ-l)
Reuters - Jun 23, 2007
http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL232962120070623
Blair meets Pope to stoke conversion speculation
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tony Blair held private talks
with Pope Benedict on Saturday, stoking speculation he might convert to
Catholicism after he steps down next week.
Blair's gift to the Pope were original photographs of John Henry
Newman, a 19th century Anglican leader who was one of Britain's most
illustrious converts to Catholicism.
Blair, on the final leg of his farewell world tour, spoke privately
with the Pope for 25 minutes in the pontiff's study and the talks were
then enlarged to include Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, head of
England's Roman Catholics.
A Vatican statement made no reference to the issue of possible
conversion of Blair who is Anglican. Blair's wife, Cherie, and their
four children are Catholics.
Cherie accompanied Blair to the Vatican and was introduced to the Pope
with the British delegation at the end of the private talks. She wore a
black dress and a black veil.
Pope and Blair discussed the international situation, Europe and the
Middle East, the statement said. The Vatican welcomed Blair's intention
to work for Middle East peace and inter-religious dialogue after he
steps down on Wednesday.
In an interview with the Times Magazine on Saturday, Blair indicated his
conversion may not be just around the corner.
Asked if he would convert, Blair said: "I don't want to talk about it.
It's difficult with some of these things. Things aren't always as
resolved as they might be."
The Blairs gave the Pope a frame containing three period photographs of
Newman, who died in 1890. One was signed.
Newman converted in 1845 and was later made a cardinal of the Roman
Catholic Church. In 1991 he was declared "venerable", putting him on
the road to Roman Catholic sainthood.
The Guardian newspaper cited informed sources on Friday as saying Blair
had been prepared for conversion by a Royal Air Force chaplain who had
said private mass for his family for the last four years.
Blair is believed to have taken communion from the late Pope John Paul
during a visit to the Vatican in 2003, although the Vatican has never
confirmed this.
After the Pope welcomed Blair into the study, the prime minister told
him he had just flown in from the European summit in Brussels where
European Union leaders clinched agreement on a mandate to overhaul the
27-nation bloc.
"I heard it was very successful," the Pope told Blair.
"Yes, but it was a very long night. We finished up at 5:30 in the
morning," Blair said.
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Hash: SHA1
Tony the Poodle Meets Pope Rat
Via NY Transfer News Collective All the News that Doesn't Fit
sent by Tim Murphy (activ-l)
Reuters - Jun 23, 2007
http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL232962120070623
Blair meets Pope to stoke conversion speculation
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tony Blair held private talks
with Pope Benedict on Saturday, stoking speculation he might convert to
Catholicism after he steps down next week.
Blair's gift to the Pope were original photographs of John Henry
Newman, a 19th century Anglican leader who was one of Britain's most
illustrious converts to Catholicism.
Blair, on the final leg of his farewell world tour, spoke privately
with the Pope for 25 minutes in the pontiff's study and the talks were
then enlarged to include Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, head of
England's Roman Catholics.
A Vatican statement made no reference to the issue of possible
conversion of Blair who is Anglican. Blair's wife, Cherie, and their
four children are Catholics.
Cherie accompanied Blair to the Vatican and was introduced to the Pope
with the British delegation at the end of the private talks. She wore a
black dress and a black veil.
Pope and Blair discussed the international situation, Europe and the
Middle East, the statement said. The Vatican welcomed Blair's intention
to work for Middle East peace and inter-religious dialogue after he
steps down on Wednesday.
In an interview with the Times Magazine on Saturday, Blair indicated his
conversion may not be just around the corner.
Asked if he would convert, Blair said: "I don't want to talk about it.
It's difficult with some of these things. Things aren't always as
resolved as they might be."
The Blairs gave the Pope a frame containing three period photographs of
Newman, who died in 1890. One was signed.
Newman converted in 1845 and was later made a cardinal of the Roman
Catholic Church. In 1991 he was declared "venerable", putting him on
the road to Roman Catholic sainthood.
The Guardian newspaper cited informed sources on Friday as saying Blair
had been prepared for conversion by a Royal Air Force chaplain who had
said private mass for his family for the last four years.
Blair is believed to have taken communion from the late Pope John Paul
during a visit to the Vatican in 2003, although the Vatican has never
confirmed this.
After the Pope welcomed Blair into the study, the prime minister told
him he had just flown in from the European summit in Brussels where
European Union leaders clinched agreement on a mandate to overhaul the
27-nation bloc.
"I heard it was very successful," the Pope told Blair.
"Yes, but it was a very long night. We finished up at 5:30 in the
morning," Blair said.
================================================================
NY Transfer News Collective A Service of Blythe Systems
Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us
Search Archives: http://olm.blythe-systems.com/htdig/search.html
List Archives: http://olm.blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/
Subscribe: http://olm.blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr
================================================================
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