The Roman Catholic hierarchy has launched a PR campaign ahead of the Pope’s visit to Britain, amid fears that the public associates the Church with child abuse. A new booklet aims to explain the purpose and importance of the papal trip and the Church’s contributions to society for those who are only aware of “current controversies”.
The head of Catholics in England and Wales, The Most Rev Vincent Nichols, said that the four-day tour in September will be a “very significant moment” for the country particularly in straitened economic times.
The Archbishop of Westminster said: “People that I speak to recognise that as a society we are entering into a period, maybe a prolonged period, which is going to be difficult. In times of difficulty, we need all the inner resources that we can muster and the resource of religious faith is a crucially important one for giving society stability and generosity, especially in times of financial constraint.
“People recognise that and therefore they recognise the importance and sensitivity of the message of the Pope, who will wish to say that faith in God is not a problem but a gift to be received.”
Benedict XVI has been invited by the Queen for the first state papal visit to Britain since the Reformation, but the historic trip has faced a series of setbacks.
The Catholic Church worldwide has been beset by allegations of clerical sex abuse dating back decades, prompting high-profile calls for the pontiff to be arrested upon arrival. Meanwhile concerns have been raised about the cost of the visit to taxpayers and churchgoers, raising fears that some public events will have to be scaled back.
About 300,000 copies of the new 32-page booklet are being printed and distributed to journalists, civil servants and council officials as well as every parish, in an attempt to set out clearly what the trip will involve and what the Church stands for.
It states: “It is not easy to convey the richness of the tradition of Catholic thought, and Catholicism can easily become defined in the public mind in the light of one or two current controversies. This is the gap in public knowledge that this pamphlet aims to address.”
It explains the history of relations between the Vatican and the British monarchy – which had “painful consequences” after Henry VIII’s split from Rome – as well as Catholic social teaching on poverty and relations with other Christian denominations and different faiths.
The booklet addresses “the scandal of child abuse committed by clergy” but insists safeguarding has become a “permanent part of the life of the Catholic Church”.
It also explains the significance of Cardinal Newman, the Victorian convert to Rome who will be beatified by the Pope during his visit.
Cardinal Newman’s motto – Heart Speaks Unto Heart – has been adopted as the title for the papal visit.
A detailed itinerary is expected to be disclosed next month, after a Vatican delegation decides on the Pope’s exact movements, but Archbishop Nichols said the plan was still for the beatification Mass to take place at Coventry Airport.