Cameron offers ‘warm welcome’ to Pope Benedict
The first state visit by a Pope to Britain, starting tomorrow, will take in trips to Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Birmingham, and includes a meeting with Cameron on Saturday.
In a video message on the 10 Downing Street website, Cameron described the papal visit as “a great honour for our country”.
Amid continuing controversy over child abuse cases within the Roman Catholic Church, the PM acknowledged that many Britons may disagree with the Pope on particularissues, but he insisted that all should recognise that Benedict’s message raises important issues aboutsociety.
The leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols yesterday said 1,000 coaches with pilgrims would attend the beatification ceremony for Cardinal John Henry Newman to be carried out by the Pope in Cofton Park, Birmingham, on Sunday.
The event will bring the 19th century clergyman one step closer to becoming England’s first non-martyred saint since before the Reformation.
Archbishop Nichols said 54,000 to 55,000 people — who have been asked to pay £25 towards travel costs and security — were expected at the ceremony.
There is also likely to be a lower than expected turnout of Catholics for an open-air Mass with the Pope in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow on Thursday.
The Hyde Park prayer vigil to be held in London on Saturday is said to be near capacity, with 80,000 pilgrims expected.
