Pope Benedict XVI begins a state visit to the United Kingdom tomorrow.
The coverage in the media has so far been nasty, vicious and misleading - misleading because although a percentage of Roman Catholic priests have committed terrible crimes against children, that percentage is more or less the same as any other occupational group in society (including no doubt journalists, and including all the attendant denials and cover-ups) and yet the media is choosing to portray this as some kind of "Roman Catholic crime".
Other groups (the humanists, the feminists, Peter Tatchell etc) have been rushing in to abuse the Pope, including a highly partisan and distasteful Thought For The Day on Radio 4 this morning.
When you think of all the genuinely criminal heads of state who have been paraded through London over the years this onslaught on the leader of a major religion is appalling.
For the first time in my life I feel ashamed of my own country.
Above: during the Pope's visit he will canonise Cardinal Newman (1801-1890). I am not a Roman Catholic, but I regard the creation of an English saint as a great honour. I don't understand why this is not being reported properly.
Correction - have just learned on Newsnight that Cardinal Newman is being beatified not canonised.
Above: Cardinal Newman also wrote poetry, and I am intrigued by the elevation to sainthood of a major poet. Very seldom are poets honoured by any institution (whether religious, political or social). If you take all the articles written by all the journalists who have covered the papal visit, the combined total of their efforts will have less value than Newman's Dream of Gerontius.
Above: I am not a Roman Catholic, and have no intention of becoming a Roman Catholic, but I have to say that every time I have been in a Roman Catholic church I have felt at home.
The Pope's visit has affected me in ways I did not expect. I seems as if in the maelstrom of invective that is swirling around we are being forced to take sides. And I have to assert that if this is the case then I am on the side of the Roman Catholics.
Public professions of faith are difficult.
Personally I find the loud militant "witnessing" of evangelicals embarrassing (and perhaps some of those individuals should be reminded that there is a sin of spiritual pride).
All I can say is that if God has ever spoken to you, however quietly, it will be unmistakable and unforgettable.
