Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Journey to the UK: September 19, 2010

This is an ongoing roundup of news, commentary and articles. It will be continuously updated throughout the day as content is made available.

What Happened Today?

London

• 08:00 - Farewell to the Apostolic Nunciature in Wimbledon (London Borough of Merton)
• 08:45 - Departure by helicopter from Wimbledon Park (London Borough of Merton) for Birmingham

Birmingham

• 09:30 - Arrival at the heliport near Cofton Park of Rednal
• 10:00 - Mass with the Beatification of Venerable Cardinal John Henry Newman at Cofton Park of Rednal | Video
  • Homily of the Holy Father
  • Recitation of the Angelus Domini
  • Words of the Holy Father
• 13:10 - Private Visit to the Oratory of St Philip Neri, Edgbaston
• 13:45 - Lunch with the Bishops of England, Scotland and Wales and the Papal Entourage at the Francis Martin House in Oscott College
• 16:45 - Meeting with the Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland in the Chapel of the Francis Martin House, Oscott College: Address of the Holy Father
• 18:15 - Farewell Ceremony at the International Airport of Birmingham Address of the Holy Father
• 18:45 - Departure from the International Airport of Birmingham for Roma | Video
• 22:30 - Arrival at Ciampino Airport

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he conducts a Mass to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman in Cofton Park, in Birmingham. Source: Getty Images

Addresses of the Holy Father (and Others)

• Mass with the Beatification of Venerable Cardinal John Henry Newman at Cofton Park of Rednal (Birmingham, 19 September 2010)
• Recitation of the Angelus Domini (Birmingham, 19 September 2010)
• Meeting with the Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland in the Chapel of the Francis Martin House, Oscott College (Birmingham, 19 September 2010)
• Farewell Ceremony (International Airport of Birmingham, 19 September 2010)

Pope Benedict XVI leads a beatification Mass for Cardinal John Henry Newman at Cofton Park in Birmingham September 19, 2010. Source: Reuters

Coverage of the Day's Events

• Father Richard Duffield, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory, said the Pope had also given a blessing to the Oratory's cat (BBC News)
• Photo Gallery: Pope's UK visit culminates in beatification of Cardinal Newman Pilgrims braved the early morning rain to join Benedict XVI at a beatification mass for the Victorian poet-priest Cardinal John Henry Newman, the first such ceremony on British soil. (The Guardian)
• Pope pays tribute to Britons who resisted nazism Benedict XVI lauds courage of Britons at Birmingham beatification ceremony for Cardinal Newman. (The Guardian)
• Pontiff Marks Anniversary of Battle of Britain, Calls Nazis a Force of an "Evil Ideology" (Zenit)
• UK Jubilant Over Cardinal Newman's Beatification Edward Pentin (Zenit):

  A rainbow appeared over Cofton Park as Pope Benedict arrived this morning for the beatification Mass of Cardinal John Henry Newman ...

  This was a particularly special beatification Mass: not only was it the only such Mass celebrated by Benedict XVI, but it was also the first beatification of an Englishman for centuries.

• Pope Benedict beatifies Cardinal Newman (Catholic Herald)
• Benedict finds unlikely ally in British PM by John Allen Jr. (National Catholic Reporter): "All indications are that the message Benedict XVI came to the U.K. to deliver has been music in the ears of the Cameron government."
• Hijacking or setting him free, Benedict loves Newman, by John Allen Jr. (National Catholic Reporter)
• 'Pope Benedict we love you': message from the faithful at Cofton Park Service for Victorian cleric in front of 50,000 at windswept park in Birmingham. (The Guardian)
• Benedict XVI took leave of the United Kingdom today, entrusting before he left two particular tasks to the bishops of England, Scotland and Wales (Zenit):

  After thanking the bishops for their work in reviewing and approving the texts, he urged the prelates to "seize the opportunity that the new translation offers for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration."

  Citing Sacramentum Caritatis, the Holy Father said, "The more lively the Eucharistic faith of the people of God, the deeper is its sharing in ecclesial life in steadfast commitment to the mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples."

  [...]

  "The other matter," Benedict XVI continued, is a request to "be generous in implementing the apostolic constitution 'Anglicanorum Coetibus.'"

  That November 2009 document provides for Anglicans to come in groups into full communion with Rome.

• Pope Benedict XVI stopped to give a police dog an unexpected pat while thanking some of the 2,000 members of the West Midlands Police who had helped to protect him during his visit (Catholic Herald)
• Pope visit: Benedict XVI says goodbye to Britain Britain's historic papal visit has come to an end as Benedict XVI gave his final wave from the steps of his aeroplane. (Telegraph)
• David Cameron has told Pope Benedict XVI in a powerful farewell speech that his visit had made Britain “sit up and think” (Catholic Herald)
• Benedict XVI Bids Farewell to Queen Elizabeth II (Zenit):

  To the queen, he sent a telegram, stating, "As I leave the United Kingdom at the conclusion of my apostolic visit, I renew my deep gratitude to your majesty for the gracious welcome and the many kindnesses which you, your government and the British people extended to me during my stay."

  The Holy Father continued, "I ask Almighty God to guide the nation in accordance with his will and to confirm it always in the ways of freedom, justice and peace."

  He concluded, "Upon all I cordially invoke the Lord's abundant blessings."

• Benedict in Britain: personal triumph for the Pope, humiliation for secular fanatics Damien Thompson (Telegraph):

  ... the papal visit has killed the myth of the “Nazi Pope” outside a tiny circle of professional Pope-baiters who from now on may find themselves marginalised even in secular liberal circles.

• Vatican declares Pope's visit to Britain a success (Associated Press)
• Pope leaves UK charmed and challenged, by Austen Ivereigh. (America)

Pope Benedict XVI is surrounded by Bishops as they pose for a photograph at Oscott College seminary in Birmingham, central England September 19, 2010. Source: Reuters

Blogging the Papal Visit

• Papal Visit 2010 live blog: Birmingham (Catholic Herald)
• Pope visits UK: Day Four Pope Benedict XVI will carry out the beatification of John Henry Newman at a special Mass in Birmingham on the final day of his visit to Britain. (Telegraph)
• Pope visits Britain: Cardinal Newman's beatification live (The Guardian)
• 17th Sunday after Pentecost (1962MR): tonic for anti-Papal protesters - Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (What Does The Prayer Really Say?)

Pope Benedict XVI speaks with Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (L) before boarding his plane at Birmingham airport September 19, 2010.. Source: Reuters

Additional Articles of the Day

• Students from the country's only independent Catholic school for boys have starring roles in the Pope's beatification mass (The Reading Chronicle)
• "Master and Commander" - Wheat & Weeds unpacks some fundamental points of Benedict's many addresses to the English people:

  There's a recurring line in Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey-Maturin series, in which Capt. Aubrey explains his military strategy, which he claims to have gotten from Lord Nelson. "Go straight at 'em."

  That is what I adore about Benedict's preaching. He is of course gentle and respectful, but he zeros in like a laser on the heart of the matter --because if we're not going to talk about what matters, why waste our time?

• The Pope and Protester Personality Fr. Dwight Longenecker (Standing on My Head)
• One Protester The Pope Would Have Liked Greg Burke (Fox News)
• Vatican 'confident' about future canonization of Newman Speaking to journalists less than an hour after Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman's beatification, Vatican spokesman Fr. Lombardi expressed confidence in his being canonized. There is a "concrete possibility," also, that he will be made a "doctor of the Church." (Catholic News Agency)
• Beatification of Newman and His Submission to the Infallible Church - Fr. Jeffrey Steele (de cura animarum) responds to the liberal spin that, were Newman alive today, he would have been at odds with the present Pope.
• The inside story of Pope Benedict XVI's visit Only a handful of journalists flew with the Pope to Britain and travelled around the country with his touring party. Jonathan Wynne Jones, The Sunday Telegraph's Religious Affairs Correspondent, was one of them.
• "In terms of his primary objectives -- preaching the Gospel to his flock and defending the influence of religion in society -- Pope Benedict XVI can look at his four-day visit to Great Britain as a major success" John Thavis (Catholic News Service)
• The Church is enjoying a “Benedict bounce” following the Pope’s visit, Cardinal Keith O’Brien has said (Catholic Herald)