GEORGE PITCHER, THE POPE, CONDOMS AND THE MIDDLE EAST.
Mr Pitcher, in the Telegraph today, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/georgepitcher/5304596/The-Pope-brings-the-Truth-to-the-Middle-East---not-a-peace-plan.html, lauds the Pope as the bringer of Catholic Truth. His task 'to remind the faithful of the will of God to which humankind should aspire'.
In Africa that meant saying that condoms were not the answer to the blight of aids. Re the Middle East that involved rehabilitating Bishop Williamson and his enthusiasm for the beatification of Pius XII, known in some Jewish quarter's as "Hitler's Pope". Thankfully the Pope has moved his position now on some of these areas.
Mr Pitcher takes a swipe at Tony Blair who he carps has made a negligible mark as a Middle East envoy and Cherie Blair who raised the plight of women with the Pontiff. These are just 'heel snappers' in contrast the Pope who 'walks the Holy Lands as part of a far greater and timeless apostolic mission.'
I'm not convinced.
Tony Blair has incarnated himself in the Middle East into much of the painstaking nitty gritty and tiresome diplomatic work from which peace can be the fruit. Cherie Blair used her access to the Pope to remind him of Christ's championing of women's rights and the condom distributors in Africa are perhaps offering the true sacrament of the Body of Christ in seeking to protect life and live in the truth.
In Africa that meant saying that condoms were not the answer to the blight of aids. Re the Middle East that involved rehabilitating Bishop Williamson and his enthusiasm for the beatification of Pius XII, known in some Jewish quarter's as "Hitler's Pope". Thankfully the Pope has moved his position now on some of these areas.
Mr Pitcher takes a swipe at Tony Blair who he carps has made a negligible mark as a Middle East envoy and Cherie Blair who raised the plight of women with the Pontiff. These are just 'heel snappers' in contrast the Pope who 'walks the Holy Lands as part of a far greater and timeless apostolic mission.'
I'm not convinced.
Tony Blair has incarnated himself in the Middle East into much of the painstaking nitty gritty and tiresome diplomatic work from which peace can be the fruit. Cherie Blair used her access to the Pope to remind him of Christ's championing of women's rights and the condom distributors in Africa are perhaps offering the true sacrament of the Body of Christ in seeking to protect life and live in the truth.
posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 12:50 AM
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