London, England, Sep 24, 2010 / 03:03 am
According to the primate of English and Welsh Catholics, the Holy Father set a "new agenda" for the faithful in Britain. A single message united all of the Pope's teachings during the trip, he said, that of the importance of faith in modern societies.
Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, the president of English and Welsh bishops, wrote his reflections on Benedict XVI's Apostolic Visit to the U.K. into an article published in Friday's edition of L'Osservatore Romano.
The four day visit, he noted, "was an extraordinary success. The Pope was received everywhere with warmth, enthusiasm and joy." Hundreds of thousands of people were able to see him and opinions contrary to the visit turned out to be "few and isolated," wrote the archbishop.
Describing the smiles, joy, respect and enthusiasm he witnessed from the people at the Pope's presence in Scotland and England, Archbishop Nichols stated that the visit "really enriched our countries."