London, England, Mar 16, 2010 / 09:12 am
In a joint press conference on Tuesday, the U.K. Government and the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Scotland, England and Wales welcomed Pope Benedict's upcoming visit, calling it an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen ties between the country and the Holy See. The Sept. 16-19 papal visit, which is the first to take place in the U.K. since John Paul II's 1982 trip, was formally announced by Queen Elizabeth II on March 16.
The Pope's itinerary includes not only a formal reception by Her Majesty The Queen but also a trip to the West Midlands, where he will beatify the 19th century theologian and scholar Cardinal John Henry Newman.
Father Edoardo Cerrato, Procurator General of the Oratorian Confederation, welcomed the news of the Sept. 2010 beatification and wrote a letter to all Congregations of the Oratory.
“Newman belongs to those who seek the truth through the gift of human reason but illumined by the light of faith; and the Oratory of S. Philip, that counts Newman among its brothers, is profoundly aware of the great richness that, in Newman, has been given to her,” Fr. Cerrato said on Tuesday.