Welcome to Rome, Tony Blair

December 23, 2007Mark Noonan

Former British prime minister Tony Blair has converted to Catholicism.

Blair’s official spokesperson told the British Broadcasting Corporation that the former leader converted to Catholicism on Friday night, adding that it was a private matter.

Blair was received into full communion with the Catholic Church by Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor during Mass in the chapel at Archbishop’s House in Westminster.

“I am very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church,” the cardinal said.

“For a long time he has been a regular worshipper at Mass with his family and in recent months he has been following a programme of formation to prepare for his reception into full communion.

“My prayers are with him, his wife and family at this joyful moment in their journey of faith together.”

There is some criticism – understandable, if not really justified – from Catholics over this; Blair, as Prime Minister, was instrumental in advancing the Culture of Death in Britain. Of course, conversion isn’t just an instant thing – there does come a moment when a person realises what they are called to do, but the process of conversion does actually take some time, and sometimes a very long time. I’m not going to critique Blair over positions he held prior to becoming Catholic – if for no other reason than I don’t want to have an avalanche of criticism directed at me for what I did while I strayed away from the Church (he who is without sin, ya know?). As a Catholic, I merely welcome my brother into the faith.

sleepygene December 23, 2007 / 9:58 am

two words. Who Cares?
Canuckguy December 23, 2007 / 12:09 pm

As stated. it’s a private matter. It’s not like he is going to start bombing abortion clinics. However he might take up bingo.

To be more polite than Sleeplessgene, I would say:
“Nothing to be concerned about”
Mark Noonan December 23, 2007 / 12:14 pm

Gene,

People who aren’t rude and nasty and hate-filled care.
Rana Quijotesca December 23, 2007 / 1:26 pm

Mark-

Is apathy towards someone’s religious beliefs indicative of hate? Hell, I don’t care, but its not because I hate Catholics or Tony Blair… it’s because it has no bearing on my life…
sleepygene December 23, 2007 / 1:36 pm

Mark-

I am a catholic and I don’t care. I have no hate for Tony Blair. It just seems like a nothing story.
Diana Powe December 23, 2007 / 2:02 pm

Blair, as Prime Minister, was instrumental in advancing the Culture of Death in Britain.

Ahh, yes. The “Culture of Death” label kitted out to be hung around the neck of your political enemies. So, how’s that oft-wished for bombing campaign of Iran coming? I wonder what the late Pope John Paul II would have to say about that? Got any ideas? Something like this, perhaps:

In an annual “state of the world” address Jan. 13, the pope said the future of humanity depends partly on the earth’s peoples and their leaders having the courage to say “no to war.”

“War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity,” he said.

“And what are we to say of the threat of a war which could strike the people of Iraq, the land of the prophets, a people already sorely tried by more than 12 years of embargo?” he said.

“War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations,” he said.
Source: http://www.americancatholic.org/News/JustWar/Iraq/papalstatement.asp

And…

In recent weeks, a growing chorus of Vatican officials has warned against resolving the Iraqi disarmament problem through war, pointedly rejecting the notion of a “preventative war” in the case of Iraq, which the United States suspects of harboring weapons of mass destruction.

Darn that meddling Vicar of Christ. What does he know about being a manly man, ready to bomb and invade those nations you think might be a threat to you? Or as he is conveniently dead now, can he be safely ignored by Roman Catholics like yourself?
Diana Powe December 23, 2007 / 2:23 pm

In addition, Mark, how does that whole “Culture of Death” label work with apparently being a pro-life/pro-choice abortion opponent as yourself? You’ve made your opposition to abortion very clear and I absolutely believe you. However, you’ve seemed quite reticent about your seeming willingness to morally compromise over the “murder of unborn children” by not supporting prosecuting the mothers and all other accessories to the abortion for the crime of murder, as would be called for in a genuine and uncompromised “Culture of Life” position. It’s simple, are they babies with the full right to life of a born person or not? If they are, it’s murder and murder is a crime in every state in the United States of America right now.
NeoClown December 23, 2007 / 5:27 pm

Now that Blair has converted what will become of Barney, and Miss Beazley? Will they convert as well? I didn’t know Catholics permitted that type of thing. How progressive of them.
JPL December 23, 2007 / 9:54 pm

Diana Powe, you ask a lot of questions, how about if you answer one? Regardless of what Mark or you or anyone else thinks about prosecuting mothers who abort their children, can we at least agree that every abortion, without exception, results in a “death”? Yes or no?
Diana Powe December 24, 2007 / 12:00 pm

JPL,

I do agree that an abortion causes a death.
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