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Tony Blair will declare himself a Roman Catholic on leaving Downing Street, according to a priest close to him.
Father Michael Seed, who is known for bringing high-profile politicians and aristocrats into the Catholic fold and who says Mass for the Blairs in Downing Street each week when they are in London, made the prediction to friends at a recent memorial service.
Last night, when contacted by The Times, he did not deny his comments, but said he did not know if Mr Blair would ever be received “formally” into the Roman Catholic Church.
To do so he would have to take part in a ceremony called the rite of Christian initiation for adults, followed by confirmation and taking the sacrament of Holy Communion.
Father Seed said: “He’s been going to Mass every Sunday. He goes on his own when he is abroad, not just when he is with his wife and children.”
Another church source said that many of the early saints and martyrs were not baptised. Such people were held to have had a “baptism of desire”.
He said that Mr Blair was a Catholic by desire and that this did not necessitate a formal conversion. “He is an ecumenical Catholic,” said the source. “He is a liberal Catholic. In terms of his private life, he is a Roman Catholic.”
Although technically an Anglican, Mr Blair only “darkened the door” of Anglican churches on state and other formal occasions, he added.
Downing Street would not comment on the suggestion that Mr Blair would declare himself a Catholic. A spokesman said: “This story is always circulating in one form or another. The PM remains a member of the Church of England.”
Mr Blair has always been reluctant to discuss his religious beliefs. Alastair Camp-bell, the former Downing Street communications chief, famously told one interviewer: “We don’t do God.” The Prime Minister has also indicated in the past that he attended Mass so that his family, all Catholics, could worship together.
To receive Mr Blair into the fold would be a triumph for the Roman Catholic Church, which has in the past two decades in particular regained its confidence, recovering from centuries of persecution that followed the Reformation.
Mr Blair has been criticised for receiving Communion at Catholic Mass. Cardinal Basil Hume, the late Archbishop of Westminster, wrote to him in 1996 demanding that he should cease taking Communion at his wife’s church in Islington, although he added that it was “all right to do so when in Tuscany for the holidays . . . as there was no Anglican church near by”.
Mr Blair made it clear that he did not agree with Cardinal Hume’s opinion, writing in a pointed letter to him: “I wonder what Jesus would have made of it.”
Writing in The Tablet, the Catholic weekly, Father Seed described how the Prime Minister had regarded his time in office as akin to a “vocation”.
He first made contact with Mr Blair when the family moved into No 10, and strengthened their links with The Passage, Britain’s largest homelessness centre, attached to Westminster Cathedral. Mr Blair launched the Government’s policy on homelessness there in 1998. Father Seed says that being prime minister is both a cross and a privilege.
Catholic rites
If Father Seed, above, is correct, Tony Blair would have to receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion to be received formally
Adults who have been baptised into another Church are formally taught about Catholic beliefs and then profess Catholic faith
A Catholic friend would “sponsor” them through this
The formal ceremony, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, is immediately followed by confirmation and then Holy Communion
For a non-Christian, this process would take two years. For a baptised Anglican who has regularly attended Mass for years it would take a year or less
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Uh-oh, it's been high-jacked by the Islamist cause i think. It is not the same god as the Judeo-Christian God if the Koran paints a very differnet picture of the history and expressions of these two groups- and it does, it even attempts to re-write excerpts of both the old and new testaments, put the new renderings forward as "truth" and blame supposed editing and re-editing of the testaments (except ,of course, the bits that can be twisted into vague arguments for the coming of Islam). Oh and on the Ka'ba, the writings of Muhammed 's companions DO tell us that he kissed the black stone because the pagan Arabs before him also did it. But he didn't know why he himself did it. The story about it being built by Abraham and Ismail in the Koran (Even though Ismail was 'cast out' according to the millenia-earlier Genesis) was never heard of until it was reported by Muhammed.
Ricky, Birmingham, UK
Who here is surprised?
The Anglican church is a poor excuse for Protestantism so it won't be much of a transition for him to slide on into the Roman fold; and according to the article he's been getting plenty of practice.
Take notice everyone that this globalist , multiculturalist, and all-around traitor to Britain is also connected with the Roman Catholic Church. Ask yourselves why Mr. European Union fits so nicely into this church and what this church is supporting now.
Remember recent headlines - Roman Catholic leaders push for 'Strangers into Citizens' movement.
In my land we have Romanists supporting destroying the border, and I might add turning America into a Roman Catholic, New Mexico. How any patriot can feel like these people forgive their sins or have their interests at heart is beyond me. They're the adversity - whether you admit it or not to both America and Britain.
J Barnhill, W. Palm Beach, USA
Tony Blair did not listen to neither neither to Archbishop of Canterbury nor to Late Pope who both refused him not to go to war in Iraq. Makes me wonder is he a true Christian?
A G Merchant, Moshi, Tanzania
A person here claimed that Henry VIII built the C of E "around his own doctrine"! For the record - Henry the VIII with his henchman Thomas More had Protestants burned at the stake (he hunted William Tyndale for this reason but Brussels Roman Catholics got him first) and it was poetic justice that More ended up falling victim to the tyrant he so willingly murdered for when he wouldn't agree to his divorce. It is shameful that people in the English-speaking world today are so ignorant of their religious heritage. But then we only have to look at the moral condition that is the pitiful result of the globalist consumer multicult for the other side of the coin. This is the result of a sustained attack from enemies within and without upon historical English non-conformist Protestantism that only survives strongly today in the former colonies like America - and not as strong as it should be there either. But it is a sign of the times, may God turn the hearts of his people to the fathers.
E Moyne, England,
It would have been really awkward for Tony Blair to become a Roman Catholic while still Prime minister, as he pushed through so many rights for the homosexuals, and what about the abortion laws, which the Catholic Church are totally against. It is very sad that the Anglican church has got itself into such a state that many seem to think the only answer is to convert to Roman Catholicism, however this is only jumping from the frying pan into the fire, their doctrines have not changed since Martin Luther started the Reformation. A simple non-conformist evangelical faith is for me, with no pomp and show,no rituals, totally bible based and relying wholly on the work of the Holy Spirit to enter our lives and make us Christians. So many religions point to the 'broad way', but Christ alone is 'The way', 'The truth' and 'The life', and is The narrow way', which we are told to find. We don't need popes and priests, just a simple trust in a Saviour. who is our prophet, priest and King.
M. Elward, Bridgend, Glam
Regarding Margaret, Glenrothes comment: Bedouins worshipped at the 'holy' Ka'abah in Mecca. Muhammad gained control and with an army of 10,000 men threw out all their gods - except the moon god. Muhammad declared Allah to be the only true God and himself as Allah's prophet.
From where do you get your mischievous and designed to mislead 'facts' from? All the texts I have read state that the only icon not thrown out by Muhammad was that of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, out of respect. The Quran explicitly states that Allah is the same god as that of of Jesus, Abraham, Moses and all the other prophets of Islam. To believe that Jesus is God is where Muslims differ. In that sense Muslims and Jews are closer in their beliefs.
Safia, Vancouver, Canada
When Tony Blair will be officially received in the Catholic Church, which is one and indivisible, and is not the case of the Anglican Church, which represent only a schism promoted by King Henry VIII, his daughter Elizabeth I, Cromwell and others, with ages of persecutions and martyrdom of those who were loyal to Saint Peters successor, like Saint Thomas More, Saint John Fisher and many others. But he will not be the first one of coming back to the flock of the Church. Many Brits did the same before him, in spite of all the perils. In recent times, some Anglican Bishops and the Duchess of Kent converted to the Church, I hope that other members of the Royal family will take the same steps. Last but not least, once and for all the Parliament must abolish the Settlement Act, which forbids Royals to marry Catholics, but not an Atheist Marxist, or a Muslim, Jew or anyone else. This is an anachronism and violates International Human Law especially when Catholicism is expanding in Britain.
wetzvonken, Buenos Aires, Argentina
This is a profound spiritual move for Prime Minister Blair. If this descision is indeed true, he will get mixed emotions --- I applaud his bravery. My wife and I live in the Southern Bible Belt of Alabama USA and after 31 years of being protestant, we became Catholic 3 years ago. It was a profound spiritual descison met with great resistance. Our conversion story was splashed on the front page of every Alabama newspaper because of my professional public policy profile in the state.
I am not a theologian but the Church of Engalnd was founded by King Henry VIII when the pope would not bless his marriage after divorcing his wife. So he created his own church around his own doctrine. This was the begining of the Episcapol Church as well who today is struggling with the defintion of marriage. The teachings and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church have been preserved for the past 2000 plus years --- proven tried and tested. Welcome Home Tony!
John Giles, Montgomery, Alabama USA
"To receive Mr Blair into the fold would be a triumph for the Roman Catholic Church" - but would they really want him, given his record on Iraq, abortion, embryo experiments, civil partnerships etc - I think not!!
Alice, Manchester,
The first sacrament that Mr Blair would receive is the Sacrament of Reconciliation (commonly called "Confession"). This requires one to repent of one's past sins and endeavour not to sin again. It is not hypocritical to receive this sacrament. Rather, it is a recognition of past sin and an expression, before the priest and before God, of determination not to sin again. But the Church is clear that the sacrament is not valid if the penitent is not sincere and intends to return to the sinful behaviour being confessed. So, for example, it would be pointless for someone "living in sin" to go to confession, until they had ceased that mode of life.
As no-one except God is perfect, no-one can expect to need to receve this sacrament only once. We are all weak and open to temptation at every turn.
I wish Mr Blair every joy in the Catholic Church. I moved from the C of E in 1991 and my only regret is that I did not do so years earlier.
Michael Peter Berwick Sayers, Croydon, Surrey, UK
To Margaret regarding Muslims worshipping a different god than Christians and Jews: Nothing can be farther than the truth. If Islam worships a different God, i.e. Allah is different than whom the Jews call Yahweh, and Christians simply call "God" or "The Lord", then why does Islam recognise all prophets sent by Allah (or God, if you want), starting with Adam? Why does Islam recognise Abraham as a prophet of Allah and the father of Islam, Christianity and Judaism? Why does Allah put as one condition of Islamic faith, as mentioned in the Qur'an, the belief in all of Allah's revelations, including the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel (except for the belief that Jesus is the son of God), as well as the Qur'an? Why does the Qur'an mention many of the same events, i.e. the birth of Jesus as being a virgin birth, and Jesus being the son of Mary, as the Bible does? I think that Margaret and those who believe like she need to read the Qur'an before telling us what Muslims believe.
Isma'il, Roseburg, Oregon, USA
God is Love and requires all who come unto him to worship Jesus Christ in Spirit and in Truth, hence, the label is unimportant what matters is what is inside the tin, and God cannot be fooled into thinking we are something different from what we truly are.
If Tony Blair desires to worship God as a Catholic Christian then I am happy for him. In our predominantly secular culture does anyone really care whether or not one is Catholic or Protestant? It is only the elite of the Establishment who are getting in a lather about this.
Alan Boycott, Norwich, UK
I think it has less to do with this priest and more to do with his relationship with Sir Cliff Richards and his ex-priest 'friend' John McElynn. McElynn is a wily chap who has been able to move beyond his nyc arrogance and assimilate into UK culture and become the man behind more than one!
BC Eagle, Cambridge, United Kingdom
So long as he was not a Catholic he retained the right to nominate the Church of England's Bishops (a 19th century law understandably bars Catholics from advising the Queen on ecclesiastical appointments).
However,his enthusiastic acquiescence in all his children being taught to be Roman Catholics made clear his paper-thin commitment to Anglicanism,and his legislative agenda of punishing or prohibiting adherence to the Roman Catholic teachings on homosexuality make clear he would be no more loyal on the other side of the divide.
His true loyalty is to the Church of Blair.
Louis, Carmel,
Blair as a baptised Anglican would be received, not baptised or confirmed. He could certainly not receive Holy Communion legitimately as an Anglican in the Roman Catholic Church. I can see the attraction for him of the sacrament of reconciliation as we call it now, but no doubt he would put his own spin on what he was confessing. There is little more irritating to Catholic priests (I am reliably informed) than people who confess things and then go on to justify why they were really OK after all. I am astonished that your correspondent believes that receiving such a man would be a triumph for the Roman Catholic Church. There are enough accusations of hypocrisy levelled at the Church already without this extra burden.
Jess, Birmingham,
The word Catholic means universal;relating to all men;all-inclusive from Greek katholikos universal,from katholou in general.
John 14:6
Jesus answered,"I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.........
Accepting and following Jesus Christ and obeying Him and doing His will,it's not about which church or denomination you belong that really matters.Religion kills,God saves and it's about a personal relationship with our heavenly Father.
Cecilia, Alicante, España
Good for him. What does the Cof E have to offer. The invention of women priests, liberal theology no sound doctinal basis or authority. Do any of her bishops believe in God any more? The entire Church is obesessed about being inclusive and politically correct.
The ONLY place that has sound theology, disciplined litugical practices and a supreme head ordained and appointed by the Holy Spirit is the Roman Catholic Church.
M J Wray, South Shields, UK
Pope Benedict XVI, in his recent document Sacramentum Caritatis, states clearly: Worship pleasing to God can never be a purely private matter it demands a public witness to our faith. In other words, a Catholic politician is obliged to manifest the moral teaching of the Church in his or her political activities.
On a host of issues, most recently civil partnerships and the Sexual Orientation Regulations, Tony Blairs policies have run totally counter to the Churchs teaching.
One trusts that those giving the Prime Minister spiritual advice have emphasised that Catholic teaching on issues such as the inviolability of marriage between man and a woman and the preservation of human life at all its stages are not add-ons appended to ones faith. On the contrary: they are fundamental to it.
Tony Blair must surely assent to these teachings before he considers conversion.
Tony Thomas, London,
Mr. Greenwood the term "Roman Catholic" is anti-Catholic bigotry from England. Most countries refer to the Church as Catholic. The "Roman" epithet is demeaning and insulting when one knows where it comes from and I will have none of it.
Also check your historical facts sir, the Church of England is not a branch of the Church and its orders are mostly invalid and such are its sacraments (save baptism).
Skyhawk, Austin, TX, USA
A comment to the reader who said that Christians, Jews and Muslims all worship the same God, whether wecall him God, Jehovah or Allah. This is inaccurate. The Christian God and Jehovah are one and the same, but Allah is something entirely different.
Bedouins worshipped at the 'holy' Ka'abah in Mecca. Muhammad gained control and with an army of 10,000 men threw out all their gods - except the moon god.
Muhammad declared Allah to be the only true God and himself as Allah's prophet.
Margaret, Glenrothes,
I don't think the Catholic Church needs any amore hypocrites it has enough already.
judy, Liverpool, england
"although he added that it was all right to do so when in Tuscany for the holidays . . . as there was no Anglican church near by.
Not that I wish to gainsay a cardinal, but this is simply not true. If one is not both a Catholic and in a state of grace, then one cannot receive communion. The accessibility or otherwise of Anglican churches has nothing to do with it! Baptism by desire is merely a theory. No Catholic priest should give Mr Blair communion unless he actually formally becomes a Catholic.
Martin , Hereford, England
Tony Blair is already a Catholic. The Church of England is a branch of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, as anyone (including TB) who has recited the Nicene Creed will know. What he is about to do is become a Roman Catholic, a member of a church that rejects the witness of other Catholic churches. I am surprised that a religious correspondent of your eminence is so lazy as to use "Catholic" when she means "Roman Catholic".
David Greenwood, Guildford,
Presumably this move (if indeed it is a move) will allow him to finally confess his sins against humanity. I guess he'll then benefit from absolution and get straigtht through to heaven. Very cynical, even his religious beliefs seem to serve to protect him from justice.
Is his conscience pricking one wonders?
Amy Martin, Notts,
On looking in the bible and at what Jesus has said on the matter. It seems that all this nonsence about what church organisation you belong to is not the main issue. Jesus is God's son. He is also the creator and judge-in-waiting of our world, and that should be enough.
JN 3:5
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again
2CO 5: 17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ.'
And no one else
The Church has been guilty of mis-directing God's people. The Bible is God's book of communication. It is HIS book of Law.
Keith
Keith, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
It puzzles me that people like Blair & Bush can call themselves Christians .
Didn,t the man that the Christian faith was founded by preach that thou shalt not kill ,forgiveness & turn the other cheek.
Didn,t these two guys send men & women out to kill & be killed .
i,m not saying that i believe in this policie , but anyone who did surely couldnt give these orders .How hypocritical
Brian Lee, medina , USA OHIO
Does this mean he will not be eventually judged by the same God whom he consulted and got direction from, before the invasion of Iraq.?
We must demand an inquiry into Iraq and the tragic consequences.
Mother of 97th British soldier to die in Iraq
Pauline Hickey, Bradford,
Anglicans are catholic. They are not adherants to the Roman Catholic Church.
The continuing jealous guardianship of the differences by the Pope, the Archbishops of both churches, all the bishops and clergy, would have been abhorred by Jesus, who saw His role as a reformer.
All the Christian Churches, the Jews, the Muslims should all recognise that we all share one forgiving God. Allah, Jehovah, call Him what you will. Let's all sink the differences. Then, not only the Middle East, but the whole of the world might be more able to live in peace.
I would have no compunction in worshipping in any of these churches, if they'd have me.
Alan Sparke, St Rémy sur Lidoire, France
As delusional as he is, maybe he's hoping for a saint hood. St Tone, the patron saint of spin !
Mike, Alicante, Spain
Very wise. As a Catholic he'll be able to pop into a confessional and confess all his sins to the priest (It'll take only a week or so !), and receive absolution.
Mind you, part of the process is admitting your guilt, that will be difficult for him.
Ernesto Forchetto, Gijon, Spain
Who is Tony Blair? We were sold the young, hip Tony embracing cool Britannia but the reality was very different. If he had been candid with the electorate and revealed his preference for old world values and his dislike for the freedoms and liberties we have enjoyed since the 1960's would he have been so popular? When you look at the much of what has been forced upon us recently by government policy it is very catholic, we are made to feel guilty for enjoying ourselves and abstinance is the new mantra. Now he is finally leaving office we may get to see the real Tony Blair and it may be very revealing.
Mark, Southend on Sea,
You make a mistake in stating Blair would have to be baptised Catholics accept as a correct Baptism all that use water and the Trinitarian Rite` I Baptise you in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit`. As he would be received into the Church he would automatically receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Odd that a Religious correspondent would not know this basic Christian fact
A P Bourne, Castleford,