Posted on 12/22/2007 5:07:27 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Tony Blair joins Catholic faith Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has converted to the Catholic faith.
His wife Cherie is a Catholic and there had been speculation that he would convert to Catholicism from his Anglican faith after leaving office.
Mr Blair's official spokesman confirmed he had converted on Friday night and said it was a private matter.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said he was "very glad" to welcome Mr Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, into the Catholic Church.
'Nutter' fear
One of Mr Blair's final official trips while prime minister was a visit to the Vatican in June where he who met Pope Benedict XVI.
Downing Street refused to comment on his conversion, saying it was a family matter.
Earlier this year, the former prime minister told the BBC that he had avoided talking about his religious views while in office for fear of being labelled "a nutter".
His ex-spokesman Alastair Campbell once told reporters "We don't do God," but has since said that his former boss "does do God in quite a big way".
Regular worshipper
Mr 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.
The cardinal said: "I am very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church.
"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."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Good for him!
Chalk one up for the true Church
Legitimate question.
Legitimate question.
It's what happens when government decides to do religion.
Grrr... papistry....
In all honesty, what is the difference between the Anglican faith and being Catholic? Besides listening to the Pope and all.
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/blairerc321.html
LONDON - 22 December 2007
Tony Blair becomes Catholic
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was received into full communion with the Catholic Church by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor. This took place during Mass in the chapel at Archbishop’s House, Westminster yesterday - it was announced this morning.
Mr Blair has been receiving doctrinal and spiritual preparation from Mgr Mark O’Toole, the Cardinal’s private secretary.
Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor commented: “I am very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church. 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.”
The Reception of baptised Christians into full communion with the Catholic Church is a liturgical rite by which a person who is already baptised is received into full communion with the Catholic Church. The rite normally takes place within the celebration of Mass.
A baptised Christian who wishes to become a Catholic receives doctrinal and spiritual preparation adapted to individual pastoral circumstances.
A pastoral discernment is made regarding the length of catechetical formation required for each individual candidate for reception.
The rite involves making a profession of faith.
It is part of the office of the diocesan Bishop to ensure that those to be received are properly formed and welcomed into the Catholic Church.
Before the profession of faith and reception the candidate should make a confession of sins. They are asked to inform the confessor that they are to be received into full communion.
At the reception a candidate should be accompanied by a sponsor.
WOW! Great news!
Popery or is it Pot-pourri?
“Chalk one up for the true Church”
Trying to start a fight on Saturday morning?
I don’t blame how. Its hard to see how anyone with real faith could belong to a Church that has (apparently) lost faith in itself.
Trying to start a fight on Saturday morning?
Qui? Moi?
On a doctrinal level, it is clear that the Church of England has willfully abandoned the Gospel and embraced modernism.
True Church?
Flame bait?
Flame bait?
I prefer Petrine to Pauline. It is the choice of the Guy at the top.
I am happy to know that Tony Blair takes his religious beliefs seriously.
Good thing a PM is neither! ;-)
One is elected, one is not.
Of course, mixing politics and religion is probably a bad thing all 'round!
The homosexual clergy in the Anglican church don't lie about it.
or such secular groups as Scout leaders, little league coaches, school teachers, etc, etc.
Have a blessed Christmas.
Well, a valid Apostolic succession, for one thing. Being part of the Church Christ founded, for another. And yes, Virginia, at one time I WAS Episcopalian.
I dunno, I can never keep up on my Catholic slurs. It seems as if there’s a new one every week. Or were you talking about the scented flowers my gf insists on sticking in my bathroom? It’s all so dang confusing, too much for my leetle brane.
Tony Blair..swims both the Tiber and the Tigris....not too shabby a legacy....
Pot-pourri or incense?
I never liked the anti-Catholic "Popery" or "Papist" thing.
"He's a rum dog. Don't he look fierce at any strange cove that laughs or sings when he's in company!" pursued the Dodger. "Won't he growl at all, when he hears a fiddle playing! And don't he hate other dogs as ain't of his breed! Oh, no!"
"He's an out-and-out Christian," said Charley.
This was merely intended as a tribute to the animal's abilities, but it was an appropriate remark in another sense, if Master Bates had only known it; for there are a good many ladies and gentlemen, claiming to be out-and-out Christians, between whom, and Mr. Sikes's dog, there exist strong and singular points of resemblance.
A good question.
The roots of Anglicanism are solidly Protestant. Christ left us his Church with authority for teaching all wisdom of God to His successors. The Anglican Church is one of hundreds that have severed themselves from the original Church founded by Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that over time, the Anglican Church has attempted to emulate the long standing Sacraments of the Catholic Church, but that is where any similarity ends.
The Catholic Church can solidly trace its origin to its founder, Jesus Christ. Its ability to teach and reveal the word of God is based upon the same authority placed with the Apostles. This Apostolic succession remains unbroken and intact after 2,000 years. The Priestly Order of the Catholic Church fulfills the one prophesied Priesthood promised by God to the world.
The Anglican Church can solidly trace its origin to King Henry who, in defiance, attempted to invent his own version of Catholicism over defiance regarding the Catholic Church’s refusal to grant him “serial annulments” due to his womanizing. As a result, Anglicanism, especially in the UK, can be as much of a nationalist affiliation as that of a faith.
The Anglican Church cannot and could never lay claim to the one true Priesthood. Anglican orders have never been accepted by the Catholic Church. By cutting themselves from the one true authority, liberal teachings set in with the Anglican Church now “ordaining” openly lesbian females, along with a number of other unbiblical teachings that stem from rejection of the Catholic Church’s teaching authority. It is no wonder that this Church, along with its Episcopalian spin-off, is in a state of chaos.
Regardless of the sinners who live in all faiths, it is not the human members and their behaviors that make them different, it is their proclaimed teachings of the faith.
Here is another pretty disturbing contrast.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/20/nwise120.xml
Bingo. This illustrates why the Archibishop of Canterbury is called a “primate”.

You have plenty of help and pray to the holy spirit that you continue to live the faith.

Of course you can't just participate in that greatest prayer which is the Mass...

Spend lots of time in prayer...

You must act as well...

Remember, all around the world, at every moment, your family has Mass. The Blessed, Holy Scriptures (with tabs of course) are to come apart at the seams from your late night studies (the scripture studies you as well, or forms you as you study), you must strive to give all of your self and your goods to whomever needs them (trust me, don't worry, it's replaced, never fails), you are to listen to all your brothers and sisters on this earth to learn more of the testimony of God's creation (the homeless, hungry, prisoners have much to teach on the kingdom of God, don't ever forget it, pride is the root of all sins). Most importantly, God's will be done, not yours. He is a most loving father with a great sense of humor. Keep an eye out for all things that attempt to break down the human condition... no matter how phrased, popular or finessed, pray constantly, also pray your office, we know who despises those made in his image. Remember you are in the world, not of it.
As our lady always tells us... pray, pray, pray.

Lastly remember, somewhere someone's walking miles to get to a Mass far away, someone's getting arrested for a bible study in some country, somone's being flogged for saying a Mass or killed for teaching communist children in a school, churches are being burned, parishioners shot somewhere, somewhere there's someone who needs someone to pray for them before they sneak out communion to someone.
The blood of the martyrs, is the seed of the Church. Whether Africa, Saudi Arabia, China, whereever... or the dry, white martyrdom of those in the West as society slanders and attempts to crucify Christ anew constantly... and they watch their Catholic leaders obstinate in the throwing off of their faith. Communicate, pray, study daily. The world needs it, and they know it. May you have the example of Christ and the lesser examples of Sts. Thomas More, Becket and Fisher to help you. May you have the scholarship of John Henry Newmann and Manning. Will have you included in Christmas masses and pray for you.
Are Catholics allowed to be Socialist? I’ve read that Cherie considers herself one.
Is there such a thing? What with the UK Anglican leader this week calling the Nativity a myth.
Wow, you clicked on this thread just to say that... thanks, I like a long prayer list and an opportunity to exercise my patience.
That’s an interesting point. What exactly is it that he’s converted to here?
That picture is so stolen.
You’re right... do you think Henry ever figured that out?
I'm a Catholic Freeper, and that was the kind of thing I myself would be tempted to post here on a thread like this!
Jim, I love you regardless. Have a blessed Christmas.
Well, there is a permanent pot-pouri presence in my bathroom, incense is just for special occasions (after burrito night).
Saying Papist is like saying wop, or pollack. They all lost meaning in 1947. Nothing more than a joke these days.
Does anyone here have some insight into this?
No doubt the Archibishop of Canterbury, having done his utmost to gut the Anglican doctrine with his every recent speech, has helped Mr. Blair decide his personal path.
Correction: The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church. 22 distinct Churches sui juris comprise the Catholic Church.
“Are Catholics allowed to be Socialist? Ive read that Cherie considers herself one.”
There are some very, very left leaning Catholics who are well within the fold. Conversely, there are some very, very right leaning Catholics who are devout Catholics as well. The religious doctrine transcends politics.
Tony Blair swam the Tiber.
Some people loathe the truth.
First off, sorry to hijack the thread.
Hey CJ, I have to dig up this story re: why no Islamic female names at all in the UK and that they actually questioned (I didn’t see health stats or proof), whether female children are aborted. I never thought about it that way. Also in it, Amsterdam and Brussels with it as the top name... that I hadn’t heard, I have to verify later today.
Here’s an article with the list graphic:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23428641-details/Mohammed+now+second+most+popular+boys’+name+in+Britain/article.do
Oh, and the children have much learning to do:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=503195&in_page_id=1770
Yep, wonderful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqHUdwePfbM&eurl=http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/
Here’s the article re: Brussels, Amsterdam:
For the past five years Mohammed has been the most popular name given to new-born boys in Brussels, the capital of Europe and Belgium. The same applies to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, and to major cities like Rotterdam and Antwerp.
In Antwerp, the largest city in Flanders, 29.3 % of the population is not of Flemish origin. This proportion is predicted to rise to 35 % by 2007 and to 40 % by 2012...
Like Brussels, Antwerp has an abundance of mosques, many of them strongholds of islamic fundamentalism. Many Flemish Christians and Jews feel threatened by the growing muslim presence in their home town, and many feel alienated in their own neighbourhoods.
Adding insult to injury, the Antwerp town council has recently decided to transform the oldest public swimming pool of the city into a hammam...
http://www.flemishrepublic.org/current_issue.php?id=12
Will mail you the article pondering islamic female abortion when I find it.
So I respectfully request that Christian brothers and sisters stop doing the devil’s work by separating amongest ourselves even more... but get together and pray.
Looks like he too got tired of the AoC’s idiotic remarks.
Excellent answer.
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