Generation Benedict

40 days, 40 reflections, 40 young people on how Pope Benedict has touched their hearts & why they are proud to be part of #GenerationBenedict

Pope Benedict has been responsible for the conversion, reversion, vocation and the deepening of faith of many young Catholics. At the time of his visit to the UK, many Catholics were luke-warm, even living their lives completely at odds to the Church. During this visit, and also World Youth Days in Cologne, Sydney and Madrid, he has connected with them through his eloquence, his love and genuine concern. Who is God calling you to be?

Pope Benedict will be truly missed by our generation. Those who have met him look upon him fondly as a gentle grandfatherly figure, as he has pointed us towards Christ, at a point in time when many of us were at a crossroads, telling us not to settle for second best, but to strive for sainthood.

Over the next 40 days of Lent, 40 young people from Generation Benedict will each be sharing how he has touched their hearts and changed their lives and changed their hearts.

Please visit our Lenten blog, our tribute to Pope Benedict. We invite you to comment and share your own experiences on the blog and on Twitter using #generationbenedict

Benedict on the Beeb

This morning on BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the day (part of the Today programme), Pope Benedict recalled with “great fondness” his visit in September to Great Britain. It was the first time a Pope has written and delivered material, specifically for a broadcast audience. Perhaps the large and warm welcom the Pontiff received in the UK in September influenced his decision.

Visit the BBC website for the full transcript and video.

Papal Visit reflections

I was really lucky to be able to be at several Papal events. My heart is still warm from the incredible experiences of greeting the Pope after Mass in Westminster as part of the youth contingent, praying with the Holy Father during the vigil in Hyde Park and celebrating Mass on Sunday with him on my home patch! I’m still fairly speechless, however check out the video

Pope Benedict’s pre-visit message

Pope Benedict has taken time out to record a message for the people of Britain, a week before his arrival. In his message, he tells us how he is looking forward to visiting, and thanks all people who are helping to prepare for the visit, especially those who are praying for his visit. He tells of the joy it will be for him to beatify a great Englishman, John Henry Newman, how he is looking forward to meeting various groups of people and that he regrets he cannot meet everyone. He ends by telling the people of the United Kingdom we are in his prayers. Wow!

The Papal Visit: Less than a month to go

Have you booked your place on a coach to Bellahouston, Hyde or Cofton Park?

Preparations are gathering speed as the date of Pope Benedict’s visit rapidly approaches… from the unveiling of the Celtic hi-tech alter that will be used to celebrate the largest Mass in Scotland for a quarter of a century, to the do’s and don’t lists issued for the Mass in Cofton Park (Do bring flags, banners, medication, pilgrim picnics, blankets, small folding chairs, cameras, provision for all weather conditions and exchange phone numbers with people in your group. Don’t bring glass, BBQs, musical insturuments or whistles – does that include vuvuzelas?!).

Wondering where the Pope will be and when? His full itinary has also been published;

Thursday, 16 September

08:10	Departure from Ciampino Airport	Rome
10:30	Arrival at Edinburgh International Airport	Edinburgh
11:00	State Welcome and Audience with HM Queen Elizabeth II, Palace of Holyrood House
11:40	State Reception in the grounds of the Palace of Holyrood House Address: HM The Queen Address: The Holy Father
13:00	Private Lunch with the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Archbishop’s House
17:15	Pope Benedict XVI presides at the celebration of Mass, Bellahouston Park Homily: The Holy Father	Glasgow
20:00	Departure from Glasgow Airport for London Heathrow
21:25	Arrival at London Heathrow Airport	London

Friday, 17 September

08:00	Private Celebration of Mass in the Chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature	London
10:00	Celebration of Catholic Education, St Mary’s University College, Twickenham Prayer with Representatives of Religious Congregations in St Mary’s Chapel Greeting: The Holy Father Gathering with Schoolchildren and Students, Sports Arena, including the inauguration of the John Paul II Institute for Sport Address: The Holy Father
11:30	Meeting with Religious Leaders and People of Faith, Waldegrave Drawing Room, St Mary’s University College, Twickenham. Speech: The Holy Father
16:00	Fraternal Visit to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth Palace Speech: Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury Speech: The Holy Father
17:10	Address to Civil Society, Westminster Hall, Palace of Westminster Speech: The Holy Father
18:15	Celebration of Evening Prayer, Westminster Abbey Speech: The Holy Father Speech: Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury

Saturday, 18 September

09:00	Courtesy Call from the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Archbishop’s House, Westminster	London
09:20	Courtesy Call from the Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, Archbishop’s House, Westminster
09:30	Courtesy Call from the Acting Leader of HM Opposition, the Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP, Archbishop’s House, Westminster
10:00	Mass in the Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Westminster Pope Benedict will greet 2,500 young people gathered in the Piazza to welcome him Pope Benedict will greet the people of Wales Greeting and Homily: The Holy Father
17:00	Visit to St Peter’s Residence for Older People, Vauxhall Speech: The Holy Father
18:15	Prayer Vigil on the Eve of the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, Hyde Park Speech: The Holy Father

Sunday, 19 September

08:00	Farewell to the Apostolic Nunciature, Wimbledon	London
08:45	Departure by Helicopter for Birmingham, Wimbledon Park
09:30	Arrival by Helicopter in Birmingham	Birmingham
10:00	Celebration of Mass with the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, Cofton Park, Birmingham Homily and Angelus: The Holy Father
13:10	Private Visit to the Oratory of St Philip Neri, Edgbaston, Birmingham
13:45	Lunch with the Bishops of England, Scotland and Wales and the Papal Entourage, Oscott College
16:45	Meeting with the Bishops of England, Scotland and Wales, Seminary Chapel, Oscott College Speech: Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien Speech: Archbishop Vincent Nichols Speech: The Holy Father
18:15	Departure Ceremony, Birmingham International Airport Speech: The Holy Father
18:45	Departure by air from Birmingham International Airport
22:30	Arrival at Ciampino Airport	Rome

For more information, visit www.thepapalvisit.org.uk

Testing Britain’s professionalism, hospitality, tolerance and maturity

I’ll never forget the joy and excitement I felt late last September when it was announced that Pope Benedict would be visiting the shores of our isle…

…nor will I forget the wave of anxiety and fear that crashed shortly afterwards as I began to ponder: how will he be welcomed? How will the Papal visit be portrayed in the media? What grand secrets will the media be brewing, ready to serve up as Benedict lands on British soil?

Well, we cannot begin to answer those questions until 17th September. In the meantime, however, The Daily Telegraph sets a bench mark for media decency, recognising that Benedict XVI’s arrival is an opportunity to celebrate a culture that planted our Christian roots;

for it was a Pope who sent St Augustine to Britain.

Indeed, without St Augustine, there may have been no Catholicism and Christianity in Britain. And there nearly wasn’t as, after being sent by Pope Gregory the Great to convert Britain and its pagan King, St Augustine and his 40 missionaries were so overwhelmed and daunted by their task that they halted, and St Augustine went back to Rome to request papal permission to return. Luckily, Pope Gregory said no!

The Daily Telegraph continues: as the Archbishop of Canterbury recognises, if Benedict XVI is

greeted with hostility and manufactured scandals, then British Christianity as a whole will be weakened. And, in the eyes of hundreds of millions of Catholics around the world, our national reputation will be damaged. The Pope’s visit is more than a great event for Catholics: it is a test of Britain’s professionalism, hospitality, tolerance and maturity.

See the full article here.

Visit the Prayer page for the Prayer for the Papal Visit to Britain.