Scottish Catholic Observer

I was writing a book of memories with the title of Holy Smoke? when the editor asked me to write about the impending visit of Pope Benedict XVI in relation to the former visit of Pope John Paul II. Holy Smoke? That proved to be an appropriate title.

The two visits are likely to be as distinct as the two Popes are, which will also be influenced by the difference in their ages. When Pope John Paul II came to Britain he was 62, whereas Pope Benedict will be 83. One thing they will have in common: Pope John Paul II on his visit to Britain in 1982 stayed at the Apostolic Nunciature in London and so will Pope Benedict on his visit this year. The nunciature in Wimbledon had been the home of Sir Harold Hood a director of The Catholic Herald—The Scottish Catholic Observer’s sister newspaper—in his childhood, before it became the nunciature.

The former Pope spent his childhood in Poland when the hammer and sickle prevailed. The Communist symbol: the hammer for the workers and the sickle for the peasants. At that time the Church and Communism were at loggerheads. At the end of every Mass, until Pope Paul VI abolished it, a prayer for the Conversion of Russia used to be said.

Karol Wojtyła was not ordained a priest until the age of 26 and was much in the company of Jews and actors, who influenced his later life. He became the globetrotting Pope John Paul II. He was a marketing expert who was determined to put his Church on the map of the world, not just for his faithful but for all peoples. He wanted to meet people and for people to meet the Pope. He was a participant at Vatican II and obviously accepted its opening of windows instituted by good Pope John XXIII (though had the latter lived to its end, he might have found it more difficult to accept its conclusions than did Pope John Paul II). There was an intermediary, Pope Paul VI, who made it easier.

Pope Benedict’s early life was more secluded. He was born Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Bavaria in 1927 and shortly after the Second World War joined a seminary and then became a professor at various universities, ending at Regensburg. During the Second Vatican Council he was only a peritus (adviser) to the radical Cardinal Frings. Pope Benedict is a scholar who is somewhat retiring, not like the extrovert John Paul.

One might speculate that if Pope John Paul II was asked about Cardinal John Henry Newman, he might ask ‘who?’ whereas his successor is an admirer about to beatify him. John Paul II thanked Archbishop Ryan for the speeches written for him by Bishop (later cardinal) Cahal Daly, for his Irish visit. Pope Benedict is likely to write his own, certainly in the case of Cardinal Newman’s beatification.

Although an attempted assassination took place in 1981, I doubt whether security ranked high in 1982. Pope Benedict XVI, on the other hand, is visiting Britain after the recent Church scandals and is likely to face protests, which will require a different kind of security.

John Paul II became Pope at the age of 58 and reigned for 27 years. Since his successor became Pope at the age of 78, he is unlikely to be head of the Church for as long as his predecessor. But, then, Pope John XXIII became Pope at the age of 77. He was (and remained) a peasant at heart, the tenth child of his parents and was described as a ‘caretaker Pope.’ He was Pope for less than five years, but what a caretaker. So Pope Benedict still has time to make a distinct mark on the Church, he has been Pope for little more than five years.

A German Pope, following centuries of Italian Popes, following a Pole, was made possible by the 38-day reign of Pope John Paul I. Pope Benedict’s encounter with the Archbishop of Canterbury, following the Church of England’s significant General Synod  meeting in July, will be intriguing. Thanks to Cardinal Hume a number of married Anglican priests became priests in the Catholic Church and now there are similar moves afoot by the present Pope.

Ian Paisley has recently made disparaging remarks about the coming visit of the Pope to Britain. Are they inspired by memories? In 1988 Pope John Paul addressed the European Parliament. During his speech Paisley interrupted with screams about the Antichrist. He was frogmarched out of the assembly by the MEP Otto von Habsburg, the former Archduke von Habsburg, son of the last Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Karl, who was beatified in 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.

The preparations for the 1982 visit of the Pope were mishandled. In order to provide the necessary funds, the Mark McCormack agency was employed to find sponsors for various costs, which turned sour. The appointment of Lord Patten of Barnes assures a better approach this time. As Governor of Hong Kong the departure of Britain from there was a memorable occasion. In the year 2000 he had been commissioner for external affairs for the EU and is now chancellor for the universities of Oxford and Newcastle. He is, to boot, a former pupil of St Benedict’s, Ealing, and has a barrister wife.

The initiation of Pope John Paul II’s visit was, in the first place, apparently accidental. Cardinal Hume, a true Englishman, had an audience with the Holy Father and, as any Englishman might, as a matter of good manners enquired when the Pope would visit England. John Paul II was not familiar with such foreign nuances and asked Cardinal Hume: “When would be convenient?” The Westminster Cardinal rushed to phone his counterpart in Edinburgh, Cardinal Gordon Gray, to tell him of his blunder.

John Pope Paul’s visit in May 1982 was nearly called off because the Falklands War had started the previous month. Might a Papal visit suggest preference for one country engaged in the hostilities? Archbishop Worlock and Archbishop Winning flew to Rome to persuade John Paul II not to cancel the trip. The cardinals of Britain and Argentina were summoned to Rome to pray together publicly for peace and the Pope decided to visit Argentina shortly after his visit to Britain. The visit was back on. One hopes that the visit of Pope Benedict will go smoothly but, looking at the programme, for an 83-year-old person it would not be surprising if last-minute changes occurred.

I have some personal memories in relation to the 1982 visit. There was a reception for the Pope following his visit to Wembley Stadium where thousands came to greet him. I, together with many others, was waiting for his arrival, when the man next to me anxiously fingered his pipe. “If you will, so will I”, I suggested. He—Harold Wilson, the former Prime Minster—and I both lit up. We could not do so today.

I was sitting on the fender of a fireplace when a tired Mary Whitehouse, the famous campaigner for decency in the media, complained of being tired. I offered her my knee, which she gladly accepted.

On the next day there was a Mass in Westminster Cathedral. Pope John Paul II processed down the aisles preceded by television cameras. One could not but admire the gift of the former actor. The famous Stations of the Cross by Eric Gill took second place.

A recent Papal document was called Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth). Have times changed? Pope Paul VI, some 40 years ago, speaking to the Catholic press, asked for truth with charity. ‘Heart speaks unto heart,’ is the motto for Pope Benedict’s visit.

— Otto Herschan was managing director of The Catholic Herald from 1953 to 1998