The Archbishop of York has written to Cardinal Vincent Nichols, expressing his prayers, along with those of many faithful Anglicans, for the health of Pope Francis during his period of hospitalisation.
In his letter, Archbishop Cottrell assures the Cardinal, 'We are praying for a good and swift recovery, for his comfort and peace, and also for all those who tend to him and minister to him.'
Reflecting on his recent time in Rome for the Ecumenical Vespers for the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul presided over by Pope Francis, Archbishop Cottrell recalled the Pope’s reminder that 'hope lies at the heart of the Gospel, the ecumenical endeavour, and this Jubilee Year.'
He concluded his message with a prayer that the Pope might be 'nourished by the hope of the Gospel and know the love and healing of Our Lord Jesus Christ in these days and the days ahead.'
Cardinal Nichols responded with gratitude for Archbishop Cottrell’s prayers and those of the Anglican faithful, acknowledging their significance during this challenging time for the Holy Father.
'In these times, when the burden of his office weighs ever more heavily, the Holy Father is strengthened by the prayerful support of so many,' the Cardinal wrote.
'Your words, filled with charity and fraternal care, are a testament to the deep bonds that unite us in Christ.'
To ensure the message of support reaches the Holy See, Cardinal Nichols has passed Archbishop Cottrell’s letter to the Apostolic Nuncio.
Text of Archbishop Cottrell's Letter
My dear brother in Christ,
I wanted to be in touch, given the continued news about the Pope's health. This comes to assure you and the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church, of my prayers and those many faithful Anglicans for the health of Pope Francis during this period of hospitalisation; we are praying for a good and swift recovery, for his comfort and peace, and also for all those who tend to him and minister to him.
I was present in Rome at the recent Ecumenical Vespers, over which His Holiness, presided and he reminded those in S. Paul's Outside the Walls that hope lies at the heart of the Gospel, the ecumenical endeavour, and this Jubilee year. And so we continue to pray that His Holiness might be nourished by the hope of the Gospel and know the love and healing of Our Lord Jesus Christ in these days and the days ahead.
This comes with my warm fraternal greetings.
As ever,
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Archbishop of York
Text of Cardinal Nichols' Response
Your Grace
I write to thank you most sincerely for your letter of 17th February 2025 and for your gracious wishes, and those of many faithful Anglicans, for the health of the Holy Father, and those who care for him.
Thank you for your kindness and concern.
In these times, when the burden of his office weighs ever more heavily, the Holy Father is strengthened by the prayerful support of so many. Your words, filled with charity and fraternal care, are a testament to the deep bonds that unite us in Christ.
I am passing a copy of your letter to the Apostolic Nuncio to ensure that your message of support reaches the Holy See.
Your sincerely,
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Archbishop of Westminster
"...along with those of many faithful Anglicans"
ReplyDeleteWell, I think we can rule out Detterling here. He remains an implacable enemy of the Catholic Church.
Mary Winterbourne
Another Gene Vincent smear. I am not an implacable enemy of the Catholic Church.
ReplyDeleteI am, rather, as you are going to learn all too soon, an implacable enemy of malicious, two-faced, nasty, bigoted, lying bastards like you, Gene, whose hypocrisy and canting sanctimony deface and disgrace a noble institution.
It is evident that Sr Bergoglio is dying, and my hope for him is that his acquittal may be swift and merciful. And I shall honour his memory as the first pope to offer God’s blessing to homosexual couples - a courageous and charitable stance at odds with your ignorant malice.
"...as the first pope to offer God’s blessing to homosexual couples"
ReplyDeleteNot to homosexual couples - to homosexual individuals. Get it right.
And such blessing are given so that such individuals (if they practice homosexual acts) have to grace to abandon such evil sins.
Homosexual acts are grave sin. Check it out.
GENE
Still making stuff up Gene to make the world fit your own palsied understanding? You poor benighted clown. Sr Bergoglio has acknowledged homosexuality as as human fact. And the blessing he has authorised is not conditional, nor is aimed at “reforming” homosexual people.
ReplyDeleteAs the supreme Pontiff Pope Francis upholds the teaching of the Church - homosexual acts are grave sin. Pope Francis does not mean blessings to be conferred on those planning to continue in grave sin. The Church cannot bless sin as Pop Francis himself has stated.
ReplyDeleteAnd the C of E teaching on homosexual acts? Incompatible with the Scriptures.
GENE
But you don't need to take my word for it, Gene, let's hear from Sr Bergoglio himself, in an interview on the CBS 60 Minutes programme in 2024:
ReplyDelete"Pope Francis, in an extended on-camera interview with “60 Minutes,” defended his decision allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, while reiterating that the blessing is approved for individuals and not the union itself.
In December 2023, Francis released “Fiducia Supplicans,” a document that said priests could bless same-sex couples, provided the blessings meet several criteria that would differentiate them from a traditional marital blessing.
During the “60 Minutes” interview, Francis also renewed his support for the global decriminalization of homosexuality, which he called “a human fact.” Speaking in January 2023 with the Associated Press, Francis called laws that persecute LGBTQ people “unjust” and urged the world’s bishops to oppose them. In a letter to Outreach, he expanded upon his initial remarks, describing all sexual acts outside of marriage as sinful but stating the pastors should “consider the circumstances” in each case.
Pope Francis also criticised bigots who condemn his inclusive attitude in the following terms:
'A conservative is one who clings to something and does not want to see beyond that. It is a suicidal attitude, because one thing is to take tradition into account, to consider situations from the past, but quite another is to be closed up inside a dogmatic box.' "
Not a word about offered blessings so that "such individuals (if they practice homosexual acts) may have the grace to abandon such evil sins." You really are pathetic, Gene.
Many Catholics are homosexual, and many of them are better Catholics and for sure better Christians than you - not a difficult feat, seeing how filled with hatred you are for people who refuse to accept your opinions. And for the most part all they desire is to be left alone to live their lives in peace and they expect, in time to render account of those lives to God, not to self-appointed, pompous bastards like you who think that they are God almighty.
Now, crawl back under your stone and pray for forgiveness - you are going to need plenty of that, starting with your being forgiven by your wife for visiting such disgrace on her, when the facts of your appalling behaviour start to emerge during the 40 days of Lent.
And I should have said - I don't give a toss for your opinions, and you can stuff your peace offering up your arse.
ReplyDeleteGoodbye, Gene.
The Pope made it very clear that the blessings were to be to individuals and not to couples. AND YOU KNOW THIS!
ReplyDeleteGENE
And yes the Pope opposed the criminalization of homosexual acts. Of course. But that did not mean any change in Church teaching. Homosexual acts are grave sin. Got that you aging so-and-so?
ReplyDeleteGENE
Do you SERIOUSLY imagine that I am going to change my mind at the behest of a posturing wanker like you? a man whose idea of sexuality is furtively groping the bottoms and bosoms of vulnerable young women on deserted classrooms or deserted corridors and then masturbating in the school
ReplyDeletegents’?
Why, at the age of nearly 68 and long impotent through drink, can’t you tolerate the fact that you can browbeat me into agreeing with you? Why are you so juvenile, you posing tosser?
And if homosexuality is a sin, then how do you excuse your use of artificial contraception in your marriage and then your adulterous liaison that produced your three illegitimate children?
And why is it so easy to wind you up, you daft bastard?
Anyway time to go. I would wind your head I if I were you. The news will be spreading soon!!!