Tony Blair Converts To Catholicism

Former Prime Minister Joins Wife And Family In Catholic Faith

(CBS/AP)  Tony Blair refused to discuss religion when he was the British Leader. Now he has done more than talk about it - he's become a Catholic.

The former British Prime Minister has officially converted from the Anglican Church of England to Catholicism, reports CBS News correspondent Larry Miller.

His spokesman said he was formally converted at a chapel in London Friday night.

"It can be confirmed that Tony Blair has been received into full communion with the Catholic Church by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor," the head of the church in England and Wales, the church said in a statement.

"I'm very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church," the statement quoted Murphy-O'Connor as saying.

It said he had been a regular worshipper at Mass with his family and in recent months has been following a program leading to his reception into the church.

There had long been speculation that Blair planned to convert to Catholicism. Blair's wife Cherie is Catholic, as are their children who attend a parochial school.

This summer Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, had a private meeting in June with Pope Benedict XVI about the switch, but he waited until he was out of office to convert.

There has never been a Catholic British Prime Minster.

Earlier this year, the former prime minister told the BBC that he had avoided talking about his religious views while in office for about 10 years for fear of being labeled "a nutter."

In England's last census, 72 percent of people identified themselves as Christian. Many are Anglicans affiliated with the Church of England, which was created by royal proclamation during the 16th century after King Henry VIII - who married six times - broke ties with the Roman Catholic Church in a dispute over divorce.

The Church of England has said that less than 10 percent of its members are regular churchgoers.

Britons often express surprise at people who openly and fervently discuss their religious views.

[libsluvsuvs]

never figured him for a pope lover, did you?

Posted by MotherHen11 at 07:40 AM : Dec 24, 2007
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i never figured you cared

[motherhen11]

I never figured him for a pope lover, did you?

[pensacola88]

It is noble for Tony Blair to yeild to his wife''s preference and chose to serve under the same faith. Some posts I have read about Protestant faith, express a distaste for religious loud-mouths and spreaders of hatred in the name of God. Tony Blair chose his faith, not his religious affiliations. All priests and pastors work hard to attract their listeners into allowing God to change the hearts of the wicked. A world with forgiveness is a world truly worth living for. Remember, even the first Apostles seemed to have incorrigable faults, too.

[cosmicfluke]

Makes sense. He''ll follow anybody and believe anything.

[patriotic9]

Do you know why Larry Craig was tapping his foot in the bathroom?

Why Foley was harassing a little boy on the Internet?

Why Bill O''rielly (Champion of CHRISTIAN FAMILY VALUE) was sexually harassing a female at work and why he paid her $10 Million to keep her mouth shut?

Why did Tony Blair help Bush in killing of millions of innocent people world wide?

Because JESUS died for their SINS.

[cbs_oliver]

Posted by CBS_Oliver at 10:35 PM : Dec 22, 2007
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and what makes you any better than the catholic church..do you every listen to your own rants?? you guys both have the same ''''desires''''..i would not doubt it if athiesm would be more brutal to humanity than any religion.

Posted by libsluvsuvs at 03:39 AM : Dec 23, 2007

FYI, I am a Christian and a Catholic. I would not be supprised if my "rants" seemed like something a Catholic might say.

[runningralph]

cdfoxtrot,
I was indeed around in the sixties. And I was paying attention. At that time the US was involved in a struggle with the Communist Bloc. The Communists had taken over most of Europe and Asia, Cuba, and were making inroads into Central and South America. China and Russia were sponsoring efforts to takeover Southeast Asia. The US had signed a treaty in the fifties to resist Communist advances in Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, SEATO for short. Seeing the advances of Communism around the world, the US decided to make a stand in Viet Nam. After a long struggle, the US was unable to stop the Communists in Viet Nam, but by that time the rest of Southeast Asia was able to resist Communist insurgency. If the US had not stood up against Communist advances I have no doubt that the California beaches and everywhere else would be under Communist authority today. The struggle against Islamic jihad we are faced with now has many similitaries.

[sharncedar]

Britain and US and similar countries, with similar beliefs, with the one key difference being the notion of liberty. The British are the enemies of our deepest beliefs. For example, in the former United States, we believed that all men were created equal, and all people should rise to a position based on their abilities, not based on birth, race, or class. Britain believes the opposite, that people are born into a class or inherit wealth or position, and they deserve it through some kind of divine right. Between these two belief sets there can only ever be total war. Liberty cannot tolerate class or inherited wealth.

If you notice, globalization is about the wealthy getting a return on their wealth without working or doing anything useful for society. It is a British notion that has invaded our country, they have seduced key individuals from within, and are destroying America.

[runningralph]

shauncedar.
Britain is certainly the best ally to the US. What other nation has been a better ally? That doesn''t mean Britain can''t pursue whatever monetary or commercials goals they think may be advantageous to Britain. In capitalistic competition their aims will probably not be the same as the US''s. But they can still be allies in war.

[watcher269-2009]

I''m Proud of Tony Blair for converting to Catholicism and making a bold statement against Christians - cause everyone knows that Catholicism is the REAL religion. Christian faiths of the southern US are phony religions that have preachers that just want your money for homes, jet planes, cars and little boys.

Catholicism - has priests who just want you money for little boys and are much closer to GOD then Christians.

The Christian faith is all about warped southern American values that are invading our Military and trying to make an army of God and have a deep Hatred for all other religions - they are based on the KKK and hating everyone that does not agree with their warped mentality for realism. They are the True Devils in our society - Southern Christians = Devil preachers. They Teach our children Hate like muslims do.

Good going Tony!! Say Yes to Catholicism!

[jasonking4]

As if converting to the Catholic faith was ever going to give this vain, arrogant jumped up *** of a human being some peace of mind. He lied, lied on television, lied to the Houses of Parliament, lied to the people of Britain to get them into an unnnecessary war that has cost the lives of one million Iraqis.

I''m an atheist, but sometimes I fervently wish there is a God only so Tony Blair can join all the other idiots of this world in the flaming pit of hell in eternal damnation. Other than that I hope people remind him everyday of the carnage he has wrought and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people he is responsible for. Same goes for the idiot Bush.

[libsluvsuvs]

Posted by CBS_Oliver at 10:35 PM : Dec 22, 2007
+ report abuse


*************

and what makes you any better than the catholic church..do you every listen to your own rants?? you guys both have the same ''desires''..i would not doubt it if athiesm would be more brutal to humanity than any religion.

[blondmadison]

Can he legally molest little boys now?

Posted by george2221 at 12:25 AM : Dec 23, 2007
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Too funny! Good one!!

Madison www.myspace.com/worldpeacerally2008

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by runningralph at 02:40 PM : Dec 22, 2007

Good Gawd, Ralph! Somebody bring out that beach property in Arizona, you can make a mint quick!

[cbs_oliver]

Harsh rhetoric aside.

The Catholic Church and other Christian leadership has sometimes taken upon itself the authority to decide how the world that they know and the people in it should be best ordered and managed including punished and killed.

This derives perhaps from the develepmental path that Christianity took with Revelations, with Constantine, and with Augustine (especially in the City of God).

Tony Blair is a leader among many especially of England who seem based on their actions to also believe they have the authority to order the world according to their vision - at least regarding the Middle eastern culture.

To this extent the relationship between Pope Benedict and Tony Blair and George Bush falls into the pattern laid down over a thousand years ago between Crusader Kings and Popes.

The fact that Benedict started as Defender of the Faith and took the name he did adds further historical symbolism along the same lines.

Antway, I would prefer leaders who did not bless unjust violence by authority but actually stood against it.

That doesn''t seem to be in the offing at present.

[ringading3]

It has always amazed me how a whole nation can adopt a religion started by a man who killed six or seven of his wives because he wanted a son. This would not be politically correct today. Now Episcopalian ministers can be homosexxual women and men. Oh well.

[j-whitman]

Looks like Blair wasn''t impressed with Bushism or his faith based morons

[cbs_oliver]

"This summer Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, had a private meeting in June with Pope Benedict XVI about the switch, but he waited until he was out of office to convert."

Hitler is dead and Osama bin Laden is not likely to make a courtesy call on the Pope any time soon, so meetings with George Bush and Toney Blair are the only opportunities the current version of Pius the XII has to meet and share common values with war criminals.

He must be pleased.

[cbs_oliver]

I think its the fancy robes and hats and the palaces and the gold leaf and the servants and the important people kissing your hands and throngs hanging on your every word that leads the leaders of the Church to hold themselves in such high esteem.

Too bad.

[cdfoxtrot]

Well said, ajayvee. I also fail to understand why the Pope himself met with Blair and why the Pope has been so silent on the illegal war.