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.

[cdfoxtrot]

Had Blair not supported the moron-in-chief in the illegal war, Bush would have been without the cloak of "international" support and it''s doubtful the illegal war would have went ahead. In that respect, Blair is more responsible than anyone for all the unnecessary death and destruction that has followed. If there is an afterlife of the kind imagined by Christians, Blair''s conversion is unlikely to save him from the fires of hell.

[Con Mohrat]

I suppose this conversion is newsworthy because Blair is the famous disgraced poodle who was complicit in the Iraq Invasion and resulting genocide.

[runningralph]

Britain has been the best ally of the US throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. Good alliances are the best chance of survival. In both world wars, throughout the Cold War and in the War on Terror no other country has been better. Tony Blair was a skillful and stalwart leader that stood up to many threats at home and abroad. It would be nice if Mr. Blair could use his influence to urge the Anglican Church to return to the Roman Catholic fold. In the face of attacks by Islam, Christianity would do better to hold together. Good alliances are the best chance of survival.

[sharncedar]

Perhaps he is hoping he can be named chief torturer for the inquisition. If they torture scientists, I''m sure they will confess the earth is really flat, and the sun revolves around it. Just like the other confessions in Tony Blair''s closet, all those ones where some poor truck driver confessed to be a member of global terrorism.

Yes, he is a great fit with the Catholic church - if the facts disagree with your emotional insanity, then torture people and kill people until you''ve convinced yourself your insane paranoia is truth. Tony Blair at least must be relieved - after all these years of working for the devil in proviate, he can now openly worship it.

[sharncedar]

"Britain has been the best ally of the US throughout the 20th century "

Britain has undermined and hurt the US in every way possible. They are one of the strongest forces behind "globalization" which is a move to take wealth and power away from America and move it to Asia, with Britain as the power broker thorugh its banking relationships. Britain is a stalwart, determined enemy of the US, and has been since 1776, dummy. Study facts, instead of emotion, you bush-loving idiot.

[missingamerica]

Catholicism? Do you suppose Blair felt the need for a "slate-wiping"?

[barbaraf4]

Why is this news?

[formrusmcsgt]

Who gives a rat''s a$$ what flavor kool-aid this self-righteous fool drinks?

[stezzer]

The first thing he should do is go to confession.

Tony B-liar has ruined our country. Trust me, you wouldn''t want to live here in the UK.

America may not be perfect, but you wouldn''t be daft enough to allow socialists to hand over your country to Europe without a referendum.

[Con Mohrat]

In the face of attacks by Islam, Christianity would do better to hold together. Good alliances are the best chance of survival.
Posted by runningralph at 02:40 PM : Dec 22, 2007
^^^^^^^^^^

Are you speaking rationally? It was Bush who began the christian "crusade" (his word) against Muslim nations. Do you see any Muslim nation on the aggressor''s side?

And his disgraced poodle Tony Blair, the lap dog in this carnage, probably would have re-endorsed the Sykes-Picot Agreement, thereby causing this whole Middle East problem. So the catholic church welcomes a mass murderer. Who loses? Who gains?
It begs the question: Why is this news?

[ajayvee]

It irks me that the Catholic Church consecrated on him the sacrament of Baptism without his showing the least regret or remorse for the lies he told and the lives he destroyed. Iraq''s WMDs that can be deployed with less than 45 minutes notice, indeed! May the blood on his hands haunt him unto eternity.

[middleman8]

Why did''nt the pope bless Sudam ? It shows what the catholic church is really made up for, the work of satan.

[king77shaw]

good - Blair needs to feel the guilt of his lies that supported the Iraq war and the bogus war on terror -- what better place to do it than the cathaholic church.

[cdfoxtrot]

In the face of attacks by Islam, Christianity would do better to hold together. Good alliances are the best chance of survival.

Posted by runningralph

runningralph, you really do say the most foolish of things. If you were around in the 60''s, I bet you bought into the argument that if we didn''t fight "them" in Vietnam, we''d be fighting them on the beaches of California. Didn''t happen, did it?? Same B.S., different bogey-man. People who buy into these bogus scare-tactics are the reason we squander so much on the military industrial complex and why we get bogged down in unnecessary wars like Iraq.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[j-whitman]

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

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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

[libsluvsuvs]

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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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.

[cosmicfluke]

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

[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.

[motherhen11]

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

[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