**A memo suggesting the Pope’s UK visit could be marked by special “Benedict” condoms will have no impact on the event, the Vatican has insisted.**The Foreign Office has apologised over a junior civil servant’s internal paper suggesting the Pope could bless a gay marriage or open an abortion clinic.
UK newspaper reports have quoted Vatican sources as saying the September visit could now be in doubt.
But Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said: “For us the case is closed.”
Noting the Foreign Office’s apology, Mr Lombardi told the ANSA news agency the incident would have “absolutely” no impact on the Pope’s 16 to 19 September visit.
The Foreign Office has stressed the memo containing “naive and disrespectful” ideas for marking the visit, which resulted from a “brainstorm” session, did not reflect its views.
Details of the document emerged after it was obtained by the Sunday Telegraph.
It prompted the UK’s ambassador to the Vatican, Francis Campbell, to meet senior officials of the Holy See to express regret on behalf of the government.
The junior civil servant responsible for setting up the brainstorming and circulating its results had been put on other duties, the Foreign Office said.
‘Far-fetched’ ideas
The ideas were attached as one of three “background documents” to a memo dated 5 March 2010 inviting officials in Whitehall and Downing Street to attend a meeting to discuss themes for the papal visit.
It suggested Benedict XVI could show his hard line on the sensitive issue of child abuse allegations against Roman Catholic priests by “sacking dodgy bishops” and launching a helpline for abused children.
The document went on to propose the Pope could apologise for the Spanish Armada or sing a song with the Queen for charity.
The civil servant responsible for sending round the memo said in a cover note: “Please protect; these should not be shared externally. The ‘ideal visit’ paper in particular was the product of a brainstorm which took into account even the most far-fetched of ideas.”
Pope Benedict XVI’s visit is expected to take in Birmingham, as part of the planned beatification of Cardinal John Newman, and Scotland.
It will be the first papal visit to the UK since John Paul II’s visit in 1982.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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