Scottish Catholic Observer

Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz has been undergoing treatment in his home country of Spain following a mild stroke on May 16. However, while in Scotland this week Mgr Vincent Brady from the Apostolic Nuciature said that the Archbishop hoped to return to the UK tomorrow and to play an active role in next week’s Papal visit to Scotland and England. Mgr Brady asked for the continued prayers of Scottish Catholics for the Apostolic Nuncio’s continued recovery.

Archbishop Sainz Muñoz, 72, was born in Almaden, Spain. He was ordained a priest in December 1964 and has held a number of posts in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1970. He was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Britain in 2004, replacing Archbishop Pablo Puente, who retired in October 2003.

Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Edinburgh next Thursday to begin his four-day UK visit. The Holy Father will be greeted by the Queen, Cardinal Keith O’Brien and Archbishop Vincent Nichols in Edinburgh before celebrating  an open-air Mass in Glasgow in the afternoon.

The Pontiff’s full itinerary is as follows:

Thursday 16 September

Scotland

When Pope Benedict arrives in the UK, he will visit Scotland where he will be received by Her Majesty The Queen, members of the Royal Family and people representing British society in the Palace of Holyrood House in Edinburgh.

A St Ninian’s Day Parade has been organised through the streets of Edinburgh to mark this historic occasion.

Having met the Queen, the Pope will travel to Glasgow where he will celebrate an open-air Mass at Bellahouston Park in the evening and then he will fly from Glasgow to London. The Holy Father will then be based in London for the remainder of the visit.

Friday 17 September

London

On the second day of the visit, Pope Benedict is going to St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, where there will be three aspects to his visit. The first is that he begins the day praying with representatives of religious congregations – particularly those who have a charism for education and a history of education.

He will then go and meet 3,000 young people – schoolchildren, students – to celebrate Catholic education. From there he will then meet with religious leaders and people of religious faith in the Waldegrave Drawing Room. He will discuss with them religion and belief in our society.

Later in the day, the Pope is scheduled to meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace in the presence of the Anglican diocesan bishops and the Catholic diocesan bishops of England and Wales.

He has then been invited, as part of the State visit, to address British society. Representatives of British society will be invited to Westminster Hall to hear the Pope’s address.

He will finish off the day with the Archbishop of Canterbury and Christian leaders at Westminster Abbey to celebrate Evening Prayer. The Holy Father will also pray at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior and also at the Shrine of St Edward the Confessor.

Saturday 18 September

London

On the third day of the visit, Pope Benedict will celebrate Mass in Westminster Cathedral where he will also, from there, greet the people of Wales.

At the end of Mass, the Holy Father will greet around 2,500 young people gathered in the Piazza to welcome him.

Later in the day he will visit St Peter’s Residential Home for the elderly in Vauxhall, giving the Pope an opportunity to go to those who cannot meet with him, and then be present at an open air Vigil of prayer in London’s Hyde Park.

Sunday 19 September

Birmingham

The final day of the visit is focused very much on the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, and the Pope will celebrate that beatification in Cofton Park in Birmingham – adjacent, fittingly, to Rednal where Cardinal Newman was buried and the place where Newman and his community came for rest and recreation in the Lickey Hills.

The Holy Father will then make a private visit to the Oratory of St Philip Neri, Edgbaston, Birmingham where he will be the first person to pray at the new shrine for the “Blessed” John Henry Newman as he will be then.

Pope Benedict will conclude the day by meeting with the bishops of England, Scotland and Wales in Oscott College before returning to Rome with a private departure from Birmingham Airport.