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Blair 'may become a Catholic deacon'
Last updated at 21:37pm on 09.06.07Tony Blair has discussed becoming a Roman Catholic deacon when he quits office.
The revelation comes as he prepares to meet the Pope amid speculation that he will use the audience in the Vatican to announce his conversion.
In his last foreign engagement, just days before he leaves Downing Street for the final time, the Prime Minister will visit Pope Benedict XVI in what officials say will be a "highly significant" personal mission.
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It is thought that Tony Blair will announce his conversion to Catholicism when he meets the Pope
Reports that he will convert from the Church of England to the Catholic faith of his wife Cherie have often surfaced during Mr Blair's decade in office.
The claims were supported by revelations that he has already discussed not only converting to Rome, but also taking a formal lay position within the Church.
Deacons are just below priests in the Catholic hierarchy and have the right to administer certain sacraments and wear a special white robe known as a dalmatic.
Mr Blair discussed the idea of his taking such a role with Canon Timothy Russ, priest at the Immaculate Heart of Mary near the Prime Minister's official country residence, Chequers.
The revelation is contained in a new book soon to be serialised by The Mail on Sunday – The Darlings Of Downing Street by Garry O'Connor.
The book states: "Tony expressed his strong desire when he stepped down to become a deacon – and a Roman Catholic deacon at that, confirming the often-speculated belief that he would convert to Roman Catholicism sometime in the future."
Mr Blair is reported as asking his confidant Father Timothy: "Would this be possible?" He was told: "It usually takes two or three years", to which he replied: "The fact that I'm PM, could this make a difference?"
The deacon idea emerged in a conversation a few years ago about Mr Blair's plans after he leaves office.
Father Timothy suggested that taking on a formal role in the Church could give him fresh moral clout when he campaigns on climate change and Africa.
The priest added: "He has a lot of potentiality for good. He is still looking for the meaning in his life."
The Blairs stopped attending Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary last year for "security reasons". The relationship with the priest became strained after he spoke out against the Iraq War, accusing the Prime Minister of moral surrender.
It is understood that Mr Blair will be accompanied by Cherie at the audience with the Pope in the papal apartments a week on Saturday. The couple are expected to spend the weekend in Rome before returning for their last 72 hours in Downing Street.
It will be Mr Blair's third visit to the Vatican in four years and a source said: "The fact that he will meet the Holy Father for his last official overseas engagement is highly significant and must raise speculation over his conversion to Catholicism."
The latest revelations follow recent comments by Father Michael Seed, who provides private Masses for the Blairs in their Downing Street flat.
The priest, known for bringing high-profile politicians and aristocrats into the Catholic fold, believes Mr Blair is poised to join the Church of Rome.
Converts are usually welcomed into the Church at the Easter Vigil Mass, held the night before Easter Sunday, but these arrangements are considered flexible.
Admittance to the Church is normally a two-year process. But Mr Blair, because he is already a regular attender, is likely to be fast- tracked.
As a deacon, he could help priests administer Mass, preside over baptisms and read the gospel in Church services. Unlike priests, deacons are not required to take a vow of chastity.
Mr Blair, whose children have been brought up as Catholics, regularly attends Mass at Westminster Cathedral and has become close to the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.
The Prime Minister's first meeting with the present Pope took place last June, but he had an audience with Pope John Paul II in February 2003, shortly before the US and British-led invasion of Iraq.
It later emerged that the Prime Minister had received Holy Communion from the Polish-born pontiff at a private service for the Blair family in the Vatican.
Mrs Blair, who is a devout Catholic, had an unexpected meeting with Pope Benedict last year when she was on a speaking engagement in Rome.
In 1996 Cardinal Basil Hume, the late Archbishop of Westminster, asked that the Prime Minister – a member of the Church of England – cease taking Communion at his wife's London church in Islington.
Mr Blair is not believed to have received the sacrament in British Catholic churches since then. However, he is understood to have taken the Eucharist during holidays in Italy where an Anglican church was not easily available.
Mr Blair has always been reluctant to discuss his religious beliefs. Alastair Campbell, his former Downing Street communications chief, famously told one interviewer: "We don't do God."
A Downing Street spokesman said: "It is true that the Prime Minister will visit the Vatican. But I am not going to confirm the date. He will discuss various issues with the Pope including inter-faith issues, the Middle East peace process and international development and aid."
President Bush proved himself less than familiar with Catholic etiquette when, on his way home from the G8 summit in Germany, he stopped for an audience with the Pope in the Vatican.
First he failed to bow before shaking hands, saying: "It's great to be here."
Then officials cringed as he repeatedly called the Pontiff 'sir'. Later, a Vatican spokesman said: "I don't think President Bush meant anything by his use of words. The expression "sir" is widely used in English and especially by Americans – but of course the correct term is "Your Holiness"."
Reader views (14)
Blessed be to God!!! It takes courage and perseverance and humbleness of one to show Tony the ways and the life of Jesus Christ. We are all sinners. It takes time for one to realize what one has done. Didn't one of you among you lost sheeps to admit your own seven deadly sins: gluttony, fornication, lust, greed, sorrow/despair, wrath, acedia, vainglory, pride. We can be reborn again. Give your heart and life to God through Jesus Christ. Trust in Him and He will show you the ways of truth and the life because we can belong to God's kingdom and not of this world that we are living in.
- Jonathan, Doncaster, England, 17/02/2011 12:58
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I am sorry to say the article above makes a number of basic errors about the Roman Catholic Church, and seems to have little knowledge of the process leading up to reception into the Church and Ordination as a Deacon. I hope the following words help especially with the latter issue.
Tony Blair like any one being received into the Roman Catholic Church has a journey to follow and a commitment to make. The Journey is in the "footsteps" of Christ. In particular they have to follow the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on Abortion, Contraception and Sexual practice, etc.
In terms of Tony Blair, or anyone else, becoming a Deacon, there are many stages in this journey, which the RC Church specifies as consisting of at least 3 years of preparation.
A Deacon is an ordained member of the church and not a conferred honour or a political appointment. During the journey to ordination those who aspire to become Deacons are trained, tested, and measured by the Church in many ways, not all who begin the journey complete it - for many different reasons.
It is the Church that calls men to ordination, if Tony believes he is being called I will pray for him during his time of discernment and also if he goes forward for training.
The world can always use men who dedicated themselves to help others follow Jesus, any one including Tony who feel they are being called to this service should contact their local Parish Priest or the Bishop's office.
Yours in Christ.
- Deacon Paul, Nottinghamshire, UK, 01/08/2010 13:09
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He probably will become a Deacon, I think our church will take anyone now, with very little investigation into anyone's background, here is a man who ignored Pope John Paul's advice not to invade Iraq, but then our church is for sinners, so I suggest he gets down on his knees and start praying, he may just have enough time left .....
- Andrew O'Brien, Chard UK, 25/06/2009 11:41
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Blair will probably be a Deacon, our Church seems to take anyone now, who wants to be a Deacon, not a great deal of of personal history seems to be investigated, here is a man who ignored Pope John Paul's request not to invade Iraq, and now he may be a Deacon ..... Lord forgive them ....
- Andrew O'Brien, Chard UK, 25/06/2009 11:15
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Questionable motives of ACLB.
- RJMB, LONDON, GB, 16/01/2009 23:09
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Excellent!
- Deacon Paul Pettie, St. Augustine, Florida, USA, 30/08/2007 01:10
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I wonder how many sheep will leave the church in protest when this man converts. Spin has been the hallmark of his Premiership and even now in the dying days of his failed and miserable administration he desperately is looking for things to divert attention from the evil he has created in Iraq and the attack on the Catholic church well documented by other contributers to this site. He is merely collecting photographs for his album with what he perversely considers to be celebrities- The Pope, Bush, Gadafi etc. All this by a man so vain as to think the world will be fooled at his attempt to divert attention from his bad track record.
- Philip Bartey, Bradford , England, 30/08/2007 00:10
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Tony could join the Catholic Church, but as a repentant sinner like the rest of us. He could never be a deacon since his support of so many things contrary to the teachings of the Church such as abortion to birth, contraception, euthanasia, the closure of Catholic Adoption Agencies to satisfy the hatred of gays. There is a great divide in the Catholic Church between the supporters of the Pope known as traditionalists and the supporters of the English Hierarchy known as modernists. Blair`s appointment as a Deacon would bring this division into the open.
- John Kearney, Basingstoke, 30/08/2007 00:10
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To become a Catholic, Blair will have to radically change his morality: to be a committed (as opposed to nominal) and believing Catholic, he can no longer support contraception, civil partnerships etc., and will have to spend a long time on his knees doing penance for undermining the Catholic Church while in office (e.g., closure of Catholic adoption agencies). One wonders why he is doing it: perhaps because to have an inter-faith foundation, he will have to have a faith of some sort.
- Lizt, London, UK, 30/08/2007 00:10
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This story is deeply disturbing. That the Catholic church would consider allowing this man a position of any kind at all in the church is unthinkable and profoundly shameful. Perhaps Blair feels such a move will exonerate him from his moral failings and hideously flawed leadership - it won't.
- Bobby Eighties, GB, 30/08/2007 00:10
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As a catholic, I will say that Mr Blair is unwelcome as a deacon, and most welcome as a sincere, humble layperson wishing to reflect on his war crimes, and repent.
- Alan, London, 30/08/2007 00:10
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It would be far better for all of us if he became a monk. Then he would be hidden away in a cloister never to seen or heard from again.
- P.Robinson, Northants, 30/08/2007 00:10
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The hypocrisy and stupidity of it all is nauseating. Why just not make him St Tony of Bagdad, Murderer of thousands.
- Michael, London., 30/08/2007 00:10
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Tony Blair has voted for abortion, even up to birth in some circumstances. He has made the morning after pill available for school children as young as 11 without parental knowledge. His government has legalised euthanasia by ommission in the Mental Capacity Act, legalised gay civil partnerships, and has refused to let religious belief get in the way of providing goods and services to homosexuals.
Now, it is reported, Blair not only wants to become a Catholic, but also a Catholic deacon. I feel physically sick...
- Richard, Hull, 30/08/2007 00:10
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