With just six weeks to go until Pope Benedict's visit to England and Scotland, Michael Kelly takes a look at preparations
A leading Anglican theologian has hailed the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Britain as a ''crucial'' step in better relations.
According to John Milbank, the trip is ''an opportunity'' for the Pope to change the wrong impression that the English-speaking world has of him.
''The visit is of crucial importance because Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular are under increasing attack in the United Kingdom.
''One would have thought that 'anti Popery' was dead and yet it has recently revived.
''At the same time Catholics play a very important role in British cultural and political life. They and all other Christians in this country need the encouragement that the Pope can give them.
''In addition I believe that this visit is a chance for Pope Benedict to correct the mistaken impressions of him that are often given in the British media.
''He can show that he is a person of great all-round vision whose thinking about society, economics and human relationships is often far more insightful than that of the general run of secular culture,'' Prof Milbank said.
Prof Milbank also highlighted the areas of agreement between the Catholic Church and the Church of England: ''I think it is important that the two leaders take the opportunity to show that their agreements are far more profound than their differences.
''Their approaches to the political and economic sphere are also highly compatible, with both of them stressing the importance of civil society as against either the state or the market,'' he said.
Priests headline Papal event
The Priests are to headline a key event during Pope Benedict XVI's state visit to the Britain, leading an expected 80,000 pilgrims in London's Hyde Park. Brothers Fr Eugene and Fr Martin O'Hagan and their friend, Fr David Delargy - have previously sung at the Vatican and the Down and Connor priests are platinum-selling artists.
Other artists lined up for his visit include Susan Boyle, who will perform in the mass at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce, who will compere the London event. The venues are together expected to attract up to 300,000 people.
Merchandise goes online
Official merchandise for the Pope's forthcoming visit to Britain has gone on sale, including some items that one might normally associate with a rock concern.
The website is offering baseball caps, jackets and a range of T-shirts bearing Benedict XVI's image and the motto of the historic trip - Heart speaks unto heart.
One of the shirts, costing £20, can be customised to include the name of the pilgrim's local parish.
The similarity between the religious souvenirs and the memorabilia sold by touring rock bands was noted by some commentators on the internet.
Sophia Deboick, a researcher at the University of Liverpool, wrote on Twitter about one item, a black T-shirt showing three pictures of the Pope inside a circular design: ''I can't believe how metal this T-shirt is!
''You really would have to look twice to realise it isn't some metal band. I like it!''
She added that a T-shirt to commemorate the highlight of the pontiff's visit in September, the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, had a ''homemade-chic look''.
More traditional items of merchandise for the visit include bookmarks, fridge magnets, keyrings, mugs, plates and a glossy programme.
BBC strike may affect coverage
Staff at the BBC are planning to disrupt live television coverage of the Pope's visit to Britain.
Thousands of workers want to boycott the Papal visit in September over plans to cut their pensions.
Also threatened with blackouts are live broadcasts of the Last Night Of The Proms on September 11, Radio 5 Live's coverage of the Ryder Cup golf tournament beginning on October 1 and all three party political conferences, which begin in September.
The proposed action during Pope Benedict XVl's tour will be a huge embarrassment to the corporation. It is his first Papal state visit to Britain and the country's 7.5 million Catholics will be affected if the historic occasion is caught up in the BBC's latest controversy.
