Cameron and Palace should show the Pope more respect
The press, too, has been ungenerous, highlighting his Falklands remarks. What else could he have said?
DAVID CAMERON'S joke at Pope Francis I's expense was rather good - "the white smoke over the Falklands was clear". Just the sort of thing that the Notting Hill set would find amusing, especially as Pope Francis is an avowed opponent of their current obsession, gay marriage.
As the faithful, and many others, celebrated across the world the election of a new Pope who took the name of the gentlest of the saints – Francis of Assisi - David Cameron showed off his clever-clever one-liners.
Last month, while visiting the Sikh holy city of Amritsar in the Punjab, Cameron adopted a more solemn tone, donning a headscarf and regretting the 1919 massacre there by Gurkha and Baluchi troops under British command. Very respectful. No jokes. Every word and photo opportunity carefully designed in homage to 'diversity' and post-imperial guilt.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But it seems Cameron has no such respect for Roman Catholicism as was made pretty clear by the representatives he sent to the Pope's inauguration - Ken Clarke and Baroness Warsi.
Buckingham Palace seems to have taken the same attitude, despatching as the Queen's representative her cousin, the Duke of Gloucester, currently 21st in line to the throne.
The reaction of much of the British press to the new Pope has also been ungenerous - highlighting his sermon at a memorial service last year for the dead of the Falklands War in which he praised the fallen for their bravery in fighting against the British "usurper".
Few who sailed South with the task force in 1982 would take offence. He was speaking more in pity and mourning than in national bombast. In any case, nearly every Argentinian regards the British as usurpers. And at the end of the war most British soldiers were moved to pity by the state of their opponents. Bedraggled, frightened, confused, they were left for weeks on wintry mountains while - except in some elite formations - their officers often retired at night to the warmth and comfort of Port Stanley.
Most tried to do their duty to their country as they saw it. Many were from the slums of Buenos Aires, like the Pope himself. As Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires, what was he expected to say?
More than 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, including 5.5 million Britons, accept Pope Francis's spiritual authority as 263rd successor to St Peter. It's a worldwide church – the largest and most diverse human organisation of all, ever. So much so that in March 2006 Pope Benedict ceased to style himself ‘Patriarch of the West' because the title did not properly reflect the global nature of Roman Catholicism.
To show just how behind the programme the Palace and Cameron are, the papal inauguration was attended by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, head of the Orthodox Church, who has not been represented at the ceremony since refusing to accept papal authority in 1054. The Patriarch of Constantinople still doesn't. Nor, of course, does the Church of England, of which the Queen is Supreme Governor.
But Bartholomew respects the papacy and knows that without a thriving Roman Catholic Church, Christianity itself will suffer. He felt he should be there and attended in person. It's a shame that neither our royal family nor our government had the good manners to do the same.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Climate change is driving Indian women to choose sterilization
under the radar Faced with losing their jobs, they are making a life-altering decision
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
'A great culture will be lost if the EV brigade gets its way'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Modi opens contentious Ram temple at one of India's 'most vexed religious sites'
Talking Point Indian PM kicks off re-election campaign by affirming Hindu nationalism, while Muslim minority feel pain of history and threat of future
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The potential consequences of Pope Francis' call for a ban on surrogacy
Talking Point Francis called the practice 'despicable' and a 'commercialization' of pregnancy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The Vatican's same-sex blessing approval: What is Pope Francis doing?
Today's Big Question The pope rocked the Catholic world by giving the green light to blessing same-sex couples, with plenty of caveats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Vatican half-embraces transgender Catholic godparents, wedding witnesses
Under the Radar Pope Francis signed off on a series of clarifications about the roles LGBTQ Catholics can play in the church, with ample theological fine print
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Pope, the ‘false prophet’, and the battle for Argentina
feature Opinion has been split on whether the pontiff's intervention into politics in his home nation is appropriate
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
Pope Francis investigates Texas bishop, accepts early resignation of embattled Tennessee prelate
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Pope Francis is involved in 'mission' to bring peace to Ukraine
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Papal succession: the cardinals in the running to be the next pope
feature Current favourite from Philippines would represent changing demographic of the Church
By The Week Staff Published