14 Sunday January 6, 2008 ■ CatholicNews

PEOPLE

realties of urban life and difficult

subjects like child abuse, solitude
LONDON – Former British Prime his travels as prime minister, Conservative Party member and alienation. But she also
Minister Tony Blair became but even before that, there was of Parliament and a former writes some of the most beautiful
a Catholic during a private something he said to me, that Anglican who became Catholic love songs from a parent to a
ceremony in London. he feels at home in the Catholic in the early 1990s, told Catholic child. (“World before Columbus”
Blair, previously an Church in a way that he didnʼt News Service Dec 24 that the and “As You Are Now” were
Anglican, was received into in any other church or in the church would not have accepted written for her daughter Ruby.)
full communion with the Anglican commune,” the cardinal Blair unless he assented to all its While her roots are in
Catholic Church by Cardinal added. teaching on faith and morals. contemporary folk and her main
Cormac Murphy-OʼConnor of At the Vatican, a spokesman “He would have had to change instrument is the acoustic guitar,
Westminster. Blair was sponsored expressed “joy and respect” at his mind” on matters such as Suzanne’s songs have evolved to
at the Mass of reception by his Blairʼs decision. abortion, said Widdecombe. “But defy a specific category and her
wife, Cherie, a Catholic. “The Catholic Church joins I think he should now make that albums have been produced to
The Dec 21 Mass at in the sentiments of satisfaction public for the avoidance of doubt.” showcase a multi-textured and
Archbishopʼs House, the expressed by Cardinal Murphy Blair was just 42 years old dynamic array of sounds from
cardinalʼs private residence, was OʼConnor,” the spokesman, when he swept to power in a natural acoustic tones and bossa
attended by Blairʼs family and Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, landslide election to become the
close friends. Cardinal Murphy- said. youngest prime minister since
OʼConnor said in a statement 1812. His 10 years of office made
Dec 22 that he was “very glad” to him the Labor Partyʼs longest-
welcome Blair into church. serving prime minister and the
“For a long time he has been a only one to lead the Labor Party
regular worshipper at Mass with to three consecutive general
his family and in recent months he election victories.
has been following a programme Even before he became prime
of formation to prepare for his minister there was speculation
reception into full communion,” that he was about to become
the cardinal said. “My prayers a Catholic. In the mid-1990s,
are with him, his wife and family the late Cardinal George Basil
at this joyful moment in their Hume of Westminster wrote to
journey of faith together.” Blair to ask him to stop receiving
Blair, 54, served as British Communion in the Catholic
prime minister from May 1997 parish of St. Joan of Arc near his Nov 14, 2007, Los Angeles. Sister Wendy savours the
until June 2007. home in north London. privilege of meeting Suzanne Vega, whose sincerity in her
He now serves as envoy to When Blair moved to contemplative words and music flows through her person.
the Middle East for the Quartet, Downing Street, he continued to
a group comprised of the United worship with his family but at IN THE EARLY centuries of nova beats, to industrial rock and
Nations, the European Union, the File photo of Cherie Blair nearby Westminster Cathedral. Christianity, hermits and monks lush orchestra strings.
United States and Russia. hugging her husband, former The onset of the war on shunned the “world” and lived on Listening to Suzanneʼs eclectic
He was admitted into the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. terror following the Sep 11, mountain tops and in deserts to collection of songs – whether it is
church using the liturgical rite of Cherie Blair was her husbandʼs 2001, terrorist attacks meant it encounter God and grow in the soft-spoken “Cracking” about
reception of a baptized Christian, sponsor when he was received was dangerous for him to attend contemplation. In the 16th century, one on the verge of a breakdown,
which involved him making a into the Catholic Church. public services. Masses were St. Ignatius advised people to find or the upbeat “Unbound” about
profession of faith during the then celebrated at Downing God in everything. Today, 500 freedom – can be a contemplative
course of the Mass. Street by Father Michael years after Ignatius, we can apply experience, stirring one to look
He was given doctrinal and Father Lombardi said the Seed, a Franciscan Friar of the his teaching to include the media beyond the obvious and superficial,
spiritual preparation by Msgr church was happy to welcome Atonement. culture as a place to find God. to delve deeper, and to ponder more
Mark Oʼ Toole, the cardinalʼs such a “prominent personality”. Speculation intensified again Movies, books, and songs profoundly. Though the subject of
private secretary, and also made a He emphasized that Blairʼs after Blair accepted an invitation – they all tell stories about life, her songs may be harsh, Suzanne
full confession before his reception. decision was not an impulsive from New York Cardinal Edward people, and events. When we pay writes with eloquence and tact, and
For most of his adult life, Blair one, but came at the end of a “long M. Egan to be the guest speaker closer attention to them, we may her calm and relaxed voice soothes
has attended Mass each Sunday and profound journey of faith”. at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial be able to discover something while rousing her listenerʼs soul.
with his wife. Their four children Some Catholics and pro-life Dinner in October. deeper about ourselves, or be Suzanneʼs songs are rich
were baptized in the Catholic groups questioned the sincerity of As prime minister, however, uplifted by them spiritually. in images and concepts, and
Church and raised as Catholics. Blairʼs profession of faith in view Blairʼs policies often brought him Through the media, we might be sometimes a single line merits
In a Dec 23 interview with of a political career in which he into conflict with Catholic leaders. touched by God, deepen our life a long reflection. The following
the British Broadcasting Corp. consistently voted for abortion Scottish Cardinal Thomas in the Spirit and be inspired to are just two of my favourite lines
Radio 2 “Good Morning Sunday” rights. Winning of Glasgow publicly view ourselves, other people and which I have contemplated upon:
programme, Cardinal Murphy- John Smeaton, director of criticized him over his voting the world more compassionately, – “We strangers know each
OʼConnor described the Mass of the Society for the Protection of record on abortion. and, perhaps, even be roused to other now as part of the whole
reception as “very intimate, very Unborn Children, said in a Dec Blair was also said to have make the world a better place. design” (from “Gypsy”).
prayerful”. 22 statement that he found Blairʼs endured a frosty 15-minute While secular films and books For me this statement
“It was a very moving decision to become a Catholic meeting with Pope John Paul II have been extensively used to resonates with the spirituality of
occasion,” said the cardinal. “I “decidedly strange”. in February 2003, less than a uplift people or help them grow communion – that we are all one,
suppose for him (it was) the end “We are very concerned,” month before British troops spiritually, contemporary secular regardless of race, religion or
of a process, in the sense that heʼs said Smeaton, a Catholic. joined a U.S-led invasion of Iraq. music has not been explored to language, created by the one God
been thinking about becoming a “During his premiership, Tony At that meeting, the pope warned the same degree. But it is one and all part of his loving creation.
Catholic for a long time. Blair became one of the worldʼs him that a war would disturb media that we can profitably tap Recognizing that we are one with
“But also, in another sense most significant architects of the whole Middle East and into. The stories and reflections all things and accepting our place
itʼs a beginning, because when the culture of death: promoting exacerbate tensions. in the songs of singer-songwriter in that oneness moves us (hopefully)
you become a Catholic, as so abortion, experiments on human Blair returned to the Vatican Suzanne Vega have been into and beyond ourselves.
many people who have become embryos – including on cloned in June, just weeks before he inspirational to my own spiritual – “Between the pen and the
Catholics have said to me, itʼs human embryos – and euthanasia stepped down both as prime journey and contemplative life. paperwork, there must be passion in
like coming home,” he said. by neglect. minister and a member of Suzanne Vegaʼs songs are the language” (from “Big Space”).
“This was a gift for Tony, a “We are writing to Tony Blair Parliament, for a meeting with not simplistic and shallow pop Since part of my apostolate is
personal journey, a gift for his to ask him whether he has repented Pope Benedict XVI. songs. They contain reflective to write, this line reminds me that
family,” he said, adding that Blair of the anti-life positions he has so Britain has never had a vignettes painted with lyrics rich whatever I write (and, ultimately,
became a Catholic “partly because openly advocated throughout his Catholic prime minister, although in metaphors and set to rhythmic, do) must be filled with a passion
of the example of his family”. political career,” he said. there is no constitutional barrier almost hypnotic melodies. They
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“I think also itʼs not just in Ann Widdecombe, a to such a move. ■ CNS include songs about the harsh