Pope Benedict XVI begins a four-day visit to England and Scotland on Thursday. It is the first papal visit to the United Kingdom since 1982. The highlight will be the beatification of the 19th-century cardinal John Henry Newman. Furthermore, the relationship between the relatively liberal Anglican Church and the much more conservative Roman Catholic Church will take centre stage.
 
From sociological research, it appears that only 14 percent of Britons really appreciate the papal visit. The rest complain about the church’s tough stance on abortion, contraception and homosexuality, and its refusal to allow women priests. All of these issues are also threatening to produce a worldwide schism in the Anglican community.

As he visits the United Kingdom, should Pope Benedict agree to honour the Netherlands with a visit too?

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Column by Antoine Bodar (see bottom of page)
 
Modified ideals
In the Anglican world, which takes a pragmatic approach to life, ideals are not maintained permanently, but must be adjusted from time to time when the people want it. The Church of Rome is more of the Latin persuasion, in which tensions between the ideals and reality, theory and practice, doctrine and life are all part of life itself. Ideals should always be cherished, even though they are rarely feasible. Britons cannot understand such a concept.
 
And the Dutch? Them neither. The Netherlands is maybe not Americanised, but at least it is 'Britishised'. It's no longer a society in which French, German and British culture meet. It has become intellectually deficient.
 
Rudeness and loutish behaviour
I recall the visit of Pope John Paul II to the Netherlands in 1985. The rudeness was not as far advanced as it is today, the loutish behaviour still the exception rather than the rule. Yet the Pope was offended by a filthy song called Popie Jopie, by empty streets in the capital of the province of North Brabant ('s-Hertogenbosch), which at the time was still mostly Catholic, and by a young mob throwing stones at the Popemobile in Utrecht.
 
And now?
Is there another country in western Europe where insolence is so much a part of the nature of the inhabitants? Is there another country that is so intolerant? Is there another country so hostile to culture? Is there another country that allows vulgarity as much as the Kingdom of the Netherlands? I don’t think so.
 
Whoever wants to see the Pope simply travels to Rome. The Netherlands is not worthy of a papal visit, because its citizens won’t behave themselves, as has been demonstrated in the past.

About Antoine Bodar:
Antoine Bodar (1944) is a leading Dutch Roman Catholic priest. He is a professor, art historian, writer and author of theological books. Father Bodar is known in the Netherlands for his strong opinions about the church and religion. He lives and works in Rome.

[The views expressed in this article are purely those of the author.]