Pope Benedict

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A UK TV station's commissioning of Peter Tatchell - a gay rights campaigner and critic of the Vatican - to make a documentary about the Pope which will air around the time of the pontiff's UK visit is drawing criticism.

Mr Tatchell is one of the founders of a group called Protest the Pope that criticises the Pope's record on homosexuality, contraception and child abuse and says that he "is an unsuitable guest of the UK government", said a report on Telegraph.co.uk.

British broadcaster Channel 4 said the 60-minute program will examine the impact that the Pope's pronouncements have had on both the developing and Western world, and that it will give voice to a range of views on the Pope. Mr Tatchell has said it would be "robustly factual".

"There is nothing surprising in the continued frantic jumping up and down by the Guardian/Channel 4/BBC axis in opposition to the Pope," said James MacMillan, a composer, who is a devout Catholic.

"Their venom is now so repetitive that it has lost any potency it once had. Frankly, people are getting bored with them."

Ann Widdecombe, a Tory politician, said: "I think this will confirm the view that there probably already is in the Vatican that this is a profoundly anti-Catholic country. I wouldn't call this the right thing for any serious broadcaster to do, but they're doing it for the publicity, they're doing it to stir up controversy. Mr Tatchell certainly won't be sympathetic to his subject, so what's the point of doing it? It won't be skeptical, it will be hostile."

"It's really awful," said Jack Valero, a prominent member of Opus Dei. "Any idea that Mr Tatchell can be impartial in presenting a programme about the Pope coming here - it's just amazing that anybody could think that."

A different report in the Telegraph said that former Governor of Hong Kong and European Commissioner Lord Chris Patten will take over the organisation of the Pope's visit.

Lord Patten, a Catholic and an experienced diplomat, is also the current Chancellor of Oxford University. He will work with the Church and the Cabinet Office. Ministers believe he will be able to get the first ever papal state visit to Britain back on track following a series of setbacks.

Separately, the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn has sent a letter of sympathy to Bishop Michael Campbell, of Lancaster over the killing of 12 people by a gunman in the Lakes District last week.

Vicar-General Mgr John Woods extended the Archdiocese's "prayerful support as you come to terms with the tragic loss of life in West Cumbria".

Bishop Campbell replied: "It is a comfort to know that they are in the thoughts and prayers of the Catholic community in Australia - far away geographically, but close in sympathy and prayer. This is much appreciated."

FULL STORY

Catholics blast 'hostile' C4 film about the Pope (Telegraph.co.uk)

Lord Patten will co-ordinate Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Britain (Telegraph.co.uk)

Message of Sympathy to Lancaster Diocese (Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn)

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