BUILD-UP TO THE PAPAL VISIT Pope to baptise Nigerian at Westminster

The names of four adults to be baptised by the Pope when he says Mass t Westminster Cathedral on May 28 were released this week.
They are: Mr Olutundi Ajaji, a 45-yearold Nigerian living in Tamworth, Staffordshire; Mr Andrew Barnes of Old Trafford,. Manchester; Miss Heidi Ann Doughty of Chiswick, West London, and Mrs Nilani de Silva of Bracknell, Berkshire.
Each of the four people to be baptised by Pope John Paul represents one of the four English provinces of Liverpool, Birmingham., Westminster and Southwark.
Mrs de Silva represents the-Southwark province. Originally from Sri Lanka, her husband and three children are Catholics, and she ,had considered becoming a Catholic for some time.
The parish priest of St Joseph's Church, Bracknell, Canon Timothy Dwyer. explained that Mrs de Silva was to have been received into the Church at Easter. He then heard that the organisers of the Pope's visit were looking for likely adult baptismal candidates, and applied. "Until then I did not know about the Westminster baptisms" he said.
At the Westminster Cathedral Mass,. Mrs de Silva's seven-year-old son will receive his First Holy Communion.
Pope will speak Welsh
THE POPE will greet the crowds at Pontcanna Fields, Cardiff, in their native Welsh when he celebrates Mass there on Wednesday, June 2.
The first words he will say, after the Entrance Hymn, are "Yn enw'r Tad, a'r Mab, a'r Ysbryd Glan" (In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit) to which the people will respond "Amen".
The Second Reading, which is taken from the letter to the Hebrews, will also be in Welsh, and the Creed will be sung in Latin. Otherwise the Mass is in English.
Crowds of more than 350,000 will attend the Mass which has been specially written by Dom Alan Rees, a Welsh-born Benedictine monk from Belmont Abbey. The Mass is partially based on Welsh folk tunes.
the central theme of the Welsh event is the sacrament of the Eucharist. During the service about 30 local children will receive their first Holy Communion from the Pope.
Rehearsals hit the right key
REHEARSALS in Midland parishes are under way for the musical settings to be used inthe Pope's Mass at Coventry airport on Pentecost Sunday. Music for the Mass is in the hands of three of the leading musicians of the Birmingham Province. David Saint, Director of Music a St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham, will be playing the organ and has written the music for the Penitential Rite.
Christopher Walker, Director of Music of Clifton Cathedral, Bristol will be conducting a choir of 1,000 drawn from Birmingham, Clifton, Shrewsbury, Nottinghaman Northampton, together with the cathedral choirs from Birmingtham and Clifton. He will also be responsible for directing a group of brass players, and has written the music to be used as the entrance chant for the Mass.
In overall charge of the musical side of the Mass is Paul Inwood, organised at Clifton Cathedral, who will be leading the huge crowd of people — currently estimated at 750,000 — in their singing. Mr . . Inwood has written the music for the Holy, holy, acclamation after the consecration, Great Amen, and For the kingdom acclamation. Music by him is also to be used at the service of anointing in St George's Cathedral, Southwark and at the Cardiff youth rally.
Other music for the Mass at Coventry includes a new Gloria by Peter Jones, director of music at Cotton College; a Gospel Acclamation byFr James Walsh; and a lamb of God by Bernadette Farrell, who is also helping with the musical arrangements for the service at Southwark and will be doing the same for the people outside the cathedral there as Mr Inwood is doing at Coventry.
A congregational rehearsal sheet for the Coventry Mass is available from Mgr Francis Thomas, Holy Trinity, London Road, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffs.
Charismatics invoke angel
AMONG prayers circulated by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement for the novena leading up to Pentecost and the Pope's visit is a traditional invocation of the archangel, Michael.
The English version of the prayer runs: "Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in the day of battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, prince of the heavenly host. by the power of God thrust down to hell Satan, and all wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen."
The prayer is intended as a petition for protection. Other prayers on a card circulated to all bishops ask for a pouring out of the Holy Spirit so that Christians may be confirmed in the service of God.
Cab drivers bag bishops
A LONDON BASED taxi firm will be clocking up some distinguished fares during the Pope's visit, because the firm has been appointed official licensed taxi cab suppliers to the organisers of the visit.
The main task of the firm, which has the rather undistinguished name of the OwnerDrivers Radio Taxi Service, will be to pick up the stray archbishops, bishops and other civic dignitaries who will be leaving the reception for the Pope in Archbishop's House, Westminster, on the evening of May 29.,
ButiAgr Ralph Br visit, has already taken out an account with the firm, which means that their 1,000 taxi cabs will be at his disposal for any arrangements before or during the visit.
Mr J. Taylor, a spokesman for the taxi service said that some of the details were still being discussed by the account was now open. "We would do anything they wanted. Collect vestments, food, even archbishops," he said.
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Schoolbook on the Pope
A BOOKLET to help prepare schoolchildren for the Pope's visit, has been distributed to all primary and secondary schools in the Portsmouth diocese. It contains: a biography of Pope John Paul and extracts from his writings produced in his personal capacity and as Pope. It includes encyclicals and poems.
Hymns and suggestions for liturgies, adapted for different age groups, in preparation for the papal visit, also feature in the booklet as well as a playlet on the Pope's life from his baptism to the papacy. information about the papacy and its history, short biographies of the first and twentieth century Popes, and suggestions for topics and projects and for prayers and reflections.