PUBLIC houses in Canterbury will be open from seven o'clock in the morning until eleven o'clock at night on the day of the Pope's visit, according to police sources.
The special licences granted by British magistrates contrast with the policy during the Pope's visit to Ireland where bars were closed not only on the day of his arrival in a town but also the night before.
Those who manage to get to Canterbury Cathedral will see the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, enthrone the Canterbury Gospels on the archiepiscopal throne.
The Gospels are reputed to have been given by Pope Gregory to St Augustine, the converter of the English, at the end of the 6th Century,
The ceremonial act will be typical of the historical accent placed on the Pope's public acts. In Manchester an early Christian graffito will decorate the front of the altar. It shows the words Pater Noster written in the shape of a cross with the Alpha and Omega symbols. persuad " themorganisers of this, for * .' reasc94s," he said.
shop -Paul Marcinkus had advised the dropping of the Creed at the Mass of all the bishops at Westminster Cathedral on May 28, during his visit to England a fortnight ago to finalise arrangements.
Cardinal Hume wishes the saying of the Creed to underline the common faith of Catholics in this country, which the Pope is coming to confirm. He said at last week's meeting that the essential aspects of the visit had not been properly communicated in the secular press, and the Catholic press had failed to report completely his hopes for the visit.
"I would like to sum it up very simply by saying that when the Holy Father leaves us on June 2, every Catholic should have achieved three things: • "To believe more firmly and more , accurately (and this comes under the title of confirming the faith). pr • "To ay more devoutly and more frequently (and that includes the liturgy).
• "To serve more generously and more effectively (that is, service within the Catholic community and members of the Catholic community serving the community at large).
"Faith, prayer and action — that is the purpose of the Pope's visit."
the cathedral's artistic director. The 40 helpers are working in the cathedral crypt.
The two principal banners, 20 feet long, will hang on either side of the Cathedral's inner entrance.
One will portray Our Lady of Liverpool, the other St Nicholas, patron saint of Liverpool. They will be placed next to the National Pastoral Congress tapestry, also 20 feet long: "Jesus, the Way, Truth and Life."
The other banners will hang 30 feet down the cathedral's interior walls. Apart from the Papal banner and diocesan banners there will be 28 others depicting local saints and martyrs, including the patron saints of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
More than 100 banners in the Papal colours will drape from windows along Hope Street as the Pope moves from Anglican the Catholic cathedral.
On Monday in York, marriage will be the theme. The Pope will not celebrate Mass; one of the.bishops will celebrate Mass at 7.30 am for stewards, volunteers and pilgrims from distant places.
The first of a number of background papers on the York visit has been produced. It lists the addresses and telephone numbers of area contacts for the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and the National Marriage Guidance Council, in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North East.
The paper explains that both organisations provide a confidential counselling service for people who have difficulties or anxieties in their marriage or in other personal relationships. charge in an open letter to the Pope on his visit to Britain, to be delivered in advance via the Nunciature in Wimbledon. The grounds for the charge are given as Papal opposition to contraception.
"You therefore bear some responsibility for thousands of abortions every month, in this country alone. However strongly you denounce abortion, you cannot escape this responsibility," the letter says.
The organisation claims not to be opposing the visit itself, but only the things the Pope will be saying. But it is circulating 'Certificates of De-Baptism' for apostates to send the Pope and selling tabards with pro-contraceptive slogans.