Woodward meets 'supportive' Pope
Shaun Woodward
A papal visit to the North was back on the Vatican agenda today after a meeting in Rome between Pope Benedict and Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward.
An invitation to the Pope to visit the UK was made by Prime Minister Gordon Brown during discussions in February.
Mr Woodward said after his meeting: “I echoed the invitation of the Prime Minister and expressed the hope that the Pope would be able to come to Northern Ireland as part of a visit.”
He was in Rome on a brief visit following the very clear support for the peace process expressed by the Vatican in March following the murders of two soldiers in Antrim and a policeman in Craigavon.
“The Pope expressed his concern and deep sorrow at the attacks in March. He has clearly followed events closely and was obviously moved.
“We discussed the particular pain for the families and he was very concerned for their welfare,” said Mr Woodward.
The Vatican had continued to show a strong interest in maintaining the peace process, he said. “The Pope was very supportive of all those who have worked to establish and nurture the peace.”
Pope John Paul II made a first Papal visit to Ireland in 1979 but, because of the security situation in the North, did not cross the border.
No date for a visit to the UK by Pope Benedict has been set, but there has been considerable pressure, since the establishment of the peace process, for the North to be included in any visit.
