Daily Mail
December 27, 2010
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1341590/Popes-Thought-Day-Scores-listeners-complain-BBC.html
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| Controversy: The decision to allow the Pope to record a message for the BBC has drawn criticism because of Catholic involvement in clerical child abuse |
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| Pope Benedict XVI delivers the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter's basilica at the Vatican yesterday morning |
Scores of listeners have complained to the BBC over the Pope's historic Christmas Eve message on Radio 4's religious slot Thought For The Day.
The Corporation said it had already received 60 formal complaints following its decision to grant Benedict XVI such a prominent platform, and there were dozens of hostile comments on BBC internet sites.
During the three-minute broadcast on Friday morning, Benedict XVI prayed for the elderly and recalled his State visit to Britain in September 'with great fondness'.
He focused on traditional Christian themes and made no reference to scandals that have recently engulfed the Vatican and its leadership.
No Pope has ever presented the BBC radio's religious slot before, and it was the first time the Pontiff had addressed a Christmas greeting directly to one of the countries he had visited during the year. The coup follows months of lobbying by BBC executives, including its Roman Catholic Director-General Mark Thompson.
But critics said Benedict XVI should not have been allowed to present his views unchallenged when many people questioned his role in controversies such as clerical child abuse.
Keith Porteous Wood, of the National Secular Society, said: 'I've got no problem with the message itself, but I think it's an extraordinarily bad choice for the BBC and I think it's actually a slap in the face for these hundreds of thousands of child-abuse victims.'
Comments posted on the BBC's Radio 4 blogsite echoed his criticisms. One read: 'I hope that the Pope's message will provide some comfort to the great many children throughout the world who were raped and abused by Catholic paedophile priests.'
Some messages supported the Pope's right to be heard.
A spokesman for the BBC said: 'As a religious slot, Thought For The Day has guest speakers from many faiths.
'Previous religious speakers have included the Chief Rabbi, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Westminster and representatives from other faiths.'
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham Bernard Longley told Radio 4's Today programme that it was the Pope's reception on his recent visit to Britain that had persuaded him to make the ground-breaking broadcast.
The Pope stirred more controversy in his traditional Christmas Day message from the Vatican by referring to the limits placed on Chinese Catholics by the state.
China's 10million Catholics are split between followers of the Pope and the state-sponsored version of the church, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.
He said: 'May the birth of the Saviour strengthen the spirit of faith, patience and courage of the faithful of the Church in mainland China, that they may not lose heart through the limitations imposed on their freedom of religion and conscience but, persevering in fidelity to Christ and his Church, may keep alive the flame of hope.'
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