Foreign Office papal visit memo
Encyclopedia
The Foreign Office papal visit memo was an incident that occurred in the United Kingdom
in April 2010, after it was revealed that Foreign Office civil servants working on preparing the State Visit
of Pope Benedict XVI
in 2010 had sent out an internal memo containing remarks that could be considered insults to the Pope. The incident received wide media coverage and speculation that the Pope might cancel the state visit. The Vatican subsequently confirmed that it will be going ahead with the planned visit.
The memo suggested that Pope Benedict XVI, during his visit, could launch a range of branded condoms, visit an abortion clinic, bless a gay marriage and apologize for the Spanish Armada
. The cover note to the memo read "Please protect; these should not be shared externally. The 'ideal visit' paper in particular was the product of a brainstorm which took into account even the most far-fetched of ideas."
The civil servants alleged to be responsible for sending the memo were identified as Steven Mulvain, 23, who wrote the memo, and Anjoum Noorani, 31, who authorized its circulation. It is thought that others were part of the team who drew up this memo. According to The Times, Steven Mulvain once described his hobby as "drinking a lot". There is no information on who, within, or with access to the Foreign Office leaked the memo to a national newspaper.
The Foreign Secretary, David Miliband
, stated that he was "appalled" by the memo, and the British government apologized to the Pope and the Catholic Church, stating that the memo writer has been told orally and in writing that this was a serious error of judgment, adding that "this is clearly a foolish document that does not in any way reflect UK government or Foreign Office policy or views. Many of the ideas in the document are clearly ill-judged, naïve and disrespectful" and that "the Foreign Office very much regrets this incident and is deeply sorry for the offence which it has caused".. Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy
added: "These memos are vile, they're insulting, they're an embarrassment and, on behalf of, I think, the whole of the United Kingdom, I want to apologise to His Holiness the Pope." The British ambassador to the Vatican, Francis Campbell, met senior officials of the Holy See to express regret on behalf of the government
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in April 2010, after it was revealed that Foreign Office civil servants working on preparing the State Visit
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom from 16 to 19 September 2010 was the first state visit by a pope to the United Kingdom...
of Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in 2010 had sent out an internal memo containing remarks that could be considered insults to the Pope. The incident received wide media coverage and speculation that the Pope might cancel the state visit. The Vatican subsequently confirmed that it will be going ahead with the planned visit.
The memo suggested that Pope Benedict XVI, during his visit, could launch a range of branded condoms, visit an abortion clinic, bless a gay marriage and apologize for the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
. The cover note to the memo read "Please protect; these should not be shared externally. The 'ideal visit' paper in particular was the product of a brainstorm which took into account even the most far-fetched of ideas."
The civil servants alleged to be responsible for sending the memo were identified as Steven Mulvain, 23, who wrote the memo, and Anjoum Noorani, 31, who authorized its circulation. It is thought that others were part of the team who drew up this memo. According to The Times, Steven Mulvain once described his hobby as "drinking a lot". There is no information on who, within, or with access to the Foreign Office leaked the memo to a national newspaper.
The Foreign Secretary, David Miliband
David Miliband
David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
, stated that he was "appalled" by the memo, and the British government apologized to the Pope and the Catholic Church, stating that the memo writer has been told orally and in writing that this was a serious error of judgment, adding that "this is clearly a foolish document that does not in any way reflect UK government or Foreign Office policy or views. Many of the ideas in the document are clearly ill-judged, naïve and disrespectful" and that "the Foreign Office very much regrets this incident and is deeply sorry for the offence which it has caused".. Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy
Jim Murphy
James Francis "Jim" Murphy is a British Labour Party politician and is the Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire....
added: "These memos are vile, they're insulting, they're an embarrassment and, on behalf of, I think, the whole of the United Kingdom, I want to apologise to His Holiness the Pope." The British ambassador to the Vatican, Francis Campbell, met senior officials of the Holy See to express regret on behalf of the government