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                                  VIS-Press releases   
      
   POPE THANKS BRITISH FOR WARM WELCOME AND HOSPITALITY   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 19 SEP 2010 (VIS) - At 6.15 p.m. today Benedict XVI arrived at   
   Birmingham airport where the departure ceremony took place at the end of his   
   apostolic trip to the UK. Following some words from David Cameron, prime   
   minister of the United Kingdom, the Holy Father arose to address some remarks   
   to those present.   
      
   "Thank you for the warmth of your welcome and for the hospitality that I have   
   enjoyed", said the Pope, who also expressed his gratitude "for all the hard   
   work of preparation, on the part of both the present and the previous   
   government, the civil service, local authorities and police, and the many   
   volunteers".   
      
   "During my time with you", he went on, "I have been able to meet   
   representatives of the many communities, cultures, languages and religions that   
   make up British society. The very diversity of modern Britain is a challenge to   
   its government and people, but it also represents a great opportunity to   
   further inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue for the enrichment of the   
   entire community".   
      
   The Pope mentioned his meetings with Queen Elizabeth II and with political   
   leaders, and his address to both Houses of Parliament, expressing the hope   
   "that these occasions will contribute to confirming and strengthening the   
   excellent relations between the Holy See and the United Kingdom, especially in   
   co-operation for international development, in care for the natural   
   environment, and in the building of a civil society with a renewed sense of   
   shared values and common purpose".   
      
   On the subject of the joint celebrations with the Archbishop of Canterbury and   
   bishops of the Church of England in Westminster Abbey - "a place which speaks   
   so eloquently of our shared traditions and culture" - the Holy Father said: "As   
   Britain is home to so many religious traditions, I was grateful to have the   
   opportunity to meet their representatives and to share some thoughts with them   
   about the contribution that the religions can offer to the development of a   
   healthy pluralistic society.   
      
   "Naturally", he added in conclusion, "my visit was directed in a special way to   
   the Catholics of the United Kingdom. I treasure the time spent with the   
   bishops, clergy, religious and laity, and with teachers, pupils and older   
   people. It was especially moving to celebrate with them, here in Birmingham,   
   the beatification of a great son of England, Cardinal John Henry Newman. With   
   his vast legacy of scholarly and spiritual writings, I am certain that he still   
   has much to teach us about Christian living and witness amid the challenges of   
   today's world, challenges which he foresaw with such remarkable clarity".   
      
   At 6.45 p.m. the Pope boarded his flight to Rome. The plane landed at 10 p.m.   
   local time in Rome's Ciampino airport whence he travelled by car to the   
   Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo.   
   PV-UNITED KINGDOM/VIS 20100920 (480)   
      
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