Liberal Vatican Flunky Calls Limeys "Third World" (Now W/ Added Link!)

Or what passeth for liberal in the Roman EmpireCatholic Church. Thanks to the Torygraph for getting enraged about this insult to Albion.

Cardinal Kasper’s presence will also be missed during Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain as he is seen as more liberal than his fellow German, as well as an expert on ecumenical dialogue.

The cardinal’s abrupt withdrawal from the trip prompted speculation in Rome that it was linked to an interview he gave this week to a German news magazine, Focus.

In an article headlined “A Third World country” he was quoted as saying: “When you arrive at Heathrow you think at times that you’ve landed in a Third World country.”

His secretary, Mgr Oliver Lahl, said the remark was a reference to the diverse, multi-cultural population of Britain, which the Cardinal has visited three times in recent years.

As long as the phrase "Third World hellhole" is not invoked, it's OK. All that he meant was, "Sure are a lotta wogs around here."

And they aren't buying it.

The preparations for the Pope's arrival have suffered a number of setbacks and thousands of tickets remain unsold for the large open-air Masses. Meanwhile secular groups have led protests against the £10million cost of the trip at a time of public sector cuts, and survivors of clergy abuse are angry that the Pope will be greeted by the Queen today at the start of a full state visit when the worldwide church stands accused of covering up the activities of paedophile priests.

Because of the never ending persecution, of course.

Cardinal Kasper, who recently retired as the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity having headed it since 2001, said that Britain was a “secular and pluralist” country in which there was a “distance from God”, noting that there was “a crisis of faith” in much of the West.

He referred to the case of a British Airways employee, Nadia Eweida, who was suspended by the airline in 2006 after she refused to stop wearing a crucifix around her neck, and alluded to the activities of prominent atheists such as Prof Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion.

Cardinal Kasper said Christians in Britain suffered discrimination, “above all by an aggressive new atheism. If you wear a cross on British Airways, you are discriminated against.”

Tell that to Her Bleedin' Majesty.

Cardinal Kasper added, however, that the Pope’s beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham “would not hinder” the building of closer relations with Anglicans.

He said Benedict was keen to find a “common strategy” with the Queen in defending Christian faith in Europe.

Excuse us just a moment, we have to call our broker & tell her to get us into the ducking stool bubble before it bursts.

A Vatican source denied that the last minute withdrawal was a blow to the Pope’s trip but said that Cardinal Kasper’s “expertise” on ecumenical dialogue would be “much missed”.

“He is quite a liberal figure who doesn’t always see eye to eye with the Pope, and he has been very friendly towards the Anglicans,” the source said.

Meanwhile one of England's most senior Catholics, The Most Rev Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark, has warned that "crackpots and lunatics" may try to disrupt the papal visit.

The Protest the Pope coalition has promised its rally will be peaceful and that no attempt will be made to arrest Benedict for alleged "crimes against humanity".

Cowards.

And (1530PDT 15 September 2010): The Scotsman on declining attendance at Papal gigs.