The beatification of Blair

It is well know that Tony Blair is a religious man, that Cherie and the family are practising Catholics and that Blair himself has been quietly moving towards Rome.

Rightly and properly he has always maintained that his faith is a private matter.

Fascinating, though, to read in today's Times that:
Blair will be welcomed into Catholic fold via his 'baptism of desire'

Tony Blair will declare himself a Roman Catholic on leaving Downing Street, as per a priest close to him.

Father Seed said: "He's been going to Mass every Sunday. He goes on his own when he is abroad, not just when he is with his wife and children." Another church source said that a number of of the early saints and martyrs were not baptised. Such people were held to have had a "baptism of desire". Saints and martyrs?

In view of the Prime Minister's eminence we can surely expect an accelerated beatification. Canonisation is the final step. However, in the case of a candidate who is not a martyr, the church looks for another authentic miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession, as a sign from God of the candidate's heroic holiness.

There can be little doubt about Tony Blair's heroic holiness. It is indeed chronicled every fortnight in Private Eye (see the latest sermon from The Vicar of St Albion here )

So, we all accept that he is heroically holy. But looking back over the last ten years, I am struggling to find evidence of a miracle.

Can anyone help?Labels: beatification, Blair, canonisation. Posted by: Dr John Crippen    Source