Tony Blair and Rimini 2009

We are being encouraged to write to the organisers of the annual Rimini meeting, sponsored by the movement Communion and Liberation, to try and get them to stop Tony Blair speaking during the meeting. Now, as a matter of politics I wouldn't write an open letter to someone if I really wanted them to change their mind about something. An open letter is only likely to get the recipients to dig their heels in and hold to their original position, as it removes the option of quiet negotiation. An open letter appears to me to be more addressed to the media and public opinion.

It is interesting to see the subject on which Tony Blair has been invited to speak, as indicated in the draft programme on the Rimini meeting website.

PERSON, COMMUNITY AND STATE
Invited: Tony Blair, President Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Introduced by: Giorgio Vittadini, President Fondazione Sussidiarietà.

During my visit to Canada for the International Eucharistic Congress in June 2008, I recall having two conversations with US and Canadian participants about Tony Blair. They clearly assumed that Tony Blair was a "good thing" from the point of view of Catholicism, and I had to undertake a careful explanation of what it was that made his reception into the Catholic Church an embarrassment for some of us. It is quite possible that many Italians are similarly ill-informed about Tony Blair's past political history and his rather loose approach to Catholic teaching. There might well be some value in educating them in this regard.

But I suspect, based on the extent of their political engagement in Italy, that there are enough people associated with Communion and Liberation who understand only too well where Tony Blair is coming from. I wonder whether he will actually get a comfortable ride in Rimini?

Now, to think about Tony's title. Questions of abortion seem less immediately relevant than those of gay rights, though, of course, the two are not un-connected. It would be quite interesting to compare his view of the relation between individual and state to that of, say, Rocco Buttiglione. Tony Blair has been politically committed to gay advocacy (Information about Ian McKellen's meeting with Tony Blair was first revealed in a Stonewall press release which Christian Institute quote verbatim), and continues to fund raise for gay organisations. All of this, to put it gently, is in tension with his being a Catholic. Rocco Buttiglione was not allowed to go forward as a European Commissioner because of his holding to Catholic teaching on homosexuality - and despite his very careful advocacy of the principle of non-discrimination in the public sphere (see part of this earlier post). I think Communion and Liberation will be very familiar with the debate around those events, and their relevance to Tony Blair's title.

What I wonder is: does Tony really know what he is letting himself in for in agreeing to speak in Rimini? A bit mischieveously, I think I would rather see him roasted in Rimini than have the invitation withdrawn ...