Who was asked to defend the Church against Hitchens and Fry?

Catholics in this country continue to be troubled by the intensity and forcefulness of the anger directed towards the Church at the Intelligence Squared debate “The Catholic Church is a force for Good” held at Methodist Central Hall in Westminster some weeks ago. The debate was disastrous for the Catholic side, despite valiant efforts from both the MP Ann Widdecombe and Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.

One question I keep hearing from Catholics who were there was: “Could they find no one else to defend the Church?”

This week in atheism

Rumour has it that Britain’s New-Atheist-in-Chief, Prof Richard Dawkins of God Delusion fame was spotted at the Oxford Oratory during the visit of St Therese of Lisieux. As one source put it, “it looked like he was singing hymns with much gusto”.

Another atheist (now a proselytising  atheist), the journalist Matthew Parris also went to see the relics, in Westminster Cathedral last week. It seems he had no moment of conversion, just an affirmation of his unbelief.

In other news, Stephen Fry, actor, comedian, atheist and public innerllectshualist has linked Polish Catholicism to the Holocaust:

He said “There has been a history, let’s face it, in Poland of a Right-wing Catholicism which has been deeply disturbing for those of us who know a little history, and remember which side of the border Auschwitz was on, and know the stories, and know much of the anti-Semitic, and homophobic and nationalistic elements in countries like Poland.”

Mr Fry is set to join Christopher Hitchens, another New Atheist (loud)talking head and author of God is not great, arguing against the motion the “Catholic Church is a force for Good in the world” at an Intelligence2 debate on Monday. On the for side: Ann Widdecombe and Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria. According to the National Catholic Reporter, Archbishop Onaiyekan is really looking forward to a battle of wits with the two men.

Watch this space, the debate should be interesting. I’ll be there.