THE TELEGRAPH: The diplomat who has been disciplined over a Foreign Office memo mocking the Pope was accused last night of being “clueless” about the Catholic faith.
Anjoum Noorani, 31, was the leader of the Papal Visit Team which drew up a document suggesting the Pope should launch his own range of “Benedict” condoms, open an abortion clinic and stay in a council flat in Bradford.
Mr Noorani, whose identity has until now remained secret, was moved to “other duties” after he gave authorisation for the memo to be sent to Downing Street and three Whitehall departments.
The memo, which was leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, threatens to overshadow the Pope’s entire four-day visit in September after it prompted fury in the Vatican and among Catholics in Britain.
Senior members of the church have described Mr Noorani and his team as having “not the slightest understanding of Catholicism”. None of the four-strong group is thought to be a practising Catholic.
The memo, which also called for the Pope to bless a homosexual marriage, was emailed around Whitehall by Steven Mulvain, a 23-year-old Oxford graduate who describes his sexual orientation on a social networking website as “gay”.
Mr Mulvain has not been disciplined for his role in the fiasco.
Mr Noorani, who, like Mr Mulvain, is a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford, chaired the “brainstorm” session which led to the “Ideal Visit” memo, which also proposed that the Pope should sing a duet with the Queen and sponsor a network of Aids clinics.
He worked as press secretary at the British Embassy in Russia between 2002 and 2007, where he dealt with all Russian media inquiries about Britain’s response to the murder of the former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. He was unavailable for comment last night and his mother, who lives in Windsor, said she “can’t say anything”.
Although the Vatican is now trying to draw a line under the memo fiasco, Papal aides believe the Government’s choice of non-Catholic staff typifies the “lack of respect” being shown towards the first ever state visit by a Pontiff. >>> Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Related:
THE TELEGRAPH: Pope's Visit to Britain Will Go Ahead Despite Offensive Memo, Says Vatican >>> Monday, April 26, 2010
THE TELEGRAPH: Pope 'Could Cancel UK Visit' Over 'Offensive' Foreign Office Memo >>> Gordon Rayner and Nick Pisa in Rome | Sunday, April 25, 2010
My comment, Sunday, April 15, 2010:
Such disgusting behaviour from the Foreign Office. What kind of low-life do they employ there these days? This is no way to behave; and it is certainy no way to treat the Pope. Would these same people have had the courage to write these things about the visit of a Muslim cleric? I think we all know the answer to that question! Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting! And if the Pope cancels his visit, no one should be at all surprised. – © Mark
Today’s comment:
Forgive me for asking, but isn’t this man a Muslim? So why ever would the Foreign Office make a Muslim the leader of the ‘Papal Visit Team’? It’s the Foreign Office that’s “clueless”, not Anjoum Nourani! If this man is indeed a Muslim, he’ll be anything but “clueless” about Roman Catholicism; on the contrary, he’ll be all clued up! He knew exactly what he was doing. Isn't this just another attack on Judeo-Christianity by a member of the “Religion of Peace”? – © Mark
