Update: Pope warns Britons against dangers of ‘aggressive secularism’

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Pope lands in the UK (courtesy Romereports news agency)

Queen greets Pope at Holyrood Castle (courtesy Romereports news agency)

Pope Benedict XVI's speech at Edinburgh on the 'forces of secularism' (courtesy ITN News Channel)

Benedict XVI added that even in his own lifetime, "Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live".

Driving home a point that is expected to be central to his four-day visit, Benedict went on: "As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the 20th century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a 'reductive vision of the person and his destiny'."

The quote was from his own encyclical on social and economic issues, Caritas in Veritate, published last year.

In what might be regarded as a less than warm endorsement, the pope noted that the United Kingdom strove to be a modern and multicultural society.

 "In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms."

His choice of words echoed controversial comments made yesterday by a senior Vatican adviser who claimed Britain discriminated against Christians, and likened arriving in multicultural Britain to visiting "a third-world country".

The pope called on the British media to remember its global power and behave responsibly.

"Because their opinions reach such a wide audience the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations."

He urged Britons to "continue to operate by the values of Cardinal [John Henry] Newman of respect, honesty and fair-mindedness". He was referring to the 19th century clergyman who will be beatified in a ceremony on Sunday.

His trip across the roads of Scotland was met with sporadic protests, including some Spanish tourists who shouted "Assesino, pedofila!" as the Popemobile passed next to them.

Pope Benedict XVI describes clerical paedophilia as an ‘illness’

Pope Benedict XVI has described clerical paedophilia as an "illness" whose sufferers had lost their free will, using his strongest language to date on the church’s record on the matter.

This strong statement was made during a press briefing for accredited correspondents on board the papal plane this morning on his way to the United Kingdom for a four-day visit.

Benedict XVI also deplored the Catholic Church’s failure to act swiftly and decisively in the past.

The pope was speaking after a Channel 4 documentary this week reported that several British priests convicted of paedophile offences were still active in the church.

Answering previously submitted questions during a 15-minute briefing, he said: "It is difficult to understand how this perversion of the priestly mission was possible".

Pope Benedict said he had learnt of the cases which had come to light recently with sadness, adding "sadness also that the church authorities were not sufficiently vigilant and insufficiently speedy and decisive in taking the necessary measures."

The Roman Catholic church, he insisted, was "at a moment of penitence, humility and renewed sincerity".

Benedict XVI explained how his first priority was to help the victims to recover from the trauma they had undergone "and rediscover too their faith in the message of Christ".

He added that priests at risk of sexually abusing the young should be "excluded from all possibility of access to young people because we know that this is an illness and free will does not work when there is this sickness."

“We must protect these people against themselves," he insisted.

The Pope's comments on clerical paedophilia on the papal flight to Edinburgh (courtesy ITN News Channel)

Meanwhile, the state visit of Benedict XVI, which stated today, had been clouded by claims yesterday from one of his advisors that Britain resembled a “Third world country”, whose increasingly secular nature was irritating the Vatican. The papal Alitalia aircraft landed at Glasgow Airport at 11.14 Maltese time, 14 minutes behind schedule.

Following such claims from Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican said he dropped out of the entourage for health reasons, while British media said he had been stopped from accompanying Benedict on the trip.

The Vatican commented on the cardinal’s remarks, saying he had “no negative intent or dislike.”

Head of the Catholic church in England and Wales, Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nicholas, said "On face value I find the remarks of Cardinal (Walter) Kasper quite inexplicable."

"This is a very diverse country and we rejoice in that diversity. There's a great richness of people and of cultures and of contributions made in British society and they are an enrichment," he added.

On his arrival in Edinburgh, there was a state reception for the 83-year-old pope at the Palace of Holyrood house, the queen's official residence in Scotland.

The highlight of the trip will be a beatification mass for 19th century English cardinal John Henry Newman, and it also features symbolic prayers with the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the head of the world's Anglicans..

The pope will conduct mass before some 65,000 pilgrims, with a performance from British TV talent show star Susan Boyle. In an exceptional move, pilgrims must pay up to 25 pounds (30 euros) to attend the masses as a contribution towards the 20 million pound cost of the visit.

Polls have revealed that over two-thirds of Britons are opposed to the state visit, and demonstrators are expected to take to the streets in protest of the pope’s stance on such issues as women priests and his opposition to contraception. British victims of clerical abuse are also hoping to receive more than just an apology from the pope.