Within that story is the expected question of whether the Holy Father would himself beatify Cardinal Newman during the course of his visit:
Some Catholics are hoping the Pope will break with convention and beatify Cardinal Newman himself.
Fr Federico Lombardi, the Pope's spokesman, said such a trip would be an "obvious occasion" to beatify Cardinal Newman. A journalist in the Czech Republic noted that Benedict XVI had previously expressed a preference to allow beatifications to be carried out by the local Church rather than by the Pope. In response, Fr Lombardi said: "We have a year to figure that out."
A Church insider said: "Cardinal Newman is the major event. It wouldn't be ridiculous to suggest that it's a possibility. The Pope has said it's his rule not to preside at beatifications but it's his rule to break.
"Pope Benedict is a great admirer of Newman and this visit is about Newman, and about what it says about the Church.
Source: Benedict's trip to Britain: new details emerge - Catholic Herald Online
