British Catholics join prayers for pontiff

Millions of Catholics in the UK were joining worldwide prayers for the Pope last night, as he clung to life in his Vatican apartments.

Millions of Catholics in the UK were joining worldwide prayers for the Pope last night, as he clung to life in his Vatican apartments.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, said fellow Christians were thinking of him intribute to his "extraordinary and wonderful life". The Cardinal urged people to pray for the Pope, who has led the world's one billion Catholics for 26 years. He said: "It is not only my prayers and those of Catholics which are being offered, but those of fellow Christians and countless others who have grown to respect and admire this man, who has been a witness and extraordinarily important moral voice for the world."

Special prayers were said for the Pope at Westminster Cathedral's regular Mass in London yesterday, and a steady stream of visitors lit candles before a photograph of John Paul II before the altar.

Last night, the Cardinal led a special mass for the Pope at Westminster Cathedral, which was attended by Cherie Blair.

The Cardinal told the packed congregation: "We do not know how long Pope John Paul still has to live. Hours, days, it is in the Lord's hands. But I think it right that we should be together this evening to pray not only for him at this time, to pray for him that the Lord will give him courage and strength at this time, but also to pray with him.

"I think that there is something extraordinarily moving not only for we who share his faith but for the whole world in someone demonstrating, by his suffering, that suffering is redemptive and that we could be strong in suffering and in weakness as well as strong in health and vitality."

The leader of Scotland's Catholics, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, said: "My thoughts are that he is still a great man, that he has influenced many people throughout the world and still is, just by the way he is getting ready to pass over to Almighty God, if that is God's will.''

The Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady, said: "I ask Catholics to continue to pray fervently for the Pope, that he may be united ever more closely with Jesus and be given all the graces he needs."