A Swiss becomes the first Papal Ambassador to Britain Autor(en): [s.n.] Objekttyp: Article Zeitschrift: The Swiss observer : the journal of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK Band (Jahr): - (1982) Heft 1788 PDF erstellt am: 25.09.2021 Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-686455 Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber. Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind. Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz, www.library.ethz.ch http://www.e-periodica.ch ON March 5, 1911, a son, Bruno Bernhard, was born to Bernhard and Elisabeth Heim- Studer in Olten. Seventy-one years on he has become the first Pro-Nuncio repre- senting the Vatican at the Court of St. James's. This appointment has healed the A Swiss becomes diplomatic breach between Britain and the Pope, when, in the 16th century, the Anglican Church left the Roman Catholic fold. Papal Ambassador In 1914 Great Britain sent the first Minister to the Vatican, and six years later established a permanent Legation. One hundred and twelve countries are repre- sented at the Holy See, and until recently country parson, dreaming of plenty of leisure Copenhagen. Of this period, the last three Britain was one of the very few whose mis- to follow his love of writing and painting. But years he was also Pro-Nuncio to Finland. sions did not have ambassadorial rank. Since higher powers decreed otherwise. He was After 1969, he spent four years in Egypt as it is always the other country and never the educated at the Benedictine College of the Pro-Nuncio and President of Caritas Egypt. Vatican which makes overtures regarding Monastery of Engelberg in Central Swit- Now that Archbishop Heim has been diplomatic relations, it was up to Britain to zerland, the Collegium in Schwyz and the St. appointed Pro-Nuncio, his work has not take the first step in establishing a Nunciature Thomas Aquinas University of Rome. His really changed much, he maintains. It is still in London and at the same time trans- first doctorate (Ph.D.) was awarded at the like that of an Ambassador, but not con- forming the Legation in Rome to an Em- latter in 1934, his B.D. three years later at the cerned with commerce and military matters. bassy. University of Fribourg. He was ordained Naturally, religious and ecumenical work This has now happened, and the Most priest in Solothurn in 1938 and was parish take pride of place, together with charity, Rev. Archbishop Bruno Bernhard Heim has vicar in Arbon and Basle from 1938 to 1942. matters of peace, culture and education, the been appointed the first Pro-Nuncio to the Next he was appointed Chief Chaplain for contact with government and churches. In Court of St. James's. ("Note: Pro-Nuncio is Italian and Polish internees in the Emmental, his task, the experiences the Archbishop had when the papa/ envoy is not the doyen o/ the as spiritual counsellor now stand him in good Dip/omatic Corps. As doyen he wou/d be stead. ca//ed Nuncio). MARIANN MEIER The Church of England has 1,750,000 Archbishop Heim came to London in members on the Church electoral rolls, Great interviews Archbishop October 1973 as Apostolic Delegate to Bruno Heim though many more not on the registers. The Britain and Gibraltar. He was the fifth such Methodists have half a million members, the representative, after an Englishman, an United Reform Church some 150,000 and American, an Italo-American and another the Moravians 2,500. The Roman Catholic Italian. The Apostolic Delegate's residence in whom he visited mainly on his bicycle (1943- community numbers between four and five Parkside, Wimbledon, London SW19 was 1945). The young priest was fortunate in million; it is about 10 per cent of believers in bought in 1939 and is an impressive two- clearing up a misunderstanding and delicate England and 14 per cent in Scotland. Thus gabled building of Victorian proportions. business for a former Prince-Archbishop of the establishing of full diplomatic relations The youthful Archbishop received me (a Prague, upon which the Secretary of State at seems long overdue. devout Protestant) most kindly, and the few the Vatican encouraged him to study On one hand there was the fear that the hours in his company were most interesting canonical law. He took his degree as arguments which led to the break under and stimulating. He was called to the phone Dr.iur.can. at the Gregorian University in Henry VIII might flare up. On the other there the by Rome as we were sitting in ample Rome. This was followed by a period at the was a feeling that "top-rank diplomatic repre- drawing room on two levels giving onto the Papal Ecclesiastical Academy where he sentation should only be to and from sub- conservatory and overlooking the spacious graduated in 1947. stantial territorial sovereignty which the garden. A very important period in his career was Vatican is not" (The Times). But the 44 Thus I was witness to his fluent Italian his work as secretary to the Nuncio in Paris, hectares covered by it is hardly représenta- which equals his German, French and Archbishop Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, later tive, for the diplomatic importance of the English. He also knows Spanish, Danish, Pope John XXIII (1947-1951). The next two Holy See cannot be measured in area. The Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch and Hungarian, years were spent as Auditor at the RC Church's influence is far greater. not to forget Greek and Latin. Our conversa- Nunciature in Vienna, followed by a period Actually, the Holy See is not the Vatican tion was carried on in modest Swiss - his of seven years as Counsellor and Chargé City State, in fact the title of head of the Solothum dialect is not much removed from d'Affaires at the Nunciature in Bonn. Vatican State is the most minor of all the my Basellandschaeftler idiom. In 1961, he was created Archbishop of Pope's titles. His sovereignty of that tiny His Grace told me of his childhood and Xanthos, and for eight years he was space in Rome dates from the First World youth and of his wish to become an ordinary Apostolic Delegate to Scandinavia, based in War. It is an unique institution theoretically the name to stick to TOUCH AND CLOSE FASTENER Sole U.K. manufacturer, Selectus Limited, Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trènt ST8 7R'L Telephone; Stoke-on-Trent (0782) 513316 VeLCRO the first to Britain detachable from the Vatican, but not from the last four Popes, as well as countless Rome. church dignitaries. It is said that the establishing of full diplo- Among his publications are several books matic relations between Britain and the on heraldic subjects; the best-known was first Vatican was delayed partly in consideration published in German and French in the of the tense position in Ireland. While Ulster forties, and in English in 1978 (Van Düren, and Ireland have been politically separated Gerrards Cross and Humanitas USA) since 1920, the Church is one. Cardinal "Heraldry in the Catholic Church, its origins, Thomas O Fiaich (Thomas Fee), Primate of customs and laws." The book is beautifully All Ireland, is resident in Ulster (Armagh). illustrated by Dr. Heim himself. It had a The Nuncio in Dublin is competent for the Flemish edition in 1980, and the second whole of Ireland. English edition last year included oriental According to the Irish Times, Dr. Heim's and Anglican heraldry and a section on Archbishop Heim upgrading is seen as smoothing the way for Swiss and Polish housemarks, where he Pope John Paul's visit to Britain in May. But found remarkable similarities. the Archbishop assured me that the Another unique publication (again Ger- organisation of the event lay in the hands of rards Cross) is his "Liber Amicorum, typical: "I told them to shoot me if I ever the Bishops' Conference, with Monsignor Illustrium Hospitum," a visitors' book of started on one. For you cannot write about Ralph Brown as chief negotiator. It is that extraordinary character, containing crests yourself without showing off and blowing body, too, which has appointed Mark and coats of arms designed by the Arch- your own trumpet." McCormack, the international lawyer and bishop, under signatures of the high and So it is left to others to write about him agent, to organise the business and mighty among his visitors, both spiritual and and his many talents and interests, his devo- important financial side of the visit; security temporal, between 1961 and 1981. tion, but also his friendly manner and his arrangements alone cause great problems. The Osseruatore Romano called Bruno lovely sense of humour. Archbishop Heim, while not directly con- Heim "a master of unrivalled competence" We shared a few jokes, and his bright eyes cerned in this side of the preparatory work, and his work "the only reliable guide to twinkled when he said he hoped the Pope will have a role assigned to him as Papal ecclesiastic heraldry." It is not surprising that would forget him in London - he is very Ambassador in accompanying the Holy the Archbishop is a member of many distin- happy in Britain and has many friends Father on his visit.