The Queen Visits The Pope

Image from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26867032 

The Queen fitted in a brief visit to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis. They exchanged gifts during the visit which lasted around 20 minutes. 

This meeting came during the centenary of Britain re-establishing relations with the Holy See in 1914. There had been a divide for centuries after the schism caused by Henry VIII's divorce in the 1500's.

It was the Queen's seventh encounter with a Pope. She previously met Pius XII when she was the Princess Royal in 1951, John XXIII in 1961, John Paul II in 1980, 1982 and 2000, and Benedict XVI during his visit to the UK in 2010.

The gift for Pope Francis was a hamper filled with items from each of her estates (homes) including venison and whisky from Scotland, apple juice from Norfolk and honey from Buckingham Palace!

However the Pope indicated he would donate the contents to a “local poor house”. 

What would you give to Pope Francis as a gift? Do you think the Pope is right to give his present to the poor? Do you think the visit was as significant as some people were making out?

Read more: <Here> 
For Teachers: Download a lesson PPT <here>

Y9 Vlogging Task

Y9, you are going to attempt to create a vlog of a secret Catholic during the Reformation. You need to record a series of short videos to document the events of the Reformation in England. It can be different people doing each clip.

Some things you may want to include:

• Rumours of change, protest and reform in Europe including Martin Luther and John Calvin (1517-1520)
• Henry VIII and his jealousy of the Catholic Church (1520ish onwards)
• Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon (1533)
• New Laws (forcing everyone to acknowledge his divorce and remarriage) (1534)
• Thomas More and his fate (1535)
• Henry VIII and the monasteries (1536-1541)
• The future…?

In your group, you may want to split it up and do one bit each. Will you be able to communicate during the half term? Who will put it together? How will you share big files (GoogleDrive/ DropBox?)? Who will put it together? How will they put it together (MovieMaker/ iMovie?)?

Some vlogging tips:

Video Resources:

• Why was religion so important to Tudor people? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/why-was-religion-so-important-to-tudor-people/162.html
• Henry VII and Catherine of Aragon - http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/catherine-of-aragon-and-henry-viii-pt-1-2/8961.html and http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/catherine-of-aragon-and-henry-viii-pt-2-2/8962.html
• Henry VIII’s motives for his break with Rome - http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/henry-viiis-motives-for-his-break-with-rome/163.html
• Why did Henry VIII dissolve the monasteries? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/why-did-henry-viii-dissolve-the-monasteries/165.html

Download Worksheet: <here>

9L - Due in 13th November 2013