The Church is becoming truly globalised – while Britain turns inward

With his new cardinals, Pope Francis wants a global Church focused on the world’s problems. So is Britain, once an international power, missing a trick? Tomorrow, Pope Francis will formally appoint cardinals from across the world including Thailand, Tonga, Myanmar and Panama. To the outsider it might seem like an impressive display of Catholic ceremony with lots of churchmen dressed in red. That would be a very superficial reading, however. First, giving the red hat to bishops representing every corner of the globe is an important expression of the universal Church. Second, in an increasingly globalised world, the Holy See is seeking to cement its historic position as an important diplomatic listening post, exercising soft power. President Barack Obama’s citing of Pope Fra