The Pope begins his four-day visit to Britain today.

And inevitably his presence has attracted controversy.

Oxford luminaries Prof Richard Dawkins and author Philip Pullman have added their names to a letter stating he should not be given the ‘honour’ of a UK state visit.

This visit takes place under the vile canopy of church-wide child abuse.

And until this issue is resolved, such controversy is sure to overshadow the prayers and hopes of Pope Benedict XVI.