The head of Catholics in England and Wales, The Most Rev Vincent Nichols, said that the four-day tour in September will be a “very significant moment” for the country particularly in straitened economic times.

The Archbishop of Westminster said: “People that I speak to recognise that as a society we are entering into a period, maybe a prolonged period, which is going to be difficult. In times of difficulty, we need all the inner resources that we can muster and the resource of religious faith is a crucially important one for giving society stability and generosity, especially in times of financial constraint. ...