UK official says pope's September visit will be costly, but important
(July 29, 2010) With Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom just seven weeks
away, the British government official working on organizing the trip said the pope's
visit will cost taxpayers more than originally foreseen, but it would be an important
opportunity to highlight and promote cooperation on issues the British care about.
Vatican Radio interviewed Sir Chris Patten, the government's papal trip coordinator
and the former governor of Hong Kong, July 26. The pope is scheduled to visit Scotland
and England September 16-19, meeting Queen Elizabeth, Anglican and other religious
leaders, celebrating public Masses and beatifying Cardinal John Henry Newman. "I think
at the outset, and this is no criticism, people had perhaps underestimated the complexity
involved in fitting together the state visit aspect and the pastoral aspects as if
they were a seamless whole," Patten told Vatican Radio. "It's incomparably more difficult
arranging the state visit of the Holy Father than arranging any other state visit,"
he said. Patten expects the four-day papal visit to cost British taxpayers more than
$15 million. Patten, a Catholic, said the pope's visit also could contribute to the
government's efforts to strengthen the relationships among British faith groups.
In Rome, Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said Wednesday that the
Vatican understands that the faithful will be asked to make a “contribution” toward
the visit but are not being charged a fee as such. Lombardi said he understood that
those who cannot pay will not be required to do so. The Jesuit Priest noted that people
are not charged to see the pope at the Vatican, in Italy or anywhere in the world.
But the Church officials say no one will be allowed to travel to the event on their
own. The church is charging 25 pounds for transportation to the Newman beatification
in Birmingham, where 70,000 tickets are available. In Hyde Park, where up to 130,000
people may attend the vigil, the charge will be 10 pounds. The church's communications'
office sought to explain the cost by saying it was because the pilgrims would be journeying
to see the pope, just as ancient pilgrims did, and would be provided with a “pilgrim
pack” that includes a metro ticket.