2010-07-29 13:21:46

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.







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