FIFA, the world soccer federation, on Thursday announced the venues of the 2018 and
2022 World Cups. As expected, the 2018 World Cup to went to Russia, but the 2022
venue was a surprise – the tiny country of Qatar, located in the Persian Gulf.
The
Arab country has a population of 1.6 million, but is promising to use its oil wealth
to stage a successful tournament.
“I believe it is a very joyful moment, beyond
a doubt, for everyone in the country – the local Qataris as well as all the expatriates
who make up a good portion of the population of Qatar,” says the Apostolic Nuncio
to Qatar, Archbishop Petar Rajič.
He says it will also offer an opportunity
for the country to open up to the world. Archbishop Rajič told Vatican Radio visitors
will be pleasantly surprised about the state of the Church in the country.
“The
Church is a small community, but it is also a very vibrant one, a very active one,”
he said. “People are very much in touch with the Church, and they enjoy a very good
level of liberty [of worship] in the country itself.”