Some may protest, but young will welcome pope in Spain, spokesman says

(August 15, 2011) Protests planned against Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Madrid Aug. 18-21 are "not worrying or surprising" to the Vatican, particularly because "there are hundreds of thousands of young people who will be happy to welcome the pope," the Vatican spokesman said. Groups opposed to government and church’s spending for the pope’s visit have planned a protest August 16, the opening day of World Youth Day. Briefing reporters on Friday about the papal trip, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said, "It seems to me that before every papal trip there are demonstrations by people who have a different opinion and use the occasion to express their problems or concerns. It's part of life in a democratic country." Father Lombardi also acknowledged the failure of efforts to keep the location of the next World Youth Day secret until Pope Benedict announces it at the final Mass August 21. He told reporters that at the end of the Mass, young people from Spain will pass the World Youth Day cross to their peers from Brazil, who will host the gathering in Rio de Janeiro in 2013. The Vatican decided not to wait three years for the international gathering because in 2014 Brazil is scheduled to host the World Cup soccer tournament and will have its hands full.