Ghostly fears...

It started with enthusiasm, it moved to mild interest. For months it rested on ambivalence with just a tinge of anticipation. Now it's slumping to one of those things that 'up with which we have to put.' At the beginning it looked quite hopeful then we began to realise that there may be quite another agenda. Could we be being played? More recently it settled for a time as something not to get too hopeful or excited about- it had become a pleasant burden that will work out in the end. As of  yesterday I'm just not too sure. It's not that I'm against a Papal visit, state or pastoral, to Britain it's more that I'm worried about it getting hijacked both by the detractors and by those that might have something less than the presentation of Catholic truth in mind.

So why the sudden lurch into doubt? Well we've had the collection to cover the costs (funny how the original results seem rather hazy) and there have been rumours of a second collection. I suspect that might happen after the visit. Now I've seen the 'pilgrim's contribution' expected for those attending the Hyde Park Vigil (£10) and the Beatification of Cardinal Newman (£25) and this from a parish which will be trying very hard to keep the costs to a minimum. Both contributions include transport to and from the event and promise a CD containing all the necessary music and texts for the ceremonies together with additional information. Note these charges do not include the 'catering arrangements' at the events. The charging system will be slightly different in Scotland born on a parish rather than an individual basis. Taking the actual costs out (£6 for transport in London, probably £20 for the bus to Birmingham) and the cost of the CD (at most a pound in either case) that only makes additional income of £520, 000 for London and £400,000 for the Beatification. Which ever way it's paid it seems likely the pilgrim's contribution will not cover costs particularly, as I suspect, the uptake for pilgrims' places may be less than expected.