On May 23 we Catholic priests found ourselves in an awkward position. We had to appeal to our congregations at Mass that day to contribute to the costs of Pope Benedict's visit to Britain in September, all the while knowing that few among them will actually get to see him.
The reasons for restricting numbers, according to the official papal trip website, include "health and safety issues, security considerations and comfort requirements". This means numbers will be severely limited at papal events, tickets will be allocated centrally, and "not everyone who would like to go to a venue to see Pope Benedict will be able to do so". The alternative offered is a "virtual visit". But we can watch the Pope on television any time.
