Clergy Call for Pope to Cancel Spain Visit Amid Crippling Costs
Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit Spain on Thursday in order to take part in the World Youth Day festivities in Madrid, but several members of the Catholic Clergy are opposing the visit, stating that accommodating the pope and approximately half a million pilgrims will be far too costly for the already struggling country.
To that end 120 clergymen have signed a petition, urging that the pope does not attend World Youth Day. The 10-page petition details, among many reasons why Pope Benedict should not visit Spain; that the public funding is a violation of the separation of church and state.
With 40 percent of Spain's youth unemployed, homes being foreclosed every day, and transportation fares recently being increased by 50 percent, they argue that the country simply cannot afford the visit.
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Many clergymen say they do not believe the government and church officials when they say that of the $72 million expense for the week long World Youth Day celebration, only $23 million will be taken from taxpayers. An estimated $44 million will be paid for by pilgrims traveling from all around the world for the celebration, and the remainder will be funded by donations.
"It is scandalous, the price,” Rev. Eubilio Rodríguez told the New York Times. “It is shameful. It discredits the Church.”
Those opposing the visit, both clergy and lay people, note that other extraneous expenses are never taken into consideration when the pope comes to town. The cost of extra security, the cost of street clean up and the cost of healthcare for visitors greatly skew anticipated costs of papal visits and their corresponding celebrations.
“They still can’t tell us how much the pope’s visit cost two years ago,” Esther López Barceló, youth coordinator for the small United Left party told the Times.
“Every time he comes here, the figures become opaque."
López launched a Twitter campaign this month against the pope’s visit.
Opposing priests and left-leaning groups alike have been protesting the visit for months and are planning one more demonstration for Wednesday, as a final effort.
Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman is not surprised about the opposition or protests and told the Times, “It’s part of life in a democratic country.”
"There are hundreds of thousands of young people who will be happy to welcome the pope,” he added.
Alfonso del álamo, director of the civil protection agency of Spain’s Interior Ministry is ensuring that the country is prepared for the magnitude of people that will engulf the streets of Madrid throughout the week, noting that 3,000 first aid volunteers, radio communication, evacuation and panic control personnel will be on hand, working 10,000 shifts. However, he says the costs have not yet been calculated.
