Should we be paying for the Pope's visit?

[Limehouse]

At a time when benefits to the most vulnerable are being slashed - fuel allowances for the elderly are under threat and tens of thousands of people are likely to lose their jobs - is it too much to ask the Catholic Church to fund its own state visit?

[claire]

I know, eh? And given the amount of wealth stashed in Vatican City, why are we expected to be in a position to pay and they are not? And, while I'm having a right rant, given that they, really, are guilty of organised crime of one form or another, why are we meant to feel all nice about their being here? Gah. If he has to come, fine, but front up for it yourself and bring your own security.

[Tom_Wescott]

I got my pay check today and was complaining to a co-worker about how 30% of my check is going to taxes, and he said it's much worse in England. Is this true or is this more Obama era anti-England propoganda?

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[claire]

Depends how much you earn, but after national insurance deductions on top of tax, 30% seems about average here too. So, no, not 'much worse,' unless you're earning bucket loads. In which case you've probably got a smart accountant and a few companies to run expenses through and pay less than I do.

[Tom_Wescott]

LOL, no big bucks. About 1k to 1.7k per week, and that's gross. (pun not intended)

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Robert]

I'm guessing that it was the last Labour government who arranged the visit. I don't think the Pope can just pop over at three or four months' notice.

[Limehouse]

What does it matter who arranged it? We're still paying! I don't suppose David Cameron is going to hand him a bill at the end of his visit.

[Robert]

I personally don't want to pay for the Pope's visit, or for anything to do with the C of E, or the BBC, or MPs' duck houses....But as for the Pope, yes he could afford to pay, but then every foreign leader who comes here could afford to pay. If we make them all pay, then when our leaders visit them, we'll have to pay for our lot. So maybe we wouldn't save much.

[Fleetwood Mac]

At a time when benefits to the most vulnerable are being slashed - fuel allowances for the elderly are under threat and tens of thousands of people are likely to lose their jobs - is it too much to ask the Catholic Church to fund its own state visit?

There are two arguments here...Limehouse....

Firstly....the government/tax payers fund the Church of England....so surely catholic tax payers are entitled to have their spiritual leader come here....funded by the government/tax payer....

Secondly....no we shouldn't be funding the Pope nor any other church/religion......separation of church and state and all that......

I would go with the latter.....but were I a catholic I'd be mightly pissed off with the Church of England enjoying certain privileges.

[Limehouse]

Don't get me wrong - I am delighted that Catholics are enjoying the visit of their Holy Father. His visit no doubt brings happiness and spiritual joy to many thousands and i would never deny them that.

However - the Catholic Church is very wealthy and could easily fund the Pope's visit to this country.

I take your point Fleetwood - Catholics are entitled to see their spiritual leader on a visit to this country - but would the state also fund a visit from the world leader of the Baptist church - should he or she live abroad? Of course the state would partly fund the Church of England - it is the official church of the state of England - even though many English people follow other faiths. Most churches and religions can claim charitable status in this country - including the Catholics so the point about the state funding the official church is true for other faiths too.

[Robert]

I think what amuses me most is the publicity given to Stephen Fry's letter. Unless Stephen Fry has obtained a degree in theology, his opinion is of no more interest nationally than anyone else's - but I forgot, he's a celeb.

[Limehouse]

OK - I have to hold my hands up to this - I was against the cost of the Pope's visit to the tax payer but I must admit to being touched by the amount of joy his visit has brought to his believers.

I also think he made a decent effort to denounce his Nazi past and address the issue over child abuse. He even made strides towards a greater understanding between the Anglican and Catholic churches.

I was moved to hear him tell school children that 'Jesus loves you more than you will ever know'. If even one child hears that and believes it and is better for having heard it then the cost of his visit would have been worth it.

[Natalie Severn]

Well I think its a lot of homophobic mumbo jumbo .

[Limehouse]

Well I think its a lot of homophobic mumbo jumbo .

So does my son! And you are quite right Norma - the Catholic church has a lot of work to do concerning their intolerance of certain groups.

It was just nice to see so many people made happy by his visit. I think that spirituality - in whatever form it takes (within reason!) is a very uplifting thing.

[joelhall]

I'm guessing that it was the last Labour government who arranged the visit. I don't think the Pope can just pop over at three or four months' notice.

I believe it's the civil service who arrange things such as this, and the reason we ended up paying is because we are acting as host to a visiting head of state.

To be honest though I couldn't care less, especially when the Met are shelling out big money on fridge magnets:

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/839853-police-forces-spend-1-5million-on-gimmicks

Is anyone really surprised that we're all being shafted? It's always happened, it will always happen, and there's little to nothing we can do about it short of refusing to pay tax.