Joe Duffy asking whether the pope should be officially welcomed to Ireland.

[Mitsui2]

But could the Church here afford it ?

Income for church and religious bodies fell 10% in 2009 - The Irish Times - Mon, Feb 06, 2012

Sure isn't it a better use of the money than just handing it out willy nilly to some loser abuse victims?

When I want to know how Jesus would feel about matters like this I just ask myself what Kilbarry1 would think.

And then invert it.

[Luachara]

I hear Joe has some guy due on who not only wants the Pope to be officially invited by the State but also for the taxpayer to pick up the tab.

Tell you what, when the religious congregations pay over the hundreds of millions they owe for half the State costs for abuse, then he should be invited and then left pay for himself.

I expect there will be protests if the Pope comes and does not pay up!

[Odyessus]

Joe's having one of his patented 10-minute text polls on the question. I've just time to get my "N" for "No" off to 51551.

The poll asks if people would "welcome" a papal visit. It is almost guaranteed to return a "no" vote. A more neutral question would be to ask if people would object to a papal visit. Many would not have particularly welcomed queen Elizabeth or president Obama, but would not have objected to their visits either.

[wherethelady]

the pope can come here if and when he wants- pointless the 'maon to joe show' running this as a question but then again everything on the jow duffy show is a complete waste of time. joe duffy a true capitalist who spend his days harping on about socialism- its safe to say the listeners of the show wouldnt understand that as they are all idiots

[Social Conscience]

Is he looking to get that altar boy outfit out again? There seems to be a push on to reverse the closure of the embassy at the Holy See, and to have Benedict welcomed officially by the government to the Eucharistic Congress later this year. Is the Empire striking back?

Should I even ask what an Eucharistic Congress is? Has it anything to do with members of the US Senate who are Catholic?

[wherethelady]

I expect there will be protests if the Pope comes and does not pay up!

sure no one ever pays up in ireland- thats the beauty of the place the pope would fit right in

[simeongrimes]

We should be welcoming towards the Pope as we were to Obama and the Queen. Mature nations don't go in for histrionics over such things. But if the Church are issuing the invitation they should be expected to pick up the tab just as a promoter would do if they brought Beyoncé for example. This is their gig and they should pay any costs.

[Garland Names the Skies]

The church can invite who it wants. As a German citizen I don't see any obstacle to him coming if he wants to. But as for an official invite, I think the government has better things to be doing than picking up the bill for this leering old creep

[ger12]

The Taoiseach, being such a devout Catholic, will surely embrace the holy father?

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[Luachara]

We should be welcoming towards the Pope as we were to Obama and the Queen. Mature nations don't go in for histrionics over such things. But if the Church are issuing the invitation they should be expected to pick up the tab just as a promoter would do if they brought Beyoncé for example. This is their gig and they should pay any costs.