Father Peter Confeggi, parish priest at Mount Druitt in Sydney’s weestern suburbs, has criticised the amount of money being spent on World Youth Day this month.
Others within the church have similar concerns about the six-day event, which will cost the church an estimated $150million and NSW taxpayers at least $86million.
Father Confeggi said his parish was one of the most disadvantaged in Sydney. He said the church and state funds could be directed elsewhere, including to the 120,000 people sleeping homeless in Australia or education of the disadvantaged. He said:
“To keep the church doors open here in Mount Druitt we scratch week after week after week,”
“The bottom line is this is a gross embarrassment to the church that I serve.”
and also it was an “utter scandal” that a chalice, Communion plate and vessel to hold Communion hosts – adorned by Argyle diamonds and being made for a rumoured six-figure sum – would be given to the Pope.
He also claimed there was large amount of dissatisfaction” with the spirituality that will be taught during the event, with many fearing it would be a right-wing brand of Catholicism.
I can’t comment on the theology of the Catholic church or World Youth Day, but it does seem to me that it is a shitload of money being spent on it that could be put to much better uses. Huge ceremonies and monument building do not sit well with me as where a church’s priorities should lie.
Technorati Tags: World Youth Day, Pope Benedict, Catholic Church, religion, Father Peter Confeggi