Once he lands he should be put on trial for the letter he wrote as Cardinal telling Irish bishops not to go to the cops with child abuse claims

I don’t mind if people who see him as their spiritual leader want him to come to Ireland , as long as they foot the bill and that our government does not bow and scrape to him. And an unconditional apology from him wouldn’t go astray . In fact , an unconditional apology to all the people who suffered in any way under the regime of the roman catholic
church , should come before the visit.

The Pope can visit all he wants, but the Catholic Church, NOT THE TAXPAYER should foot the bill.

Dan man its not that easy to resist when your ten years old when your family, friends and the rest of the country are going along with it, the hitler youth was seen as a good thing back then, its only because we are looking from here we see it for what it was, and being put into a nazi prison was no picnic, you cant blame kids for being swept along especially when all your mates are doing it, as for the pope coming over here im RC but i don’t see the point in it, and believe me there are plenty of catholics that are plenty pissed off and angry at the leaders of the church, I don’t think it would be a good idea for him to come over not until he makes amends, he may be the pope but he is not above Gods or mans law.

We can not afford a visit by the Pope.give the money to the hospitals.look after the sick first.

the fact that he has never apologised, wrote that letter when he was a cardinal, is anti gay and head of the wealthest organisation in the world (1/3 of it would clear world debt) and not pay proper compensation to victims in Ireland and around the world, I would say he isn’t welcome. He needs a serious attitude change & apologise, before he decides to come visit us.

Should a person be allowed to enter our country and preach that he is from the Forest Moon of Endor? Yes.

Should I the tax payer pay for his accommodation, meals, transport and security? No.

Same rules apply, even for a Pope.

If he arrived on his knees, grovelling and carrying a big bag of cash… I’d consider it!!

Go way ta feck ! Stay where ya are popey coz if u come near Ireland I’ll fire jonnies and pride flags atcha :-0

yes/no/I don’t know options are a bit narrow. I voted no, because I have no interest in it either way…….but I know others would like it….I would not stand in their way

But I wouldn’t expect the same rapturous reception as 1979

Expect a pathetic crowd by comparison, with a fair bit of protest as well…..especially when the cost is announced!

I think he’ll avoid this place like the plague though, rather than have this spectacle in old faithful Ireland all over the media.

& good riddance to him! :)

Yes, if he is met by the Guards and taken for questioning.

Personally I don’t care so long as he doesn’t get a state-sponsored welcome and the taxpayer doesn’t sacrifice a cent. If the Catholic church wants to host its ageing CEO, that’s entirely their business.

Nevertheless he does owe victims of abuse a lot more than the nothing he has given thus far!

So that’s a no then, is it?

Considering he oversees one of the biggest peado offending institutions in the world and has done little about it i’d tell him to fuck off, i dont care who he is.

Just don’t get that bending over & kissing his ring business…..

That man has burned his bridges with this country and we all know why.

Definitely not.

Hand over all church property and assets including schools churches and all the land owned by Rome to the state then get the fuck out of Ireland’s affairs!

If he comes to Ireland as a private citizen and as head of a private organisation and paid for in full by that organisations members then I would not have an issue with it. But as we all know this will not be the case. In this situation a significant protest should take place.

People forget that this popes job before he became pope was an enforcer to stop bishops and priests from giving interviews and wrote the policies regarding bishops not reporting child rape to the police. Why on earth would anyone welcome a child molester protector to the country after what the catholic church did to children for so long. Its time to drop all religions from schools and like politics it should be something decided on when we reach adult hood and not brain washed from child hood.

Yes, get him on Questions and Answers (hosted by Vincent Browne!) and let’s hear him try to explain the Church’s ignorance and hypocrisy since its inception.

No! Whats it going to cost the citizens of Ireland to accommodate the Pope and his entourage? Enda likes to go all out for visits, instead of focusing on the issues of the country and all of their failed promises.

No. His position isn’t worth a handful of poo, because the church is the extreme of hypocrisy. He’s welcome the day they engage what they did with proper remorse instead of couching their wheedling, pathetic statements in religious terms designed (badly) to reel people back into the flock.

If they pulled the finger out and respected secular culture, it would respect them right back, but no, they always have to be in control – the bridge between the people and God. So fuck them.

If he gives all of the vaticans money to the poor first

Beegzuz the Nuns are certainly out in force today red-thumbing every naysayer who doesn’t want that scowling little hobbit coming over here and wasting taxpayers money. Benedict has to be one of the most scary looking characters this side of the vatican. No wonder they closed the embassy.

Do you think he reads the Journal? What would he think if he saw the poll result? And if he spilled his milk after reading it, would he clean it up himself? There’s so much at stake here. And where does he buy his clothes? So many questions id ask him if he did come.

Of course people are entitled to believe in whatever they choose, but why should their choice be immune from critique? People who choose to support a certain political party will happily debate the rationale behind their choice. The same can be said of those who follow a particular football team.

It is this freedom from scrutiny which allowed members of the Catholic church perpetrate the sickening crimes we are all too familiar with in ireland. The pope, as head of that church, is directly responsible for the actions of the church. Unless he is coming here to apologise to the people of Ireland then he is not welcome.

no tell him to fuck off back to the dark ages

NO NO NO, Who will PAY for this ???. NO let him stay in Rome.

nope would be another complete waste of money

So not needed anymore the catholic church – go away! For what????? I would welcome much more a visit of the Dalai Lama or a spiritual Native American Indian person….to finally get us in the necessary directions!!!!!!!

Only if I can secure a prime vantage point from which I can lob rotten fruit at him!

Have the government clarified whether or not this proposed visit will be State funded or not? The Vatican city cannot be considered a legitimate state and therefore the visit of the head of this cult should not be funded by the Irish people. We are after all a secular republic ever since Enda’s landmark speech last summer.

Don’t care as long as he pays for it himself

I voted no because i don’t want him here!

No.
A useless and financial waste of time and resources.

No! The Eurovision is a better investment than a pope’s visit!

Plus, speaking as someone who was trying to get from the northside to southside & vice versa during the state visits last year, the inconvenience really outweighs any benefits for me. Sorry if I’m shallow or petty but anyone else who spent 40 minutes standing at a barrier on the quays against their will is I’m sure in agreement with me!

Waste of time and money.

The Catholic church has been spouting hate speech against gays, other religions, heavy metal, countless things, for a long time. Yes, I hate them (the church). I don’t automatically hate Catholics. Believe it or not I have some Catholic friends. We just don’t talk about it.

NO to many suffered at the hand of the catholic church. They were responsible for irreparable damage to people in there attitude to sexual abuse to innocent children. And there attitude to lesbian and gay people.

Would have liked at “Not Bothered” option!

A Hitler Youth member elected pope behind closed doors by a bunch of high ranking cult members? Would you leave your child alone in a room with him? Absolutely fucking not!!

Only if I could pie him.

No.

NO . Enough Germans trying to run (ruin) our country!

I voted no but needed another option, Yes but…

He’s more than welcome in my view just like anyone as long as he pays his own way. If it’s like Obama and the Queen’s visit where we’re stuck with the bill then no thanks.

Any visitor paying their own way and adding to the coffers should be welcome to the country. But we shouldn’t be lumbered with a bill from bringing over people not all citizens want here.

http://brianpolitics.wordpress.com

If he is coming to say sorry then why not? If not then maybe not

Not bothered at all. No objection if it is at zero cost to state, but it wouldn’t be, so that’s why I voted “No”. There is a very different attitude in the country towards the pontiff since the last one visited.

Arrest him on arrival for his comments on gays & his covering up of sex abuse cases. Kindly stick your church Mr.Ratz.

No. Not for any religious leader. No time for them at all.

Let him come and then stick him and Inda out on Skellig Michael and leave the fuckers there.

actually I’d welcome a visit – if he came to unconditionally apologise and announce the full application on canon law to child abuse cases.

No , Cant afford it….

He should come, but definitely not now. I don’t think it’s appropriate maybe best in a year or so. As a Catholic I’d prefer he came as head of Church rather than head of State and that the Church covered the cost i.e Church goers and the like. In fairness it’s not fair that the taxpayer should cover the cost, i’d have no problem with my own taxes going towards it, but many wouldn’t so it’s not right that they should pay. Collections at Mass etc should be done instead.

Hypothetically, would the state welcome a visit by Slobodan Milošević? How about Pol Pot or Stalin? These people weren’t the ones to pull the trigger, but they didn’t try stop it either. OK, maybe I’m being heavy handed here, not all Stalinists actually murdered people, but I’d say quite a few were into rape and torture

no no no no no no

NO!

NO! Reason why? Michael O’Brien on Questions & Answers http://youtu.be/9jHqndf9Kx4

religion should be outlawed it does more harm than good

I dunno. I would welcome it in a sense that there are still many people who are devout catholics in Ireland and it would be nice for them. But as for me, I wouldnt be attending any mass up in Phoenix Park. no no.

Only if he pays for his visit.Rome has plenty of spare cash.

@Genevieve your comment has made my day, so funny

With all due respect Sam, the church cannot stop you or meddle in your life in any way unless either you let them or the state is not sufficiently separated from the church and therefore makes laws to appease them. I believe in total separation of church and state.

It’s a tricky one. There is still a large number of Catholics in Ireland and he’s the head of their Church so to respect their rights of course he should be welcome.
However, his Church is fundamentally homophobic and perpetuates homophobia and ignorance through its teachings. It is responsible for an undoubtedly huge number of HIV related deaths especially in Africa through the policy on condoms (although this is being relaxed somewhat of late).
The Church is directly responsible for harbouring criminals and directly responsible for prolonged abuse of children worldwide. I don’t care personally who or what anyone believes in however ridiculous it may appear to be, but supporting the Pope and the Catholic organisation give tacit approval to their abuses of human rights. So I’d rather he didn’t come, but respect must be given to Catholics on this issue.

Yes because he needs to come and see how a once faithful nation has turned on his institution due to its failings. Maybe he’ll finally realise that more needs to be done!!

The popes just a cross dressing clown in a dress! I wouldn’t pull the curtain if he was in my front garden

If it counts as an extradition…

Lock down the kindergarten’s

And if he could personally recieve the p45 forms from the people who what him to take redundancy from them as their spiritual leader. There won’t be a redundancy payment, we are just letting him go.

Sure, as long as it is at his expense.

I voted yes. Not because I’ll be going to see him but for the ever faithful and for all the money the tourism industry will make out of it. We had the Dalai Lama here already so why not? While I can certainly understand bitterness from people who were abused. I’m getting really tired of all the hate talk towards Catholicism and religion in general. Whilst I was raised a Catholic, I no longer subscribe to any organised religion, but that is my choice and I think its wrong for people to be so judgmental of others’ beliefs. It’s their choice – leave them to it. People should have the right to observe their own spiritual path and whatever that may entail so long as it doesn’t impinge upon others’ rights.

I think a don’t care or so what does it matter button would be more appropriate. It should be treated as any other visit of a state dignitary. With less of the bended knee

if the pope chooses to visit the country then a very significant portion of the country (if not a majority) would welcome him. there’s no question but that he wont have a million people in the park again – but thats not to say that he is unwelcome.
the fact is that there are a great many catholics who would like to see him come and try to build fences after what has been a horrendous few decades for the church.

I couldn’t care less, so long as he stays away from Cork. When the Queen came it was a right aul balls, getting to work and things..

So Catholics are sub-human in your pathetic bigoted mind. That certainly counts as hate speech. Something you might have heard of coming from the Shankill Butchers in the 1970’s.

Wow Cillian – I thought my comment was a bit more substantial than that and am quite amazed that you see fit to call someone you don’t even know a complete and utter fool. I’m sure you’ll get through life just fine with that attitude!

If we were not a secular state (well we’re meant to be), I’d have recommended a Reformation! ;-)

Considering that the Pope is head of the Holy See,along with being absolute monarch of the Vatican City State (yes they are not the same thing and the Vatican City State is not a democracy – not relevant to the rest of my point but worth noting) then it would be correct that he issue an apology for the actions of the clergy and orders of the Roman Catholic Church. Within that organisation he is considered to be the heir to his predecessors (in the sense of the line of pontiffs from Peter) – the legacy of their actions is something that he has to deal with along with his own personal role in his time as Cardinal.

I may not have best explained this point but I hope that my rationale for an apology is somewhat clear. It does not have to be a State Visit, it could be seen as an informal one – this would be more appropriate in light of present relations.

On the point about our tiny embassy to the Holy See – i don’t think that it is a huge issue, we should always be in a position to review the usefulness of maintaining full embassys to countries depending on our State’s interests. It does not mean that we cannot maintain a relationship with the Holy See.

Why would the Pope want to come to this miserable,wet, windswept Rock on the edge of Europe full of begrudgers,cheats,liars,politicians on the make,crooked bankers & builders,gombeenmen,chancers & head-th-balls, a bitter,cheap, mean-spirited people who have long forgotten the meaning of “Cead mille Failte!”. Stay where you are Holy Father.

I would welcome any head of any organisation public, private or religious who brings a large entourage and the world news to Ireland to promote it as a tourist destination and bring much needed revenue.

To faithful followers of Jesus, the pope represents him on earth. I read very few people of faith bashing those who don’t believe, yet as soon as an article is posted containing anything to do with the catholic Church, the attack is on. Please voice your opinions without hurting me and others who love Jesus as we are wounded by your hate at his Church despite what has happened. I understand that the horrific abuse makes you angry, it makes Jesus angry too, do you think he willed that to happen?
Jesus loves us all.
Please don’t attack me, I don’t like confrontation, I don’t want to offend anybody I just want to defend our God.

TROLL POLL

Um yes of course I’d welcome him. The people who are against the Pope visiting Ireland are the same people who welcomed the Queen of Britain who authorized the invasion of countries resulting in thousands of deaths… gah wake up idiots.

Clown!

This ‘cost too much argument’ is ridiculous. Pope visited UK and Spain recently and money poured into the economy with tourists etc.

I feel so hated! I’m one of those GD catholics. As a sub human maybe there is somewhere in Siberia for me?? its cold enough around here to be Siberia!….. I feel so rejected,…..SB please share the love!!!!!……let me be your friend, it’s the day after Valentine’s for pete’s sake….i really want to be in your gang…pleeeeease!

I really dont care one way or another. He is just another head of state that I’m not particularly interested in, he can come if he wants and we should pay for it as we would for any other head of state and as other countries do for our leaders.

Of course he should come. We need all the German tourists we can get.

Folks he already apologized. Read Kevin Myers article in the Irish Independent.

There is a repair job to be done within the Irish Catholic Church – the Pope should come and do it.

It might bring a bit of positivity to this Country,many people would look forward to this Visit and any bit of hope it would give to the Irish people would be welcome,we have had nothing but doom and gloom and negativity for the past few years,so yes I think If he decides to come ,the country should show the same welcome it was able to afford to Queen Elizebeth and Barack Obama.