Follow The Money

Another article below to indicate where the Catholic Church is so flippantly departing from the message of Christ. I wonder if they are taxed on these air fare sales as a church is supposed to hold exempt status...hmmm, curious. I find this "pilgrimage service" laughably outrageous. When you think about this little money-making scheme and how the Vatican is a veritable city of gold, housing priceless works of art and antiques, it becomes a very duplicitous facade indeed. Jesus appealed to those in poverty. Jesus was poor. He was humble and caring and he reached out to the destitute bringing hope to weary hearts. Now, think about the hundreds of thousands of starving and destitute children in third world countries who could so desperately benefit in body and spirit from the sales of the spoils that the Vatican so tightly clutches to its chest. What an example to set. To allow the needy to go hungry outside your door when you have a house of gold and resources that is supposed to be holy as to "inspire one of Heaven". I don't buy it. Heaven is not found in mansions of gold, it is the love and satisfaction in helping out those in need. To see them smile because they can finally have clean water or healthy food or medicine.

"The least you do unto my brethren, you do unto me."

What makes this so bad is that, without a doubt, this press release had to be passed by the Vatican for approval before being published. And, by the Pope’s standards, obviously printing this type of blasphemy is fine as long as it rakes in the cash. Unbelievable. Yes, “for the heavenly price of 10 euros” – pretty soon the Catholic Church will have a symbol on the NYSE or a Disneyland of their own!

And, with all the fundraising and diocesan appeals, who do you think funded this little circus sideshow? When Jesus went into the temple and drove out the moneychangers with a whip, why do you think he did that? Food for thought.

Vatican airline takes to the skies

Source: CNN.com – Tuesday, August 28, 2007

ROME, Italy (Reuters) -- While some passengers only turn to prayer when jolted by turbulence, the Vatican made it standard on Monday by launching the world's first airline for Catholic pilgrims.

Complete with Vatican logos on headrests and air hostesses' uniforms, the inaugural flight travelled from Rome's Fiumicino airport for the shrine of Lourdes in France.

The charter flight's slogan spoke volumes about what its clients are doing above the clouds: "I'm Searching for Your Face, Lord". "It is a spiritual journey," explained Francesco Gherra, one of the pilgrims who boarded Monday's inaugural flight hosted by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the former head of Italy's bishops.

The Vatican aims to serve 150,000 pilgrims a year on its chartered Boeing 737, run by Italy's Mistral Air. Destinations range from the shrine of Fatima in Portugal to Mount Sinai in Egypt, where Moses is said to have received the 10 Commandments from God.

In-flight entertainment on the way to the world's holy sites will, somewhat predictably, be religious in nature, the Vatican said. "The crew has been informed that there are (religious) messages that will be transmitted, that films will be shown during the flight," said Father Cesar Atuire at the Vatican office coordinating pilgrimages.

Keeping costs for pilgrims low is another Vatican priority, Atuire said. The Vatican's venture into the airline industry did not go unnoticed by competitors, including Ryanair, Europe's biggest low-cost carrier. The Vatican hopes to fly pilgrims from Rome to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, a route already serviced by the low-budget carrier.

"Ryanair already performs miracles that even the Pope's boss can't rival, by delivering pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela for the heavenly price of 10 euros," Ryanair said in a statement.