To defray costs of papal journey, Spanish bishops offer top donors chance to meet Pope
April 06, 2026
» Continue to this story on Crux
CWN Editor's Note: To encourage donations to cover the cost of the Pope’s upcoming apostolic journey to Spain, the nation’s bishops are offering a private papal audience to donors who contribute more than €500,000 ($577,200), as well as “a working meeting at the Vatican, and reserved spaces at the events during the trip,” the Crux news agency reported.
Those who contribute between €250000 ($288,600) and €500,000 have the same benefits, “except the meeting with the Pope won’t be private,” according to the report.
“Requesting support, in this case, is our way of covering the material costs of a trip of this magnitude without these falling on taxpayers,” a spokesman for the episcopal conference said.
The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: feedback -
Apr. 06, 2026 9:33 AM ET USA
Why not do a Chicago-style video meeting online, if a journey in person is too costly? "If a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, 'Sit here, please,' while you say to the poor one, 'Stand there,' or 'Sit at my feet,' have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs?" [James 2:2-4]
