The Catholic Church has insisted that no-one will be financially excluded from the Pope’s visit to Glasgow this autumn, saying parishes will use innovation and imagination to meet costs.

Amid concerns parishioners were being asked to pay £20 by the back door to attend the September 16 Papal Mass at Bellahouston Park, the church stressed it was for individual parishes to decide how to raise money for transport, the cost of staging the event and individual pilgrim packs.

The church has repeatedly claimed it will cover the “pastoral” elements of the first state visit by a pontiff to the UK, with the costs of the audio-visual equipment and stage alone exceeding £1 million. A special collection was held in parishes throughout Scotland in May.

• Full story at The Herald.

• Filed under Glasgow, West + Ayrshire, Papal Visit, Roman Catholic Church, Scottish Christian News Monitor.