Organizers now anticipate around 55,000 worshippers to gather for the beatification of Cardinal Newman Sunday in Birmingham, central England, compared to the 80,000 people originally expected. Fewer pilgrims are also expected at the open-air mass at Glasgow's Bellahouston Park than those who showed up at the venue for a mass given by Pope John Paul II there in 1982. This was not because of lack of interest, however, organizers said. "I think one of the problems is that quite a lot of the trees in the park have grown since then, which is a tendency which trees have, which has altered the sight lines," said Lord Chris Patten, who is heading the government's part of the visit. "Quite properly, welcoming as the citizens of Glasgow are, they don't want to cut down all their trees," he said. John Paul II was the first pope ever to set foot on English soil, and his visit came at the height of his popularity at the time. Benedict's visit, starting Thursday, has been overshadowed by the church's clerical sex abuse scandal. Smaller crowds than initially expected will attend events scheduled during Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Britain, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales said Tuesday.
Ah, yes, "those pesky trees." Pity all those evergreens and poplars keep growing "which is a tenancy which trees have," or so we're told.
But we all know how Rome operates. If there were three people there, the press release would say 300 showed up.
Wow! Even for you this is priceless!
Your "proof" of small crowds is an article published by the AP two days BEFORE the Pope even came to the UK. This reminds me of the way the left cherry picks reports of the Tea Party.
Maybe you help with an question that nobody seems quite able to answer: why is it that when groups like the AP and NYT are reporting about conservatives, conservatives know to ignore it; when they are lavishing praise on Obama, conservatives know to ignore it; but, when they are criticizing Catholics, anti-Catholics who claim to be conservative believe them without any hesitation?
The protests against the Pope were with regards to his position on homosexuality, abortion and other social matters. The only reasonable thing that I can conclude is that the anti-Catholic FReepers who cheer these protesters are doing so because they ALSO support militant homosexualism and abortion.
That'll leave a mark.
Talk about small crowds:
OPC cult, yes, definitely cult.
27,990 members
(449 ministers + 19,968 members + 7,573 non-baptized members)
The seating capacity of FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins is 91,704.
Well that's pretty much where the so called discourse has arrived.
I'll tell ya something else, someday I'd like to meet these "Roman Catholic Apologists" they seem to be the powerful and secretive masters of the religion forum and yet I've never actually had one pointed out to me.
A view of the Papal Mass in Glasgow
A view outside of the Mass in Westminster (of course, it was full to the brim inside)
The view on the way to Hyde Park
One view of the vigil at Hyde Park
The opposite view at Hyde Park
The crowd outside the Mass at Crofton Park, Birmingham
Crofton Park, Birmingham
Clearly only 50-100 people at each location.
Wagglebee, maybe you need to get new glasses so that you don't see crowds where none exist. ;-)
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You make a good point.
There is a God.
And just because there were other groups who didn't want him there, either, does not negate the fact that thousands of Anglicans protested Ratzinger's appearance at Westminster.