Pope’s visit a welcome tonic for the faithful

SIR, I often wonder why the Pope would want to travel to other countries.

Does he see his trip as a firming of the faithful’s faith?

Perhaps to be seen by the common folk, away from his palaces and the grandeur of Rome. But then he only ends up in the palaces of other cities.

Does he have a need to walk among the common people and imagine himself as one of them? This can never be as he would be too easy a target for some lunatic.

Does he realise the pain that he is causing by his trip here to Ireland as hundreds of homeless are pushed out of hotels in Dublin to make way for those who will be forced to pay rip-off prices for these rooms during his visit.

Does he realise that there are those to whom his arrival here means nothing more than thousands of euros in their account.

The statues and paintings industry have been on overtime for some time now producing mementos for the faithful.

Even thousands of those who manage to get tickets will never get nearer to him than a football field or two. Of course there will be huge screens around the places but then they could see the same images at home on their televisions.

Still, his coming will mean a lot to his true believers and God knows they need something to restore their faith after what we have been through over the many years. Perhaps it will, I wish that it will, I hope that it will. But then he is only one man.

They say that you get back what you put into whatever you believe. This is a part of your life. Whether it is sport, work, friendship, love or faith. I can only hope that the believers will come away with a reinforced faith to sustain them in whatever lies ahead.

Sincerely, Michael O’Meara, Faha, Killarney.