|
|
Church in the WorldRacecourse secured as World Youth Day venue for £17.6mAustralia Mark Brolly - 24 November 2007Randwick racecourse has been secured as the venue for the papal Mass at next year's World Youth Day in Sydney, and the racing industry has been promised A$41 million (£17.6m) of public money in compensation for anticipated lost revenue, writes Mark Brolly. The Australian and New South Wales (NSW) Governments have promised the money after long-standing objections from racehorse trainers about the disruption that World Youth Day (WYD) would cause. The money will be used, in part, to relocate 700 horses from Randwick during a 10-week shutdown of Sydney's main racecourse and to return it to a fit state for the resumption of racing. WYD organisers and the Australian Jockey Club (AJC), which administers Randwick, welcomed the government assistance, while the trainers expressed a more cautious appreciation for the breakthrough. But a NSW Greens MP, Lee Rhiannon, said the Church should pay for the compensation. "The Catholic Church will reap massive benefits from holding this event in Sydney," Ms Rhiannon said. "If it wishes to persist with Randwick racecourse, it should bear the costs." The money brings the total taxpayer contribution to WYD, which runs from 15 to 20 July next year, to A$95m (£40.9m). But NSW deputy premier John Watkins said WYD was worth at least A$150m (£64.5m) to the state. Other states expect benefits from the "Days in the Diocese" programme held throughout the country in the run-up to the final six days in Sydney and from tourism following the event. A statement from WYD organisers expressed gratitude to the two governments and to the AJC. "We look forward to working with all the stakeholders to prepare for World Youth Day and to minimise disruption to the racing industry," the organisers said. The compensation for the racing industry includes improvements at Rosehill and Warwick Farm racecourses in Sydney and a 64-year extension of the AJC's 99-year lease at Randwick. Up to 500,000 pilgrims, a quarter of them from outside Australia, are expected to attend the final WYD Mass, to be celebrated by Pope Benedict. |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Can the Church support abuse victims on its own terms? Elena Curti Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
|
