IT might not be exactly Pennies From Heaven but a tenner from St Mary's will do very nicely, thank you.For that is the subsidy each Roman Catholic from the Lanark area will be offered to ensure that everyone who wants to see the Pope during his historic visit next month can afford to.
Certain national newspapers made much of the news that the expense to individuals wishing to attend the Papal Mass at Glasgow's Bellahouston Park on Thursday, September 16, would be £20.
The Roman Catholic Church was quick to point out that this was in no way an entry fee; any charge would be to cover unavoidable expenses involved in getting worshippers safely to and from the event.
Now the parishioners of St Mary's in Lanark have been delighted by the news that their church will be making a special 50 per cent subsidy per adult for those wishing to attend.
First children of families attending will get the same subsidy and there will be a 75 per cent subsidy for every other child.
Father Joseph Brannigan delivered the glad tidings in his latest parish bulletin in which he also revealed that, as of last week, 170 of his parishioners had applied for the 229 tickets allocated to St Mary's.
SIC: TLG