Travellers at Cofton Park

- Vatican officials at the park

I had a post in 2006 about the Roma (Travellers/Gypsies) - Dr. Robert Ritter and the Roma - so I was interested when I saw in the news that France was deporting some of the Roma there and that the Pope had criticized France for doing so (France Deports Roma (Gypsies) Drawing Pope's Criticism). I saw a story about Travellers and the pope today that seemed then kind of sad - Travellers move on to Tolkien site 'to see the Pope' ....

Pope Benedict XVI is holding a special Mass in Cofton Park on Sunday 19 September, at the end of his four-day UK visit. Mr Mullaney, Birmingham City Councillor for Moseley and Kings Heath, said there were about 16 families who said they had made their way from County Donegal in Ireland. "I asked them what they were doing in Birmingham and what they said to me was, 'We've come here to see the Pope because we want to get his blessing at the Mass in Birmingham." He said more travellers may be on their way so the city needed to be proactive and let them know there will be no admission without a pass. "The pilgrim passes have all already been allocated to parish priests, and there will be no admission to the mass without a pass." An eviction notice has been served on the families and they are being encouraged to move on to a disused car park in Moseley ...

I hope the Travellers get to see the pope.

You can read more about how this is all connected to Tolkien - Pope in UK: A Tolkien-Newman Connection.