Bishops

[old barmaid]

Our Fathers in God, the Bishops of England and Wales have chosen to spend a week or so
on retreat and in Conference in sunny Italy. Several of their dioceses have recently announced
cost-cutting measures in the realms of Liturgy and Music. One diocese is considering a levy of £10 per pupil per annum to pay for Diocesan Education Support. Many churches have been closed and parishes merged all over the country.
What sort of signal does their Lordships ' choice of venue send to ordinary Catholics? It is not so much the cost of the Villa Palazzola as compared with Hinsley Hall. The Villa may well be cheaper as they presumably own it. Air-fares will negate any saving though. What concerns me is the evidence it gives of supreme indifference to negative perceptions and publicity.
It is the school holidays. Could they not have gone to an empty boarding school ?
The Pope is living in a Vatican hostel.

[HallamPhil]

Good excuse for not being able to attend Wednesday's funeral, eh?
I hope they have a productive time together.

[keitha]

The Villa is owned by the Church and is therefore very low cost. The flights will be either with budget airlines or discounts will have been negotiated. Many schools will be back next week (I know several teachers who are back at work) and most schools will make a not insignificant charge for the use of their accommodation. I have arranged many similar conferences and looked at many venues and in the UK those that are suitable for this sort of event tend to be expensive, with no guarantee of exclusivity/privacy (which would be essential for this). I have therefore often found that going abroad is by far the most cost-effective proposal.

In addition, it is handy for Rome - and I would imagine a number of Rome-based prelates may be attending for one reason or another. It looks to me like a sensible proposal.

[JW]

They just don't get it, do they? As Old Barmaid says It's not the cost, it's about the scandal that a conference in such a place creates "supreme indifference to negative perceptions and publicity". There are loads of places in England & Wales which can properly cater this sort of conference - Hinsley Hall, Aylesford Priory, Buckfast Abbey, etc. ad nauseam.

[killary45]

If the Bishops make good use of their time in Rome then I simply do not see any possible scandal. If they were going to a place noted for luxury in a location of no special significance for their ministry then I would join in the complaints.

[Nick Baty]

We're about to spend £8million on a funeral. The bishops' costs are negligible in comparison. But, I agree with Old Barmaid, it doesn't look good. And, doubtless, it will be picked up in the national press at some stage.

[HallamPhil]

Perhaps JW has not paid a bill at Hinsley Hall. I don't think it is cheap. In any case I'm not sure that the bishops are attending a conference per se. My impression is that this is something of a departure as it will be a retreat, in which case some places which are a hub of diocesan or monastic activity may not lend themselves in the same way.

I am not at all scandalised. I am thankful for continued commitment despite many of them having to wait a long time for release into retirement from the diocese.

[JW]

I have to admit, I haven't paid a bill at Hinsley Hall! The only religious establishment I stay at from time to time is St Rita's Centre in Honiton, which is very reasonable but far too small for this particular purpose. I'm a bit surprised that Hinsley Hall isn't considered suitable for a retreat - after all the numbers of bishops etc would mean that they would have sole occupancy.

At 3 different places I worked, in different decades, there were moves to hold conferences/meetings abroad to save costs. Each time, the proposal was rejected because it would not be viewed as appropriate outside the organisation. Imagine the uproar, for example, if the local Catholic School decided to hold a two-day RE training course for its staff and governors in the Villa Piazolla, or even in Lourdes!

According to its website, the Villa Palazolla is in a "stunning lakeside location" "with large swimming pool and breathtaking garden terrace". Cardinal Cormac is quoted as calling it "a foretaste of paradise" in his student days. Most people would consider this to be luxury, at least in the circles that I move in.

Neither can I see that the environs of Rome are particularly apposite for a retreat for those entrusted with the spiritual oversight of England & Wales. This is not an 'ad limina' meeting, so the emphasis is not on the relationship with Rome. If, as KeithA says, Roman prelates wish to attend, there is nothing to stop them coming to England (though I'm not sure why they would need to join a bishops' retreat).

Whatever happened to the Live Simply campaign?

[HallamPhil]

JW:

I'm a bit surprised that Hinsley Hall isn't considered suitable for a retreat - after all the numbers of bishops etc would mean that they would have sole occupancy.

My point is that Hinsley Hall is also the Curial Offices of Leeds Diocese and too close to home for some and there a few staff there! It would not be a refreshing place to stay for the duration that the bishops intend, I suspect.

[killary45]

According to its website, the Villa Palazolla is in a "stunning lakeside location" "with large swimming pool and breathtaking garden terrace". Cardinal Cormac is quoted as calling it "a foretaste of paradise" in his student days. Most people would consider this to be luxury, at least in the circles that I move in.

It is 25 years since I last stayed at Palazzola, but I do remember the stunning views across the lake to Castel Gandolfo. It was never luxurious though - on a hotel classification it would have been two star accommodation. The outdoor swimming pool will be only for the intrepid this early in the season, but the gardens and surrounding walks would be lovely.

I would be very surprised if the each bishop's cost is not less than a typical package holiday, and they will be probably be staying in less well equipped rooms than most tourists.

[Southern Comfort]

It is 25 years since I last stayed at Palazzola, but I do remember the stunning views across the lake to Castel Gandolfo. It was never luxurious though - on a hotel classification it would have been two star accommodation. The outdoor swimming pool will be only for the intrepid this early in the season, but the gardens and surrounding walks would be lovely.

I would be very surprised if the each bishop's cost is not less than a typical package holiday, and they will be probably be staying in less well equipped rooms than most tourists.

Many of the rooms have been upgraded now, since the place is making money as a hotel as well as the residence for the English College (anyone can book to stay there when nothing else is happening there — http://www.palazzola.it/brochure_dvd.asp and other pages such as http://www.palazzola.it/booking_rates.asp). I can testify that they are nicely done. And the food is excellent. If it's warm enough for lunch under the pergola, that is a very special experience.

There are some primitive aspects — for example, the wifi is very spotty and unreliable (but that's true of Italy as a whole!), but when you're on retreat, as the bishops will be, who cares?

[BobHayes]

The Tablet on-line has a brief but interesting account of Marc Cardinal Ouellet's homily addressed to the bishops on retreat. http://www.thetablet.co.uk/latest-news/5237