Burmese beat visa problems
Matthew Clayfield; 15/7/08
The Burmese junta was not the only government standing between Burma’s Catholics and World Youth Day. The Australian Government was similarly reluctant to let the 33 pilgrims, six priests and three nuns into the country, refusing to grant any visas until only two days ago. “It was probably the political situation,” the group’s spokesman, priest Philip Shwe, said in Sydney yesterday. “The Australian Government wanted to make sure every Burmese would go back to the country. They know (Burma) is a very poor country and we would like to stay here,” Father Shwe said. “They don’t want that to happen, so they wanted to make sure we’d go back to Burma.” Father Shwe, whose diocese is in the southern part of Burma, said none of the pilgrims whose visas to visit had been granted were planning to claim asylum in Australia.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24021140-5013404,00.html
Welcome, Il Papa - now pull your children into line
15/7/08
The images of the Pope’s arrival said a lot. Not one woman was there. How unfair to the nuns and other female laity not to be recognised; Joy Cusack; North Rocks
See: http://www.smh.com.au/letters/index.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2