Colm Fitzpatrick
The national Marian shrine at Knock has dismissed claims that the Church has taken over local bed and breakfasts ahead of the Pope’s visit leading to cancellations for would-be pilgrims.
Elphin parishioner Dorothy Burns (53), told The Irish Catholic she had made the reservation in Knock’s Drumhouse B&B on the hunch that the Pope would be there that weekend, but later received a message that the booking had been cancelled because the Church had taken the room instead.
Ms Burns said she had been told that Church authorities had “commandeered my accommodation”.
Official purposes
However, Fr Richard Gibbons, the Rector of Knock Shrine who will host Pope Francis during his short trip, told The Irish Catholic that the only rooms reserved by the shrine for official visitors were at the Knock House Hotel and St Mary’s – both buildings owned by the shrine and used for official purposes. “We haven’t gone outside of that to B&Bs,” he said.
A message seen by this newspaper to Ms Burns apparently from the B&B reads: “hello, I’m so sorry I have to cancel your reservation due to church has taking [sic] over b&b for that week due to the pope attending knock that weekend, I’m so sorry for any inconvenience caused but it’s out of our hands Thankyou.”
Attempt
Ms Burns claims that despite numerous attempts to ring the bed and breakfast in question to clarify the issue after receiving the message cancelling her booking, she was repeatedly told that the person responsible for such enquiries wasn’t available.
When The Irish Catholic contacted the accommodation in question this week, the woman who answered the telephone identified herself only as Sheila and said that the man who was responsible was away until the weekend.
Ms Burns said she was very disappointed that her booking had been cancelled and that as a result she will no longer be in attendance for the Pope’s visit in Knock. “I’m not going – I’m very disgusted,” she said.