However, the Pope is not just any other tourist, he is the head of a state, with diplomatic privilege. There is a big difference between saying “he would be welcome as Pope if he paid his own way”, which was not said and saying “he is not invited”, which was clearly said. Please reread the article. **Read it yourself: "An invitation has not issued nor is one currently under active consideration,” means just that. It is not the State’s responsibility to invite the Pope to the Eucharistic Congress: it is the Irish Hierarchy’s. But what they seem to want is not to have to pay for it. **
Statements that he could arrive as a private citizen ignore the fact that he could be subjected to detainment and questioning on any number issues because he was not there as a head of state with diplomatic privilege. The Pope is a head of State no matter where he goes even when his visit is pastoral, private or he is going shopping in downtown Rome (another State). He maintains diplomatic privilege regardless of the status of his visit. There are clearly people in the Irish government that would be overjoyed at that; Prime Minister Enda Kenny comes to mind. I don’t know if the government would go that low, but it is something to think about.
You are probably correct that it is too late to move, perhaps some will consider not attending; but on the other hand the intense prayer may help Ireland.If the only reasons people would consider not attending are (a) the Irish government hasn’t issued an invitation to the Pope for a State visit (the only type within the Irish government’s remit), or (b) they don’t want to spend the money to attend, it doesn’t say much about the importance of the Eucharistic Congress to them in the first place.