Countering reports that the Sistine Chapel has been rented out for a private party by the Porsche Travel Club, the director of the Vatican Museums has insisted that the event is not a rental.
The Sistine Chapel is “certainly not able to be rented on request, nor will it ever become a venue for private parties,” said Antonio Paolucci.
Paolucci explained that the Vatican Museums have private tours for donors, and these tours can include a concert inside the Sistine Chapel. The Porsche Travel Club arranged such a tour, which is expected to net bout $200,000 for the museums.
Paolucci added that private tours of the Vatican Museums have been quietly arranged for many years, and these tours nearly always include a visit to the Sistine Chapel. He argued that the new initiative, offering concerts, was not a significant departure from longstanding practices.
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=23040What is the moral difference between renting for private parties and arranging private tours for an appropriate donation?