By the numbers: I would estimate the cost of the cappa magna

[hedgehog]

worn in yesterday's Pontifical Mass at the National Cathedral (http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/dc-liturgy-cappa-magna-glorious-music-latin-glitches) at say $400. ( 8 yards at $40/yard, toss in some labor cost for sewing. http://www.fabrics.net/outlet/Detail.asp?ProductID=3508)

This money could have been used to save 40 lives, by purchasing 40 mosquito nets at $10 each to prevent malaria:

http://www.nothingbutnets.net/nets-save-lives/

Now I know that the Cardinal was standing in for Jesus, and I'm aware of Mathew 26, but still,

WWJD?

[hedgehog]

1. My dad says I'm off by at least a factor of 10....

[rug]

2. I bet he's right.

[tjwmason]

3. Was it new?

I saw a picture of Cardinal O'Brien wearing a cappa a little while ago, it was noted that the cappa had been passed through several of his predecessors as Archbishop of S. Andrews and Edinburgh.

[hedgehog]

4. Does it matter?

[tjwmason]

5. Well one can't really criticise the organisers

if all they did was open a cabinet and take out the cappa which had been there for a while.