Vatican hosts charity concert with poor, aged in VIP seats

VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Vatican is hosting a charity concert next month with a Franciscan twist: The VIP seats are going to the poor and the elderly.

The May 14 concert in the Vatican audience hall is being organized by the pope’s chief alms-giver, Monsignor Konrad Krajewski, who has revolutionized the role by feeding the homeless, installing showers for them off St. Peter’s Square and recently opening up the Sistine Chapel to them.

Krajewski’s chief of staff, Monsignor Diego Ravelli, detailed the concert plans Thursday. He said it would be a concert “with and for the poor” – with Rome’s most marginalized in seats of honor and donations and sponsorship proceeds going to charity.

Ravelli said in 2014, the office gave out 1.5 million euros (dollars) in small doses of assistance.