When racing industry chiefs heard of the offer they did their sums and hinted that the church could make a contribution. So Sir Brian went back to the tour organiser, Bishop Thomas Muldoon.

They met at St Mary's Cathedral, where Sir Brian made his pitch for the cost of interrupted training and rescheduled race meetings.

"That will be difficult," said Bishop Muldoon. "We are running this visit on a shoestring budget. To pay for it we'll be having penny collections at church doors after Mass."

So it went, back and forth, until finally Bishop Muldoon seemed to throw in the towel. "We'll just have to find somewhere else for the papal Mass," he said.

At this, Sir Brian conceded. "No, no, no. Forget about the money. Bring the Pope to Randwick."

Soon after, Bishop Muldoon had a serious heart attack. But by then preparations were in the hands of Asher Joel, the savvy events organiser and leading member of the Jewish community who became "Sir" when knighted 1974, and who received a papal knighthood in 1995. The weekend Pope Paul arrived in Sydney, prayers were offered in the Great Synagogue for the success of his visit.

Mr Joel approached the 1970 visit with creative energy. When people said transport to Randwick would be chaotic, he led a walk from Central Station to show its easy access to pedestrians.

Getting the Pope to visit the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children was another Joel idea. The Pope brought toys from Rome - beautifully dressed dolls from eastern Europe, South American jumping toys, soft toys from the United States - all in a brightly painted Sicilian cart. His face lit up when he went into the ward and saw his gifts ready for distribution.

Another Joel idea was to locate the press centre upstairs in the Queen Victoria Building, then listed for redevelopment. It was an impressive sight, a whole floor packed with typewriters. Showing Sydney's archbishop, Cardinal Gilroy, a priest commented: "This is the biggest public relations exercise the church has ever mounted in the southern hemisphere, and it's not costing a cent."

Press coverage was massive.

In the eyes of history the significant event of 1970 was the Christian ecumenical service in Sydney Town Hall. It was the most advanced ecumenical service any Pope had ever attended.

A note of realism was struck by the absence of the Anglican archbishop, Marcus Loane, who refused to attend because of the Catholic doctrine of papal primacy. His refusal drew worldwide press attention, although another Anglican, Bishop David Garnsey of Gippsland, Victoria, addressed the gathering.

Pope Paul faced the difficulties squarely. "History cannot be written off overnight," he said. "The honest hesitations of sensitive consciences always demand our respect and understanding."

The host of the 1970 visit didn't get off scot-free. Cardinal Gilroy travelled around with Pope Paul in an open car, hatless in bright December sunshine. When the four-day visit was over, badly sunburnt, he needed medical attention.

Edmund Campion is a Sydney priest.