Category Archives: vatican

Money

Posted on December 6, 2008 by Charles Lambert

Well, it’s good to be reminded once again who really runs Italy. When it emerged that the Treasury was planning to reduce the amount of funding provided by the Italian state to catholic schools, it took no more than a … Continue reading →

Posted in education, italy, money, ratzinger, vatican | Leave a comment

Iran, Jamaica, Vatican, Sudan….

Posted on December 2, 2008 by Charles Lambert

Surprise news from the Holy See. Someone called (Father) Federico Lombardi claims that the Vatican’s refusal to endorse a proposal for the UN that homosexuality be decriminalised, signed by all EU states, presumably including Poland (!), does not mean that … Continue reading →

Posted in homophobia, vatican, wendell ricketts | Leave a comment

Ditching the bitch

Posted on November 3, 2008 by Charles Lambert

This time PD senator Paola “Mrs Doubtfire” Binetti (see two posts down) really does seem to have gone too far. Following her comment that homosexuals couldn’t control their paedophilic instincts and were therefore disqualified from becoming priests, members of her … Continue reading →

Posted in binetti, homophobia, italy, politics, vatican | 4 Comments

An expert speaks

Posted on November 1, 2008 by Charles Lambert

I’ve had occasion in the past to talk about Paola Binetti, Democratic Party (PD) senator here in Italy, and the prime mover in blocking civil union legislation during Prodi’s ill-fated government. Well, after a period of relative silence, during which … Continue reading →

Posted in binetti, homophobia, italy, politics, vatican | 2 Comments

Jam and jewels

Posted on October 8, 2008 by Charles Lambert

The EU is looking into why religious education teachers in Italian schools receive preferential treatment: less rigorous selection (they’re handpicked by the local bishop) and better salaries. Not that they do teach religion, any more than a geography teacher who … Continue reading →

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Roman salute

Posted on April 29, 2008 by Charles Lambert

I don’t live in Rome any more and many of the years I did spend in the city it was ruled by a series of insipid Christian Democrats, their names forgotten, more interested in nest-feathering than the fate of Caput … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, binetti, italy, politics, rome, vatican | Leave a comment

Fright

Posted on February 12, 2008 by Charles Lambert

It’s standard practice in the run-up to elections for opposition leaders to accuse the government of practically anything short of first degree homicide (pace Andreotti), knowing full well that retaliation only makes the retaliator look pathetic. It’s an old playground … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, giuliano ferrara, italy, politics, vatican | Leave a comment

Abortion

Posted on January 29, 2008 by Charles Lambert

An awful lot of men -old men, obese men, childless men, opinionated men – are talking about abortion in Italy right now. I don’t think it’s any of their business, and I don’t think it’s any of mine.

Posted in vatican | 2 Comments

Bananas

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Charles Lambert

As predicted in my last post, Clemente Mastella has withdrawn his three (yes, that’s right, three) senators from the Italian senate, depriving the Prodi government of its majority of two (yes, that’s right, two). The government’s been looking like a … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, corruption, italy, politics, prodi, vatican | 4 Comments

More papal bull

Posted on January 15, 2008 by Charles Lambert

It’s Ratzinger’s week. Not content with assuming the position (see below), he’s stirred up a hornet’s nest at La Sapienza, Rome and Italy’s largest university. Invited to the inauguration of the academic year (which, typically, takes place months after it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in corruption, ratzinger, university, vatican, vladimir luxuria | Leave a comment