Woman's greatest liberation

According to the Independent(and plenty of other sources) The Vatican celebrated International Women’s Day by nominating what it considers to be the single greatest advance for womankind.. Unsurprisingly it isn't the Pill. It isn't suffrage or anything to do with equal opportunities - it is of course, the washing machine.

This appliance had done more for the women’s liberation movement than the contraceptive pill or working outside the home, said the the official Vatican newspaper, Osservatore Romano.“In the 20th century, what contributed most to the emancipation of Western women?” questioned the article. “The debate is still open. Some say it was the pill, others the liberalisation of abortion, or being able to work outside the home. Others go even further: the washing machine.”

The article is entitled, “The washing machine and the emancipation of women: put in the powder, close the lid and relax”, taking its name from the Washy Talky, the Electrolux bilingual-talking washing-machine launched in India seven years ago.

Personally I think that the Vatican is spot on! Not only does the washing machine bring up cassocks and vestments a treat, it gives women more time to do other things. Surely Bishop Eamonn Casey and many other priests would not have had the opportunity to create priestlets if their clandestine partners were down at the stream with a rock and some lye....

Aliens are my brother

The Pope's chief astronomer Father Gabriel Funes has stated that intelligent life may well exist elsewhere in the universe.

In an article in the Vatican newspaper, entitled “Aliens are my brother” he stated that the search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God. Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.

Asked about the Catholic Church's condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made, but it is time to turn the page and look towards the future. Science and religion need each other, and many astronomers believe in God, he assures readers.

Actually this view is no huge surprise. I was thinking of adding a few spoof quotes but perhaps once a some lapsed catholic guilt came into play...