Last February some 100,000 demonstrators in Rome demanded that the Vatican stay out of Italian politics and daily life.They announced the founding of a movement called "No Vat" to campaign against clerical interference and state subsidies to the Church.
(The call for the demonstration put it succinctly: “Does the pope irritate you? Then irritate the pope!”)
(read the story here)
Discontent with the role of the Church has been further fuelled by Italy's largest circulation daily, La Repubblica, which is running a series on the cost to the Italian taxpayers.
The Vatican Secretary of State has reacted with annoyance: the privileged Italian Church seems non-plussed at being the subject of investigative journalism.
These articles could turn out to be a watershed in Italian public opinion.
NSS member Graeme Hunter spotted them and is translating them into English as they appear.
The latest article is called “God’s tourists: 5 billion Euros a year”. It reveals how the “Roman Pilgrimage Office” is using legal loopholes to compete at an advantage with the rest of the tourist industry.
Faith-based tourism is allowed to bypass Italian tax, hygiene and safety laws, among others.
The Vatican offers the chance to "find God on exclusively low-cost flights" and stay at thrifty five-star convents.
Graeme's latest translation, as well as five earlier ones, can be downloaded here. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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