Protests Cancel Pope's Visit to University

I find it refreshing that Italians are starting to make it clear that the Pope's and the Vatican's attempts to meddle in secular Italian society are not welcome. I doubt the situation will do anything to change Benedict XVI's efforts to return the Church and society to the 14th century. Here are highlights from the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/15/AR2008011502844.html?hpid=sec-religion):

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI has canceled his visit to a Rome university following protests by secular professors and students, the Vatican said Tuesday. Such a cancellation of a scheduled papal event is extremely rare, and the few times it has happened in recent decades, the Vatican cited security concerns. No specific reason was given in a brief Vatican announcement and Vatican spokesmen could not be reached for comment.

When news of the cancellation reached the campus, students in a political sciences hall broke into applause. Banners reading "Science is secular" and "No pope" have been strung from university buildings and posters plastered on walls objected to the visit. Students had announced several days of demonstrations this week. The university has 145,000 students.

Benedict was scheduled to deliver the speech as part of a ceremony to inaugurate the academic year at the university, which was founded by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303. The theme for the school ceremony is efforts to abolish the death penalty worldwide, a cause close to the Vatican's interests. The topic of the pope's speech was not revealed.

The politically influential Italian bishops conference said Benedict was the object of "antidemocratic intolerance." Interior Minister Giuliano Amato ruled out security concerns as the reason for cancellation.

If anyone is guilty of anti-democratic intolerance it is Benedict XVI and his host of male chauvinist, homophobic, senile old geezer Cardinals who stifle all progressive change in the Church.