The Pope gave a talk yesterday from his window about the need to change our First World mentality – put the brakes on capitalism to protect the poor – stop our cities becoming places for only the super rich. This would be the same Vatican that has evicted poor and disabled folk from their church housing in the centre of Rome, because they want to rent out the apartments to the superrich for hugely inflated rents? The same Vatican that refuses to acknowledge that all its ex church buildings in the centre of Rome, which are now rather swish hotels, should pay VAT? Or the same Vatican that rents out centrallissimo apartments at knock down rents to the politicians that vote for church policy and help hide the Vaticans dirty dealings in the banking world?And another thing…. The ITalian press has never asked or been told what Berlusconi talks about when he goes off to meet a world leader. This year he met Putin for a few days – apart from the photo shoot we know nothing of a state sponsored trip. We have no idea what they talked about, other than a few days after B came home, MEdiaset – his tv company, – signed a huge deal with Russia. The same with Ghaddafi – he comes to ITaly with his tent and harem, sets up camp and then silence. Obviously they were just chatting – doesnt he have an obligation to tell parliament what he does in its name?
