One of my readers hoped that the following might be one of my parodies – unfortunately not.
SECRET discussions between the Roman Catholic Church and Michael Jackson to put the prayers of Pope John Paul II to music appeared to be in disarray last night after the singer fled members of the press who had got wind of the project.
Pope John Paul, who died last April, wrote 24 religious prayers and chants and Church officials now want to set them to music.
Jackson, recently cleared of child sex abuse charges in California, is seen as a prime candidate because of his worldwide celebrity status.
Yesterday, Father Giuseppe Moscati, of the Millennium Music Society, which specialises in church music and organises musical events at the Vatican, reluctantly confirmed the details.
Fr Moscati said: "We have the rights for the 24 prayers written by Pope John Paul.
"We had hoped the fact that we have been in contact with Michael Jackson would remain a secret. But sadly it has leaked out ahead of time. We are in discussions and trying to sort it out."
Fr Moscati dismissed Jackson’s controversial past and insisted it was no barrier to him working with the Catholic Church. The priest said: "He was cleared and found not guilty by a jury.
"Michael Jackson is very interested in this project – we shall see what happens."
Well if true (and a extremely robust skepticism applies here) talk about a really bad decision. Even discounting the charges of pedophilia this is an association that is just plain weird. In fact this decision is just plain Bad and the Vatican should tell him to Beat it since he is Dangerous.
I remember towards the beginning of my Navy career that the Navy actually commissioned the Village People to do their song "In the Navy" as a recruitment related commercial. I remember seeing onboard ship and was dumfounded that in the days of do ask and do tell that anybody thought this association was a good idea.
24 comments
According to Reuters, this is not a Vatican initiative but, if true, the actions of a very foolish priest. So, it is wrong to call it a discussion between the Roman Catholic Church and Michael Jackson. It is a discussion involving a private company which is apparently run by a Catholic priest.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2006-02-06T145305Z_01_L06390140_RTRUKOC_0_US-POPE-JACKSON.xml&archived=False
While I do love a good THRILLER news story this just makes me want to SCREAM.
Who, who, who can possibly think this would be even remotely close to being in the general whereabouts of this being a good idea? WHO?
I wonder if the media thinks that any priest who lives in Italy is a spokesman for the Vatican. Apparently there were also a “SECRET” Vatican snubbing of DeNiro a few years back, who was supposed to record JPII’s poems. Father Giuseppe Moscati was involved in that one too.
Heh. Haugen and Haas don’t sound so bad now, do they? Huh??? Huh??? 🙂
This is a job for ..
.The St. Louis Jesuits!
What’s the other option:
Moonwalking processions?
Crotch-grabbing during the offertory?
A choreographed Recessional dance?
No doubt, the prayers of JPII will find their way into the hymnal, the question is: Who do we want to write them?
I’d approach either John Williams or Howard Shore, or does anyone know any accomplished Catholic composers with a background in sacred music?
Mama mia! How you say “boneheaded” in Italiano?
*blank stare*
Michael Jackson? What on earth…?
I wonder how they would get the rights – wouldn’t the papal copyright kick in?
Well, at least M.J. won’t be singing “YMCA”.
I say that our dear new Pope should have a hand in commissioning a composer or two. He’s bound to know at least ten candidates with a classical background.
Here’s pretty much the real story:
http://tinyurl.com/b72b8
The good padre should probably just Beat It…Just Beat It.
Because, as we all know, One Bad Apple can spoil the whole bunch, girl…
The hysteria this story caused troubled me, since finding out the truth was as easy as A B C.
NO NO NO NO NO – say this ain’t true!
What next? Michael Jackson becomes liturgical muzak? Get some water! Get some disinfectant! Let’s hope the makers of Glory and Praise, Gather, and Spirit and Song don’t pick up on this!
BMP
Mama mia! How you say “boneheaded” in Italiano?
I’m not sure, but stupido and pazzo (crazy) might fit the bill.
JPII
Everyone thinks you’re cool
So maybe they’ll like me too
If I make this CD just you and me–Whoo!
…One Bad Apple can spoil the whole bunch, girl…
Wasn’t that one the Osmonds (Donny)?
BMP
I think “One Bad Apple” was the Jackson Five.
They sound an awful lot alike.
This is a definitive example of flower-child thinking gone amok. The poor guy probably thought the Church could reach a very large gang of young people through this pedophile freak(well, he doesn’t see him as a pedophile freak, but you know what I mean) without giving so much as a glance at how this truly lame idea will, fur shurr, degrade the words of maybe the greatest Pope of all time. Some people *should* be silenced.
Nope – One Bad Apple actually WAS the Osmonds. In fact, I can still remember the infamous Osmonds and Jackson Five cartoons on Saturday mornings running back to back (early ’70’s) (in fact, the latter was “Jackson 5ive” – the “5” deliberately replaced the “F”).
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/osmonds/409211/album.jhtml – link to Osmonds album carrying “One Bad Apple”.
OK – Donny’s a Mormon (along with the rest of the Osmonds), but at least he didn’t have to deal with pedophilia charges.
BMP
Presumably this company paid the Vatican publishing folks a fee to have rights to use them as lyrics.
Maureen, that would be proof that, just like in US politics, money talks and BS walks.
BMP
Navy sings:
http://www.youtube.com/w/Royal-Navy's-Bohemian-Rhapsody?v=JAUpVZ-NwCY
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