King of Pop sings the Pope

In case you need a chuckle, on the pop culture front, it appears that Michael Jackson has expressed interest in putting some of the late JPII's prayers to music, according to a Reuters article. An Italian music company has rights to about 24 of the late pope's prayers and is looking to find a group of international artists to put them to music. Not sure if Jackson will also choreograph them, but let's hope he keeps the crotch-grabbing to a minimum, as those moves might put JPII's cause for sainthood in jeopardy.

The choice of Jackson would not be without controversy, however, especially in light of his recent legal troubles. According to the story, "Father Giuseppe Moscati of the Edizioni Musicali Terzo Millennio, which specializes in church music and organizes musical events at the Vatican, dismissed the recent controversy surrounding Jackson, who is living in Bahrain after a Californian court acquitted him of child molestation charges last June.

" 'He has been cleared of all charges,' Moscati said."

Hmm, let's have a pop idol whom everyone believes to be a child molestor sing the prayers of a pope whom many blame for responding too slowly (or not at all) to the child sex abuse crisis in the U.S. church.

Probably shouldn't highlight that irony in the liner notes ...